Well this sucks.

Check cashing scam hits Costa Rica! I recently had a check from one of my clients in the U.S. stolen and cashed here in Costa Rica. I never use my post office box in C.R. to receive checks, and this is exactly why. Why they even sent it there, I don't know, because they have my forwarding address in Miami (and if you live here and don't have one, check out companies like Trans Express/Interlink or Jet Box or Aerocasillas). Sigh. It was a big check, too, for several months' worth of work.What the thieves did was to put their "business" name above my name on the check, deposit it in their account and wait for it to clear. I have a strong feeling that the account no longer exists, and it is all just a big scam to steal people's money. In fact, if we can even track down who originally opened the account I'd be quite surprised. The idiot cashier at the bank didn't even ask for a thumbprint, which most banks do now (at least they always ask me to put mine on my own checks in my own name, even though the cashiers have known me for years).

Tomorrow I go with esposo to the OIJ to see what we can find out. Moral: If you can at all avoid it, don't have checks sent here. Yes, I know it can also happen in the States, but it didn't. And I've worked for myself here in Costa Rica for almost 8 years now, and have never had a single check go missing from my mail at Interlink. Seems quite odd that the first and only check I've ever been sent directly to Costa Rica would get stolen, don't you think?

What are the odds I'll actually see that money someday?