Tag Archive for: Costa Rica Investigators

Arenal La Fortuna

Buying Costa Rica Real Estate

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Are you thinking about buying Costa Rica real estate?  I know there are many beautiful places here. But, before you sign on the dotted line, there are several things you need to be aware of. Real estate agents have no licenses. Thus, anyone can represent they are a real estate agent. There is no government oversight of the real estate industry in Costa Rica. Consequently, anyone with a mouth and ears can sell real estate here. Consequently, you are at risk if not done correctly.

Living here I am well aware of the “real estate agents” who are nothing more than scammers. Scammers are protected here by the law. You can more money defrauding someone here than selling drugs. I know of fraud cases in the courts here for over ten years. You can never lose sight that the court system is not like the one back home. Courts here are run by inept and corrupt judges. No jury trials here. If you are a foreign national you enter the court areana with 2 strikes.

Real estate ownership here is possible if you do it right. A licensed Costa Rica attorney is all you need. All real estate purchases must be notarized. All Notary’s here must be licensed Codta Rica attorneys. However, not all licensed attorneys are Notaries. To have the notary designation requires additional education/ training, and many do not have it.

I recommend that buying Costa Rica real estate requires a licensed attorney. Also, one that speaks English as well as Spanish. It is vital for you to understand each step of the purchase. We offer to our clients legal services with a licensed Costa Rica Attorny and Notary. You can come by or call for an appointment. We will be happy to assist you.

Sky Line of San Jose Costa Rica

Assaults with Firearms are on the Rise in Costa Rica

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Assaults with firearms are on the rise in Costa Rica

If you are coming to Costa Rica be aware that assaults with firearms are on the rise. As we have recently reported that visitors here should take precautions when visiting here, the English speaking news paper Inside Costa Rica published an article stating that assaults with firearms are on the rise. A word to the wise, be alert and look every situation over before getting involved. Most of the time this simple admonition is enough to save you from a real problem

Use common sense when visiting Costa Rica

Just like many of the metropolitan cities in the United States, there are areas that you know that are inherently dangerous. The same is true here. For more insight go to travelling to Costa Rica.

1. Don’t travel by foot during the night

2. Leave your valuables in the hotel in a safe

3. Carry one credit card and little cash

4. Carry a copy of your passport with the date of entry page

5. Beware of strangers

6. If you have a rental car and have a flat remain in your car and refuse any assistance from passerby’s

7. Travel in groups

8. Remain in well lite areas

9. If traveling to the beach make sure that someone knows where you are going and when you expect to return

10. Beware of ex-pats that tell you where the “hot spots” are.

Although not comprehensive if you follow these simple common sense rules, the chances of you falling victim to a robbery or an assault is greatly diminished. Remember the police here are not the same as the United States. They are undermined, under equipped and take little or no action. Costa Rica has a law that makes any theft under $500 no consequence. That’s right, if the theft is less than $500 you are out of luck!

For more information and advisories as where to stay, where to visit or other information, please feel free to call us at 321-218-9209.

 

Catch a Cheater in Costa Rica

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Five-Step Plan to Catch a Cheater in Costa Rica

The five-step plan to catch a cheater in Costa Rica: Cheaters that come to Costa Rica have often laid the groundwork for their misdeeds long before they actually arrive. Technology advancements have given cheaters a false sense of security with new devices. Today most cheaters think they have an advantage by using such devices and applications to communicate. To take advantage of this misconception I recommend the following five steps to catch a cheater in Costa Rica.

 

My Five-step recommendations

Step 1: Make a Decision

First, you should decide whether or not it’s worth knowing if your partner is cheating. I know of instances where some prefer not to know. Innocent victims of a cheater owe it to themselves and their families to know the truth. Decide to catch a cheater if knowing the truth is the best thing for you and your family.

Step 2: Be Prepared

Once the decision has been made to catch the cheater you must prepare yourself for the worst-case scenario. Having definitive proof that your partner is cheating can be devastating. It’s also important to be financially prepared to investigate. Cheaters never perform on cue. It takes perseverance and patience to catch a cheater. The more information you supply the investigator the more effective and efficient they can be and thus save you time and money.

I will need recent photos, itinerary, flight number, location, traveling companions, habits, distinguishing marks, and length of stay for the investigation. We will discuss more details in our pre-investigation interview.

Step 3: Deploy

Probably the most important thing that you will have to do is the hiring of a private investigator in Costa Rica. You want to hire a private investigator with the experience and resources to carry out the mission. You also want a private investigator that listens to your ideas and concerns with regard to conducting the investigation. Be cautious of investigators in Costa Rica who try to bully or misguide you. Be especially wary of those who ask for payment through Western Union, or ask you to send money to a third party, as this is a red flag.

Probably, the most frequent question I get is about cost and conducting an investigation in Costa Rica. Although a third-world country the cost of living and operating here is higher than that in the United States. For example, gasoline is almost $6.00 a gallon; a 2 Liter bottle of Coke is $3.00; a combo from McDonald’s is $6.50; these prices are due in part to the Costa Rica government placing taxes on all consumer goods.

Competent and experienced investigators the United States routinely charge between $60 and $100 per hour plus expenses for their services. You should expect similar rates from competent and qualified investigators in Costa Rica. When you interview investigators in Costa Rica and they tell you they have a flat rate of $200 a day, you will sadly learn that this is nothing more than a ruse to ask you for more money as the investigation progresses. Some will hold the results of their investigation as hostage until you send them more money.

Step 4:  Wait and be patient

As I mentioned earlier cheaters never perform on cue. To catch a cheater it is a matter of being in the right place at the right time to capture his/her indiscretions. This is not rocket science but it does require perseverance and patience not only on the part of the investigator that on the client as well. I know it is human nature to want to know everything that is going on during the course of an investigation. But it is extremely important that you follow my instructions during the surveillance. I will keep you informed of any relevant or important events but will require that you keep this information to yourself until the investigation is complete. The investigation is only as good as the secrecy of the operation is maintained.

Step 5: Review the Results

 Many times, due to circumstances and or obstacles clear-cut proof cannot be obtained. For example, getting a video are photographic evidence of an intimate encounter between the cheater and his lover is rare. However, when reviewing the available evidence, and taking into consideration the totality of the circumstances to which the evidence speaks, you need to ask yourself; what a reasonable person viewing the same evidence would conclude? This is what you call circumstantial evidence and the conclusion is drawn from the preponderance of the evidence. If we obtain photographic evidence of the cheater at a bar that is known to be a meeting place for prostitutes and the cheater is captured with a woman in such a place and then leaves with that woman, what would a reasonable person to conclude?

Regrettably, these investigations lead to divorce. I recommend that prior to confronting a cheater with the evidence of his infidelity, you sit down with a divorce attorney and allow him to advise you as to the best manner to proceed.

For more information call us at 321-218-9209 or visit our Facebook page.

Different Types of Fraud in Costa Rica

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Fraud in Costa Rica, believe it or not, seems to be endless. Fraud, whether it be real estate, marriage, investment, or squatters can cost you everything you have. The toll financially and emotionally from enduring such fraud goes without comment. I emphasize to my clients that always trust their instincts. If “it sounds too good to be true”, then it is! The different types of Fraud in Costa Rica are numerous.

Most of my clients contact me after sensing something just isn’t right. Many dismiss this feeling and delay action that could help them before it is too late. As a potential victim of a fraud, you owe it to yourself to have your matter investigated by a professional fraud investigator.

 

The local print and electronic news services in Costa Rica report fraud on a daily basis. The OIJ, an understaffed, underfunded police branch, struggles to handle reported fraud casesgency.  Non-Costa Rican cases receive low priority and often go uninvestigated by understaffed OIJ Read more

How to find a private investigator in Costa Rica

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How to find a Private Investigator in Costa Rica? That seems to be the number one question that our colleagues get asked in the states. Followed by, When should I hire a private investigator?  Honestly, both of the questions are 100% valid. Finding a Private Investigator is hard; finding an investigator in Costa Rica is even harder. To find a trustworthy, licensed, and experienced investigator, you will need to conduct your own research. Having investigative skills will help you find a PI that fits your needs.

If you found this article, it means you probably came from a Google Search. Because of the internet, nowadays, it seems that everyone is advertising private investigation services here in Costa Rica. In doing so, there are some things you need to know.

First:

There is no governmental oversight of the private investigation industry here in Costa Rica. Likewise, there is no governmental oversight of Real Estate Industry. As one can imagine, this opens the door to all types of opportunities for fraud or a scam. Thus, there are no licensing requirements for either of these two industries here in Costa Rica.

One of the things that you have to remember is that Costa Rica is a small nation and does not have the infrastructure to oversee such industries. So, there really is no easy shop and go for this kind of thing. We can’t teach you how to find a private investigator in Costa Rica, but following the next three tips will making find a reliable and trustworthy investigator an easier decision.

Second:

DO NOT SEND MONEY TO ANYONE INCLUDING A PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR THROUGH WESTERN UNION. It is well documented here in Costa Rica that the majority of scams are carried off by using Western Union. Especially if you are told to send it to another name, not the requestors.

Since Costa Rica does not offer any type of licensing for Private Investigators, anyone can literally begin to offer Investigative Services under any name. The same holds true for mortgage brokers, real estate agents, and other services that normally require licensing in the United States.

But, just because your investigator is not licensed in Costa Rica, it doesn’t mean that he’s not licensed anywhere else. Because Costa Rica is held to different standards, this means that if you get scammed, you won’t be able to come after your investigator. Always protect your assets when you’re conducting business with a company outside of the United States.

Third:

Before hiring a Private Investigator in Costa Rica, make sure that the investigator is qualified to complete the task at hand. Do they have a Private Investigator’s license in the United States? If so, they probably have a company as well.

Always request licensing information, if they don’t have one, ask for a reason as to why they don’t have one. If they came from the United States, ask for proof that they are still in good standing with the licensing department in the United States. Costa Rica is the land of the Wanted & Unwanted. Many people run away from the United States due to legal reasons. Is your private investigator fleeing the country due to unethical practices? You need to make sure.

Trustworthy & Reliable

Does your private investigator have an office in Costa Rica? If so, is the address a legitimate address, or is it a parking garage? Do they have a phone number where they can be reached easily? Will he provide you with a detailed billing of his work and expenses? Does he have a bank account, or will you have to wire him money?

Experience & Education

Do they have any certifications? Are they certified fraud examiners? Anyone can tell you that they have years of experience, but without any type of certification, this is hard to prove. The same holds true when they claim to have Federal Government background experience. How can you prove that? And does this mean that they were on the field conducting investigations, or were they in an office foreseeing investigations?

Experience is a very valuable tool, as long as you have experience in the right field. We have been offering investigative services for over 30 years starting in the United States. Our corporate office, located in Orlando Florida, is still operational in the states. But we don’t offer every type of investigation. We focus on the three main investigation services in order to guarantee quality control.

We hope that If you follow these simple guidelines, and take your time to interview your investigator, you’ll be able to find a private investigator in Costa Rica, and any other part of the world. These tips will save you money and frustration in the long run. We have found over the years that our clients are intelligent people who can recognize a pretender. Real investigators have the verifiable experience, licensing and training to carry out your objectives. if you want to know more please feel free to contact us at Cody L. Gear and Associates.

Don’t forget this tip: A good investigator will never hesitate to give you the information you’re asking for.  Remember, you don’t depend on us. We depend on you.

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