Banco de Costa Rica (BCR) announced on April 6 a series of recommendations to help individuals and families stay safe during the upcoming Semana Santa holiday. The bank said these tips are intended for both those traveling and those staying at home.
Semana Santa is often a time when people take vacations or enjoy a break from work and school. However, BCR warned that this period can also see an increase in criminal activity as offenders may try to take advantage of distractions during the holidays.
Jose Ledezma, Corporate Services Manager at BCR, said, “Luego de un inicio de año que trae consigo la vuelta al trabajo, el inicio de clases en universidad, escuela y colegio, la Semana Santa viene a ser un alto para retomar fuerzas. Por eso, la primera recomendación que ofrecemos es no bajar la guardia. En este tipo de fechas los delincuentes intensifican sus técnicas, porque conocen que las personas pueden tener su atención en otros aspectos.”
Among the main recommendations are exercising caution when booking vacation rentals by verifying property existence before making payments and avoiding arrangements through social media. BCR also advised using secure payment methods and double authentication for emails and applications to prevent identity theft. The bank reminded customers never to share confidential information such as passwords or card details with anyone claiming to be from BCR.
Other suggestions include not carrying large amounts of cash and preferring digital payment options offered by the bank such as SINPE Móvil or virtual cards for reservations and purchases. If cash withdrawals are necessary, customers should avoid doing so at night or in isolated locations.
Ledezma concluded, “Semana Santa tiene picos de alta transaccionalidad, es por ello que durante estos dÃas reforzamos aún más nuestros protocolos y sistemas relacionados con la seguridad fÃsica e informática, con el fin de prevenir posibles eventualidades y que nuestros clientes puedan realizar de forma segura sus transacciones.”
