23-Year-Old Thwarted Job Scam Due to Poor Memory
A young man's struggle with memory leads to the prevention of a sophisticated employment fraud scheme.
On June 10, 2025, a 23-year-old man from Guápiles, Costa Rica, managed to avoid falling victim to a job scam thanks to his poor memory, which ironically became his saving grace.
The individual's identity remains anonymous as he recounted his experience of nearly being defrauded during his search for employment after being laid off.
In his pursuit for a new job, he had been unemployed for approximately six months, sending out resumes indiscriminately.
One day, while exercising, he received a call that appeared promising.
He paused his routine to learn about the offered position, which he initially found appealing.
The caller claimed to represent a medical services company and informed him that they were interested in his qualifications, offering a telephone interview ahead of an in-person meeting for a contract.
The young man engaged in a 30-minute conversation about his work experience, salary expectations, and educational background, becoming enthused by the possibility of remote work with a salary of 685,000 colones.
After the phone interview, he was advised that he needed a digital signature to formalize the process.
Conceding that he had never utilized a digital signature before, he inquired how to proceed.
The caller assured him that assistance would be provided to acquire an appointment at a bank to obtain the signature and that there would be a discount involved in the process.
After ending the call, he returned home and accessed a link provided by the scammer to set an appointment with a bank.
The link led to a webpage that requested his bank credentials.
During the process, the scammer prompted him to confirm his login information, indicating discrepancies that heightened suspicions.
The young man typically used facial recognition for passwords, which interrupted the process, prompting him to change his bank password.
The alleged scammer insisted on verifying the new details, prompting the young man to access the bank’s application directly.
Recognizing the increasingly suspicious nature of the conversation, he refrained from sharing his information.
The scammer attempted to build trust by displaying a secure connection icon, attempting to convince him that his data would remain confidential.
Despite the pressure to act immediately, the young man ultimately declined to provide any bank details and expressed a willingness to complete the payment in person during their planned meeting.
At this point, the scammer became agitated and abruptly ended the call when the young man offered to pay a lower amount, indicating a further breakdown in their communication.
Following the incident, he chose not to report the scam, reflecting on his relief that he had not been financially harmed, attributing his narrow escape to his inability to remember his bank credentials.
Through this experience, he has since emphasized the importance of verifying job offers and ensuring the legitimacy of potential employers.
The individual's identity remains anonymous as he recounted his experience of nearly being defrauded during his search for employment after being laid off.
In his pursuit for a new job, he had been unemployed for approximately six months, sending out resumes indiscriminately.
One day, while exercising, he received a call that appeared promising.
He paused his routine to learn about the offered position, which he initially found appealing.
The caller claimed to represent a medical services company and informed him that they were interested in his qualifications, offering a telephone interview ahead of an in-person meeting for a contract.
The young man engaged in a 30-minute conversation about his work experience, salary expectations, and educational background, becoming enthused by the possibility of remote work with a salary of 685,000 colones.
After the phone interview, he was advised that he needed a digital signature to formalize the process.
Conceding that he had never utilized a digital signature before, he inquired how to proceed.
The caller assured him that assistance would be provided to acquire an appointment at a bank to obtain the signature and that there would be a discount involved in the process.
After ending the call, he returned home and accessed a link provided by the scammer to set an appointment with a bank.
The link led to a webpage that requested his bank credentials.
During the process, the scammer prompted him to confirm his login information, indicating discrepancies that heightened suspicions.
The young man typically used facial recognition for passwords, which interrupted the process, prompting him to change his bank password.
The alleged scammer insisted on verifying the new details, prompting the young man to access the bank’s application directly.
Recognizing the increasingly suspicious nature of the conversation, he refrained from sharing his information.
The scammer attempted to build trust by displaying a secure connection icon, attempting to convince him that his data would remain confidential.
Despite the pressure to act immediately, the young man ultimately declined to provide any bank details and expressed a willingness to complete the payment in person during their planned meeting.
At this point, the scammer became agitated and abruptly ended the call when the young man offered to pay a lower amount, indicating a further breakdown in their communication.
Following the incident, he chose not to report the scam, reflecting on his relief that he had not been financially harmed, attributing his narrow escape to his inability to remember his bank credentials.
Through this experience, he has since emphasized the importance of verifying job offers and ensuring the legitimacy of potential employers.
