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@Cheryl

Well... that is a post I didn't expect... but quite important if you consider how many 'folks' on these forums write in about issues with this and that; and always involve MONEY... which generally sound like a scam was involved. 

Before I continue, I will say that some of what we outsiders would consider to be scams ... aren't really.

The culture is different here, and trying to squeeze a little more blood from a gringo stone is common and perhaps should be considered more 'opportunistic' than a lowly scam.  Like Gringo Pricing... it's just the way it is folks... not a scam; a practice.

Also... and this is just my opinion, but I believe 'scams' happen to Gringos that have non-intentionally made themselves easy targets and perhaps haven't put much consideration into 'blending' into the landscape; as in; you live in an area full of Gringos.  Ducks on a pond are easy to shoot at.  I can spot a Gringo from a mile away... it really is that obvious.  Something to consider once you settle in...  different shoes, clothes, hairstyle, auto, etc.   If you duplicate your lifestyle from 'up there' ... you gonna get scammed.

So, I will add my 'scam - ish' situation, which I'm guessing isn't too uncommon.

And it is written about on here a lot...  Construction.

Long story short (are you happy?)... I hired locals ... like neighbors, to do the work on my renovation and addition.  I wanted to know the locals and it was a good opportunity to do so.  I got three blind 'bids' on my project because I put together a document with plans, descriptions, drawings, etc. (I worked in architecture and construction in my former life) and one of the guys was just a natural; he asked good questions, did 2 walk thrus, made suggestions, actually took the time to describe things to me that I wasn't familiar with; etc.  His price was the lowest... but because he didn't include any materials; which again, is common.  He told me that he would sit with me and put together regular lists of materials to procure, as needed.  I would go to the building supply and pay myself; but with him the first few times so as to register me with the vendor and I got the contractor 'discount'. 

Construction started late because he had to finish a job; again... common.  I lived 100 yards away and did the interior gut job myself; and let him know I would be on the JOB every day.  He took that seriously and hired one less guy... man did I work.  I went from 165 lbs to 129 lbs in 5 months. 

Work went well... we had permission to store our materials in a neighbor's barn and we were off and running even though it was the wet season... usually it didn't rain until later in the day so not an issue; Ticos are accustomed to it.

There were a few instances when the forman didn't show, and his guys refused to 'work' without him there... even though it was obvious that we should just 'pick up where we left off' the day before.  Whatever.  I just went with the flow... I even worked alone if there was work I could do myself.  But the no-shows became regular; and were always on Mondays.  Yes... my guy had the Monday Morning 'flu' or 'gripe'... because of drinking around 50-60 beers every weekend.  One of the guys told me that they got paid for showing up; even if they didn't work.   I had a man-to-man with the foreman and told him that if he asked for more $$ I would be certain that it was because he was paying a small crew for not doing anything... weekly.  He was burning through the 'labor' part of his bid.   But I kept my head and we had fun, I learned a lot, and I still know everybody to this day.  But at the end of the project, he showed up all clean and spiffy with his 'woman' and said we needed to talk.  OK... ???

He 'claimed' that he made a mistake with his math.  I listened and shook my head in 'concern' and asked to see the numbers... he showed them to me; but they weren't the original bid.  He showed me some 'addition' where he forgot to carry the '1'.   He wanted around $5,000 more.   

Now.... his bid was around 40% less for labor than the other 2 guys, and he was supportive during the project whenever I wanted something done differently or I asked for minor changes.  He was always easy to deal with despite the 'flu' and actually, was creative and good at problem solving and an all-around good person to work with.  Unprofessional as hell... but I found it refreshing... i left the 'professional' world behind and to this day, haven't looked back nor do I miss all that BS. 

So I reminded him of one last, minor change, and he said no problem... and I told him I would go to the bank for the extra money... but only this one time.   He was a little frozen by my willingness to go along with this, but I figure, I would have paid 5x more or MORE in the states for a job like this.  I received a boat load of airline 'points' because I bought all the building materials with my CC... so it all worked out.  I know he didn't make a mistake, but he was getting to the end of the job (I had already paid the final installment by then) and running out of cash to pay the guys.  I didn't want an issue because, What could I possibly do?   I didn't know anybody else yet, I was in an apartment lease that was only good for another 2 months, and I really wanted to get into the house so that it wasn't sitting unoccupied at night.   

I still spent less than what I had budgeted for.  Was it a scam??  Maybe.  But one needs to look at the LARGER picture and consider what you are getting compared to other places; and I considered the relationships I had made... note: the village only has 150 people; I couldn't make enemies with that many people that early in my 'life' here... and I wanted to do a big landscaping job within a few months that required concrete retaining walls; stone work; etc... and I wanted to use these guys because the 'foreman' has the best garden in town; i know all of them; and why fix it if it isn't 'really' broken.

Perhaps something deep inside me said OPEN your mind and look at things differently now that you're here because you're not in Kansas anymore.  I stopped applying my 'American' sense of what is 'right' and how things 'should' be done during that first year.  THAT has saved me from having a ton of unwanted/unnecessary stress since then.

That's all I got.   

If you think you are going to be in safer hands with your own gringos,

'heads up ! '...Your own Americans know there is nothing you can do if they screw you...That goes with everything as in trying to get a deposit back on a rental or whether it is something huge, like, buying into a development....These stories among North American do not end....Have your own independent attorney for your larger investments...For anything else, it is a roll of the dice.....Larceny and gringos go hand in hand in Costa Rica...