How I got scammed in Bocas del Toro & what you can learn from it

Yep, this was the first (and last) time I got scammed in Bocas del Toro. Actually, in all my travels, this was the only time it happened.

Here’s the thing: before I set off backpacking through Central America, I kind of knew something like this could happen.

But the way it actually went down? Not at all what I expected.

Here’s my story, how scammers work, and how you can avoid my mistake.

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Arriving in Bocas Del Toro

It all started when catching the boat to the main Island. Unless you catch a flight, you have to get a boat trip from this place to Isla Colon, the main island in Bocas.

It was early morning, and apart from this English guy and me (let’s call him Harry), there wasn’t a single other tourist on board.

One of the locals—let’s call him Juan, because I honestly forgot his real name—was super friendly with both of us. We were cracking jokes, chatting about life in Bocas, and even talking about some adventures. Juan said he knew all the best spots around the islands.

When we finally got to the island, everything was closed except for one coffee shop. I was hanging around, waiting for a taxi to my hostel, when I spotted Harry and Juan again.

They were talking about going fishing together and maybe doing a boat tour around the islands. I wasn’t really part of the plan, so I just said I’d think about it and went off to catch my taxi.

A few days later, I ran into Juan. He was at a bar near my hostel. So I went and said Hi.

We sat down, had a beer or two, and started talking about the island and things to do here. He was hyping me about fishing, a boat tour to see dolphins, and other remote spots that no one can reach without a boat.

I was intrigued and very much interested. He continued by mentioning Harry and that he is also on board with this plan. At this time, I didn’t know Harry’s number, so I assumed he was really on plan and had my trust with Juan.

After 10-15 minutes, I was all excited and ready to do this amazing fishing and boating tour with Harry and Juan. This is when Juan asked me for $20 to “Pay for the boat”. I was a bit skeptical but also fooled by his social abilities.

So I did. I gave him the money. Agreeing to meet at my hostel the next day and head off early in the morning.

The Next Day…

The next day comes, I’m all ready for the boat tour, so I wait for Juan and Harry at my hostel.

As you can imagine, I waited about two hours before I finally gave up. All the attempts to call Juan were hopeless, and as for Harry, I didn’t even have his number.

Finally, I took my surfboard, angry and confused, and went for a surfing session in Bocas’ most famous break.

A couple of days later, I finally ran into Harry again. He looked frustrated, and that’s when he told me he’d been scammed too. Turns out, Juan had taken about $100 from him with the same story. Both of us felt foolish, but at least we now knew what really happened.

Not long after, I spotted Juan in town.

This time, I confronted him directly. He didn’t give my money back, just shrugged and tried to laugh it off. I told him, point-blank, that if he didn’t return the money, I’d spread his picture everywhere (even though I didn’t have one) and warn every traveler I met not to trust him.

Maybe I didn’t get my cash back, but I made sure he knew he wouldn’t be scamming anyone else so easily.

Conclusion and Valuable Travel Lesson

Looking back, it wasn’t really about the $20.

It was about how easy it is to trust someone when you’re in a new place, feeling open, excited, and a little bit naive. Juan didn’t scam me with force. He did it with charm, stories, and social proof. With just enough familiarity to lower my guard.

That’s the real lesson.

Scams like this don’t usually feel like scams in the moment. They feel like an opportunity. Adventure. “You don’t want to miss out on this.” And when you’re traveling, especially solo, you’re more likely to say yes because you want connection and experience.

Here’s what I learned: