Manuel Alvarez, a 74 year-old man native from Asturias, Spain was reported missing in Costa Rica by his family, who explained the man traveled to this country on January 10 after he had received a call alerting him of a possible fraud to sell properties he owned here.

Alvarez, who has resided in San Francisco, California for many years, owns some properties in Costa Rica and visited the country occasionally.

According to his family, Alvarez received a call alerting him of the apparent forgery of his signature in some documents to sell the properties he owned in the area of La Garita in Alajuela. The man stayed in touch with his family in Spain and the last time they heard from him was February 2.

One of the man’s brothers, Jose Luis Alvarez, traveled to Costa Rica to try to get information of his whereabouts but was unsuccessful and proceeded to file the missing person report to the Organism of Judicial Investigations (OIJ).

“They are investigating, interviewing the last people that could have seen him, tracking his bank account movements”, said Jose Luis Alvarez to Spanish newspaper El Comercio de Asturias.

Gloria, one of the daughters of Manuel Alvarez, explained that this was the second time his father was alerted of the attempt to forge his signature to dispose of his properties, the first time it happened Alvarez reported the situation to the police and they were able to detain the suspect of the act.

Any information regarding this man can be reported to 800-8000-645 of the OIJ or through email to [email protected]