New Rangers signing Lawrence Shankland netted a second-half double after his soon-to-be Ibrox team-mate Findlay Curtis scored his first international goal to equalise just before half-time following Curacao's shock opener, with Bournemouth's Ryan Christie adding a fourth late on from the penalty spot.
Steve Clarke's side fly out to the United States on Sunday to compete in the tournament for the first time since 1998 but are sweating on the fitness of Napoli midfielder Billy Gilmour who walked off injured in the first half.
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John McGinn, Scott McTominay, Lewis Ferguson, Kieran Tierney and Che Adams were given extra rest after playing for their clubs last weekend while Southampton striker Ross Stewart was managing a knee injury.
Curacao, who are managed by 78-year-old former Rangers boss Dick Advocaat, are ranked 82nd in the world and will become the smallest nation in history to compete at the World Cup with a population of around 150,000.
They are ranked one place higher than Haiti - who Scotland face in their opening group game in Boston on June 14 before matches against top 10 sides Morocco and Brazil.
A winning Hampden send-off
The visitors deservedly took the lead after 21 minutes when Sheffield United's Tahith Chong took the ball down on the halfway line before chopping inside John Souttar and reversing it in off the post from the edge of the box.
Scotland struggled to find their rhythm until they were handed a numerical advantage in the 38th minute when Curacao striker Jurgen Locadio was sent off for a late elbow on Aaron Hickey.
However, Hampden gasped two minutes later as Gilmour went down clutching his knee after playing an unopposed 10-yard pass. The Napoli man was withdrawn and replaced by 19-year-old Curtis who made an immediate impact with his first and second touches.
The first to set himself, the second to dispatch a low left-footed effort into the far corner for his first goal for his country.
A rejuvenated Scotland returned for the second period as Shankland got his first of the afternoon just before the hour mark from a well-worked training ground set-piece.
He then bagged his sixth international goal four minutes later after combining well with strike partner Lyndon Dykes before firing into the far corner.
Teenager Curtis continued to impress off the left and provided the Scots their fourth and final goal when he was brought down in the box by Sherel Floranus.
Shankland was already withdrawn so could not complete his hat-trick, but Christie stepped up to score his 10th international goal.
