Brazil
Scam and fraud reporting in Brazil
If you've been scammed or suspect fraud in Brazil, act immediately — reporting quickly improves your chances of recovery, especially for Pix transactions where the MED refund mechanism has a time limit. Procon, the Policia Federal, and SaferNet are your main reporting channels.
If you have been scammed
- 1Screenshot the WhatsApp conversation, Pix transaction, or fake listing before it is deleted.
- 2If money was sent via Pix, contact your bank immediately and request a MED (Mecanismo Especial de Devolucao) within 80 days.
- 3File a police report (boletim de ocorrencia) online through your state's Delegacia Eletronica.
- 4Change passwords on any compromised accounts and enable two-factor authentication.
Think it might be a scam?
- 1Search the company or person's name plus "golpe" to check for reports from other people.
- 2Verify any business through the Receita Federal CNPJ lookup at servicos.receita.fazenda.gov.br.
- 3Contact the organisation directly using a number from their official website, not the one you were given.
- 4Check CERT.br alerts at cert.br for current phishing campaigns and cyber threats targeting Brazilian users.
Where to report fraud
Official reporting channels in Brazil
Procon
File a complaint with Procon
Official Brazilian consumer protection platform for filing complaints about fraudulent businesses, fake shops, and consumer fraud.
Policia Federal
Report cybercrime to Policia Federal
Brazilian Federal Police — report large-scale fraud, cybercrime, and cross-border scam operations.
SaferNet Brasil
Report online fraud to SaferNet
Brazilian NGO partnered with the Federal Public Ministry for reporting internet crimes including fraud, phishing, and identity theft.
Learn more
Official resources and guides
Scam index
Scams affecting people in Brazil
14 scams tracked
Gmail account recovery phishing scam
A phishing email or notification claims someone is trying to access your Gmail account, directing you to a fake Google login page to steal your credentials.
Go directly to myaccount.google.com/security to review recent security activity — never use links from emails.
Gmail users
U.S.
YouTube monetization scam
Fake emails claim to be from YouTube's Partner Program, asking creators to verify their monetization status through a phishing link that steals their Google account credentials.
Check monetization status directly in YouTube Studio at studio.youtube.com — not through email links.
YouTube creators
U.S.
fake court ruling news scam
Fabricated news about major court rulings is spread on social media to provoke outrage and drive clicks to ad-fraud sites, phishing pages, or donation scams.
Verify court rulings through official court websites, PACER, or established legal news outlets.
Political followers
U.S.
rogue security software install scam
A website prompts you to install a free security tool that claims to find dozens of threats on your computer, then demands payment to remove them.
Uninstall the rogue software immediately using your system's Add/Remove Programs or a legitimate anti-malware tool like Malwarebytes.
Non-technical users
U.S.
mobile security app scam
A fake mobile security app on an unofficial app store or sideloaded APK claims to protect your phone but actually collects personal data, displays intrusive ads, or subscribes you to premium services.
Uninstall the app immediately and review all app permissions in your phone's settings.
Non-technical users
U.S.
Outlook account suspended phishing scam
A phishing email warns that your Outlook or Hotmail account has been suspended for violating terms of service, urging you to verify your identity on a fake page.
Sign in to your Outlook account directly at outlook.com to verify its status — if you can log in, it is not suspended.
Email users
U.S.
Google Play Store clone app scam
Malicious clone apps on Google Play copy the branding and functionality of popular apps to harvest user data, inject ads, or install additional malware.
Download apps only from verified developer accounts and check that the developer matches the official company
Android users
U.S.
fake photo editor app scam
Scam photo editing apps lure users with free filters and features, then demand expensive subscriptions, harvest photos, or install adware on the device.
Check app permissions before installing and deny access to data the app does not need for its core function
Smartphone users
U.S.
fake antivirus app scam
Bogus antivirus apps display fake threat warnings to scare users into purchasing premium versions or granting device administrator permissions that enable data theft.
Use antivirus apps only from established security companies such as Norton, Bitdefender, Malwarebytes, or Kaspersky
Smartphone users
U.S.
fake Uber driver at airport scam
Imposters posing as Uber drivers approach travelers at airports, offering rides in unmarked vehicles and charging inflated fares or, in worst cases, committing robbery.
Always request your Uber through the app and verify the driver's name, photo, car make/model, and license plate before getting in.
Travelers
U.S.
Uber surge price manipulation scam
Drivers coordinate to temporarily go offline in busy areas to artificially trigger surge pricing, then go back online to collect inflated fares from passengers.
Wait a few minutes before booking when you see sudden surge pricing — artificial surges typically resolve quickly.
Uber riders
U.S.
political deepfake robocall scam
AI-cloned voices of political figures are used in robocalls to spread disinformation, suppress voter turnout, or solicit fraudulent donations during election periods.
Verify any election information through your state or local election board's official website.
Voters
U.S.
parental control app scam
Fake parental control apps advertised to concerned parents actually contain spyware that monitors the parent's device instead, stealing banking credentials and personal data.
Only install parental control apps from established developers available in the official app stores, such as Bark, Qustodio, or Google Family Link.
Parents
U.S.
social media airdrop link scam
Fake airdrop announcements on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok use engagement bait to drive clicks to phishing sites that steal wallet credentials or personal data.
Verify any airdrop by checking the project official website and verified social media accounts
Crypto users
U.S.
Cities
Scam reports by city in Brazil
Other countries