Gifts, promotions, and haste. The typical Valentine’s Day combination heats up commerce, especially in online stores, but it also attracts the attention of scammers. According to the Identity and Fraud Report, by Serasa Experian, more than half of Brazilians (51%) were targeted by scam attempts in 2024. With the increase in digital transactions, caution must be doubled—especially on seasonal dates like June 12, which concentrate a high volume of sales in a short period.
“Valentine’s Day is one of the strongest retail dates, and this leads digital criminals to take advantage of the activity to carry out scams,” explains Adilson Neves, Commercial Director of Paytime, a fintech specializing in digital payments. He highlights cases where the loss falls on merchants: ‘In online purchases made with cloned cards, for example, the store may be held financially responsible for chargebacks.’
The latest survey by Axur shows that the exposure of credit and debit cards increased 26 times in 2024, while the number of leaked credentials grew 13 times compared to the previous year. Adilson’s main recommendation for merchants is to work with payment solutions that offer anti-fraud systems, enhanced authentication (such as 3DS), and automated behavioral analysis. ‘Today, technology allows identifying suspicious patterns in real time. If a store usually sells products worth R$ 70 and a R$ 2,000 transaction appears, the system issues an alert. This protects both the merchant and the customer.’
For those who sell through social media—a common practice among small entrepreneurs—using authenticated and encrypted payment links is a secure way to receive transactions.
As for passionate consumers planning to give gifts on the date, the recommendation is not to be carried away by impulse. ‘Last-minute promotions may hide traps. Scammers use fake ads, WhatsApp messages, or links sent via email to execute known frauds like phishing,’ warns Paytime’s director. In 2024, Brazil remained among the countries with the highest incidence of this type of scam, and the number of detected phishing pages alone doubled compared to the previous year, according to Axur.
The expert also advises checking the store’s reputation and verifying if the site has security certificates; using platforms like siteconfiavel.com.br before making a purchase and prioritizing credit card use, which allows contesting transactions and offers additional protection in case of fraud.
“On highly emotional dates like Valentine’s Day, people are more vulnerable and less alert. This is precisely the ideal scenario for scammers. The best way to protect yourself is to double down on caution,” concludes Adilson.
