Presents, promotions, and rush. The typical combination of Valentine’s Day warms up commerce, especially in online stores, but also attracts scammers’ attention. According to the Identity and Fraud Report from Serasa Experian, more than half of Brazilians (51%) were targets of scam attempts in 2024. With the increase in digital transactions, attention must be doubled — especially on seasonal dates like June 12th, which concentrate a large volume of sales in a short period of time.
“Valentine’s Day is one of the strongest dates in retail, and this allows digital criminals to take advantage of the movement to commit fraud,” explains Adilson Neves, Commercial Director of Paytime, a fintech specialized in digital payments. He points out that there are cases where the loss falls on the retailers: “In online purchases made with cloned cards, for example, the store can be financially responsible for chargebacks.”
The most recent 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 retailers is to work with payment solutions that offer anti-fraud systems, enhanced authentication (such as 3DS), and automated behavioral analysis. “Today, technology allows for the identification of suspicious patterns in real-time. If a store usually sells products for R$ 70 and a transaction of R$ 2,000 appears, the system issues an alert. This protects both the retailer and the consumer.”
For those who sell through social networks – a common practice among small entrepreneurs – using payment links with authentication and encryption is a secure way to receive payments for transactions.
As for passionate consumers who will be giving gifts on the date, the recommendation is not to be swayed by impulse. “Last-minute promotions can hide traps. Scammers use fake ads, WhatsApp messages, or links sent by email to carry out frauds known as phishing,” warns the director of Paytime. In 2024, Brazil remained among the countries with the highest incidence of this type of scam, and only the number of phishing pages detected 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 the use of credit cards, which allows for transaction disputes and offers additional protection in case of fraud.
“On dates with a lot of emotional appeal, like Valentine’s Day, people are more vulnerable and less attentive. This is precisely the ideal scenario for scammers. The best way to protect yourself is to double your precaution,” Adilson concludes.
