According to the Identity and Fraud Reportby Serasa Experian, 51% of Brazilians suffered scam attempts in 2024. By itself, this is already a terrifying number, but for those who buy and sell online, the situation can be even more complicated. The latest research from Axuron cybercrime points to a 26-fold increase in the exposure of debit and credit cards, as well as 13 times more leaked credentials last year compared to 2023.
It is common for seasonal dates with higher commercial activity, such as Mother’s Day, to cause spikes in fraud, requiring extra attention from both consumers and retailers. Adilson Neves, Commercial Director of the fintech for digital payment solutions Paytime, reminds that stores are the ones who bear the brunt of scams: ‘When working with online sales, it is essential to ensure customer data security. If a criminal makes a purchase using this data, the responsibility may fall on the store, especially in cases of chargeback, when the actual cardholder disputes the purchase and the amount is refunded, causing a direct loss to the retailer.’
Thus, Adilson highlights some important recommendations for those operating in e-commerce. The first is to work with robust and reliable payment systems, with updated security services, and with companies that offer fraud prevention systems or two-factor authentication like 3DS. This significantly reduces the risk of someone other than the actual cardholder making the purchase. Furthermore, a good fraud prevention system can identify the possibility of card cloning, analyze behavior patterns, and prevent scams against both merchants and consumers.
‘Fraud prevention systems evaluate a series of parameters. For example, a website might consistently make sales averaging R$50, and then someone attempts a purchase of a thousand. The system identifies the order as suspicious based on real-time risk analysis that considers purchase history, location, time, and other behavioral factors,’ explains the director.
Another increasingly popular and secure option for online sales is the use of payment links, especially for those conducting transactions through social networks like Instagram or WhatsApp.
And for customers, how can they protect themselves? ‘There are several precautions to take when shopping, especially with the high flow of promotions and information during Mother’s Day. It’s essential to carefully check which website the links come from and whether the store’s history is reliable,’ recommends Adilson. He suggests using the page siteconfiavel.com.br for this type of verification.
It is also crucial to watch out for phishing attempts, a type of scam where criminals try to trick and convince consumers into revealing sensitive data. According to a report by Kaspersky, in 2024, there were more than 893 million phishing attempts worldwide—a 26% increase over the previous year. Brazil remains among the countries with the highest volume of attacks, especially during seasonal events like Mother’s Day, when online transactions surge. And, according to the Axur report, this is the most common type of fraud in e-commerce: in 2024 alone, the number of phishing pages doubled, reaching 72,455. Attacks can be simple or sophisticated, using SMS, WhatsApp, or even online advertising to make the public believe in the authenticity of the offers.
‘Consumers must be extra careful with links received via SMS, email, or WhatsApp, as scammers take advantage of haste and the volume of offers to deceive people,’ warns Adilson. ‘It’s important to verify the authenticity of websites, look for security seals, and avoid clicking on unknown links, even if they appear to be from trusted stores. Finally, consider using credit cards more often than Pix or debit, as credit cards offer greater possibilities for dispute resolution if the consumer identifies a suspicion. Additionally, credit cards usually offer buyer protection programs and banking mediation, which makes it easier to recover the amount in case of fraud,’ concludes the professional.
