During the five days of Carnival, from March 1st to 5th, Serasa Experian, Brazil’s first and largest datatech, estimates 182,154 attempted frauds involving documents, personal information, and mobile devices. If successful, these attempts could result in losses of R$ 1,019,699,175.48 for consumers and businesses. The festive period, marked by high transaction volumes, is one of the most critical for scams, making the adoption of stricter preventive measures essential.
“During periods of high economic activity, such as Carnival, criminals take advantage of increased transactions to carry out various types of scams. With the digitization of payments and the popularity of digital wallets, fraud attempts have grown significantly. Both consumers and businesses must double their vigilance to avoid financial losses. The best defense against these crimes is to adopt secure practices and stay informed. With security technologies and awareness, it is possible to minimize these negative impacts during the festivities,” warns Caio Rocha, Director of Authentication and Fraud Prevention at Serasa Experian.
According to the Fraud Attempt Indicator, published monthly by the datatech, a scam attempt was recorded every 2.4 seconds in March 2024. The month was also the first of the year to surpass 1 million fraud attempts, highlighting the intensification of criminal activity during this period.
Here are some essential tips for consumers:
• Ensure your documents, phones, and cards are well-secured, with strong passwords for app access;
• Do not share passwords or access codes outside the bank’s website or app;
• Be cautious with cards during in-person purchases, avoiding swapping them when paying at bars, restaurants, and street vendors;
• Always check your card after a transaction and shield your PIN when entering it;
• Secure your phone with biometrics and two-factor authentication;
• Verify the reputation of stores and websites before making any purchases, and only provide personal and card details if you are certain it is a secure environment;
• Be wary of offers with unusually high discounts or requiring upfront payments;
• Be cautious with links shared in social media messaging groups or SMS;
• Do not lend or sell your data;
• Do not transfer money to friends or relatives without confirming via call or in person that it is indeed the person in question, as their contact may have been cloned or falsified;
• Create strong passwords and update them frequently;
• Monitor your CPF regularly to ensure you have not fallen victim to any Pix fraud;
• Use only secure payment methods and enable two-factor authentication whenever possible.
For businesses, the recommendations are:
• In an increasingly digital and interconnected business environment, where fraud evolves and spreads rapidly, invest in layered fraud prevention technologies to protect the integrity and security of your company’s operations;
• Ensure the quality and accuracy of fraud prevention solutions by using tools that continuously improve in response to changing fraud threats;
• Deeply understand your user profile and constantly strive to minimize friction points in their digital journey, ensuring a smooth experience without compromising security.
• Use fraud prevention as a lever to generate revenue by implementing intelligent orchestration of solutions that maximize security, reduce losses, and provide a faster, more reliable shopping experience for customers.
Methodology
Serasa Experian estimated the fraud risk for Carnival 2025 based on data from the same period in 2024, when a fraud attempt occurred every 2.4 seconds.
