Gifts, promotions, and haste. The typical combination of Valentine’s Day heats up commerce, especially in online stores, but it also attracts the attention of scammers. According to the Identity and Fraud Report, from Serasa Experian, more than half of Brazilians (51%) were targeted by scam attempts in 2024. With the increase in digital transactions, vigilance must be doubled—especially on seasonal dates like June 12, which concentrate large sales volumes in a short period.
“Valentine’s Day is one of the strongest retail dates, and this makes digital criminals take advantage of the activity to carry out scams,” explains Adilson Neves, Commercial Director of Paytime, a fintech specialized in digital payments. He highlights cases where the loss falls on merchants: “For example, in online purchases made with cloned cards, the store may be held financially responsible for chargebacks.”
The most recent survey by Axur shows that exposure of credit and debit cards increased 26-fold 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, reinforced authentication (such as 3DS), and automated behavioral analysis. “Today, technology allows us to identify suspicious patterns in real-time. If a store usually sells products worth R$ 70 and a transaction for R$ 2,000 appears, the system immediately raises an alert. This protects both the merchant and the consumer.”
For those selling through social media—a common practice among small business owners—using payment links with authentication and encryption is a secure way to receive payments for transactions.
As for consumers shopping for gifts, the recommendation is not to be carried away by impulse. “Last-minute promotions may hide traps. Scammers use fake ads, WhatsApp messages, or email links to carry out frauds known as 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 the use of credit cards, which allow transaction disputes and offer additional protection in case of fraud.
“On emotionally charged dates 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 down on caution,” concludes Adilson.
