Virtual scams and fraud: how to protect yourself from the swindle in the digital age

Stelionate, a crime involving fraud and deception in order to obtain an illicit advantage, has become increasingly recurrent in Brazil. According to data from the Brazilian Yearbook of Public Security, Brazil every 16 seconds, a coup deception is committed in the country, revealing the severity and speed with which criminals act. This type of crime affects thousands of Brazilians every year, leaving financial and emotional victims.

Lawyer Rafael Caperati, from Jobim Advogados, warns that the increasing use of digital media and the sophistication of fraud techniques make the fraud a constant threat, affecting both individuals and companies. According to Caperati, the “ele manifests itself in various ways, such as bank fraud, cyber scams, document forgery, and false promises of business or investments, victims often do not realize that they are being deceived until the damage is already real”, the emphasizes the lawyer. 

With the popularization of the internet and the digitization of financial services, scammers have been exploring online platforms to apply scams. “The lack of knowledge about the forms of prevention has been one of the main factors that fuel this type of” crime, highlights Caperati.

Stellionate can have devastating effects on victims, both financially and psychologically.In addition to significant economic losses, many people feel unprotected and insecure after being cheated, which affects their emotional well-being.

Given the frequency and variety of scams in circulation, the population needs to be attentive and informed to avoid falling into fraud. Advocate Rafael Caperati recommends some essential preventive actions to protect themselves from the swindler:

Check the credibility of offers: be wary of offers that seem too good to be true. Scammers often use promises of quick wins or extraordinary benefits to lure victims.

Be wary of requests for personal information: never provide sensitive data, such as bank account numbers or passwords, over the phone or email, especially if the contact is unexpected.

Use secure platforms: when shopping online or conducting banking transactions, make sure that the website or platform is trustworthy and has adequate security measures in place.

Beware of links and attachments: never click on suspicious links or download attachments from unknown senders. These are common methods for spreading viruses and stealing personal information.

If a person becomes a victim of embezzlement, it is essential to act quickly to minimize the damage.The lawyer advises that, “when realizing that fell in a coup, the victim must report the fraud to law enforcement authorities, if the fraud involves banking transactions or online purchases, it is important to immediately inform the bank or the platform, which can take steps to block transactions or reverse the amounts, in addition, consulting a lawyer can be critical to understand the rights of the victim and assess the possibility of seeking reparation”, explains.

In times of increasing digitization, awareness of the risks of the stelionate should be a priority for everyone. Prevention depends on a collective effort, where knowledge and caution can make the difference between safety and harm.