According to the “State of Scams in Brazil 2024” report recently released by the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA), in collaboration with ScamAdviser and Whoscall, scams are wreaking havoc among millions of Brazilians. The report reveals losses of approximately BRL297.7 billion ($54 billion) due to scams over the past 12 months, painting a sobering picture of the prevalence of fraudulent activities targeting citizens.

With average losses of $1,000 per victim, GASA report highlights a surge in scam attemptswith 94% of those surveyed say they have encountered a scam attempt at least once a month. Most alarming is that the impact of financial losses was very heavy on scam victims, with only 4% of those affected claiming to have fully recovered the lost funds.

Here is a list of the most common types of scams affecting Brazil, according to GASA:

• Shopping scams and identity theft: Shopping scams, which often involve fake e-commerce sites or fraudulent transactions, are common. Identity theft is also widespread, exposing victims to further financial abuse.
• Phone and text scams: Phone calls and text messages are the main fraudulent delivery methods. Notably, SMS scams saw a 23% increase this year, demonstrating fraudsters’ strategic use of direct communication to reach their victims.
• Social media manipulation: Platforms like WhatsApp and Instagram are frequent vectors of scams. WhatsApp scams alone increased by 15%, signaling an increase in fake messages and impersonations on the platform.

Related: Phishing scams: how to identify and avoid them

Speed ​​and efficiency characterize scams in Brazil, with 61% of fraudulent schemes executed within 24 hours of first contact, leaving victims with little time to recognize the scam or seek help. Beyond the financial losses, the emotional toll of scams is also significant. Around 45% of victims reported a strong emotional impact, an increase of 25% over the past year, with many Brazilians indicating diminished trust in digital interactions.

Although 62% of Brazilians are confident in their ability to recognize scams (an increase from last year), this awareness has not translated into an effective reduction in scam incidents. The report shows that 66% of victims do not report scams to authorities, often due to a perception of inefficiency or complexity of the reporting process. Those who report scams turn to banks and local law enforcement.

Recommendations for a Stronger Anti-Scam Response in Brazil

The report also outlines critical strategies to address the scam crisis, emphasizing a coordinated approach involving public education, streamlined reporting and technology-based solutions. Some of the report’s key recommendations include public awareness campaigns, streamlining the reporting process, using anti-fraud technologies such as AI-based detection tools, and strengthening victim support resources and recovery mechanisms.

“To combat the growing threat of scams in Brazil, several measures must be taken: strengthened public awareness campaigns, simplified reporting mechanisms, collaboration between the private and public sectors, improved support for victims and recovery processes, and leveraging technology, such as anti-fraud applications. and AI-based scam detection,” said Jorij Abraham, Managing Director of GASA.

How Bitdefender can help you

Inasmuch as member of the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA), we play a key role in protecting Internet users against scams. Bitdefender leverages advanced cybersecurity technologies and AI to detect and prevent fraudulent activity in real-time across multiple platforms, including:

• Internet protection to secure your browsing and block malicious or fraudulent websites.
• Email Protection to protect your inbox against phishing attempts
• Scam alert to monitor text messages and chats for scams and malicious links
• Scamio: Our FREE AI-powered scam detector helps users identify scams through various channels, including internet browser, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp And Discord.

The scam detection tool is free and offers a user-friendly interface where users can check if a suspicious correspondence they received is a scam attempt, or they can describe a conversation or scenario to receive a verdict by a few seconds. You can also help others stay safe by sharing Scamio with them in France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Romania, Australiaand the UNITED KINGDOM

• Fraudulent co-pilot: AI-powered platform designed to detect and defend against the latest scams alongside a personal scam advisor chatbot, proactive alerts against emerging scams in your area, real-time scam detection during navigation and protection against remote access scams, among others.

You can learn more about Scam Copilot here.