During the five days of Carnival, from March 1st to 5th, Serasa Experian, first and largest datatech in Brazil, estimates the occurrence of 182.154 attempts of fraud involving documents, personal information and mobile devices. If they are successful, these diligences could result in a loss of R$ 1.019.699.175,48 for consumers and businesses. The festive period, marked by a high volume of transactions, it is one of the most critical for coups, making it essential to adopt stricter preventive measures.
"In periods of great economic activity", like Carnival, criminals take advantage of the increase in transactions to carry out various types of scams. With the digitization of payments and the popularization of digital wallets, fraud attempts have been increasing significantly. Both consumers and companies must double their attention to avoid financial losses. The best defense against these crimes is to adopt safe practices and stay informed. With security technologies and awareness, it is possible to minimize these negative impacts during the festivities, alerts the Director of Authentication and Fraud Prevention at Serasa Experian, Caio Rocha
According to the Fraud Attempt Indicator, published monthly by datatech, a scam attempt was recorded every 2,4 seconds in March 2024. The month was also the first of the year to exceed 1 million fraud attempts, highlighting the intensification of criminal activity during the period
Here are some essential tips for consumers:
• Ensure that your documents, cell phones and cards should be kept safe and secure, with strong passwords for access to the applications
Do not provide passwords or access codes outside the bank's website or app
Be careful with cards in in-person purchases, avoiding change when making payments in bars, restaurants and street vendors
Always check the card after the transaction and protect the password when entering it
• Keep the phone secure with biometrics and two-factor authentication
Check the reputation of stores and websites before making any purchases, and provide your personal information and card details only if you are sure that it is a secure environment
• Be wary of offers with very high discounts or that require upfront payments
Be careful with links shared in social media messaging groups or SMS
Do not lend or sell your data
Do not make transfers to friends or relatives without confirming by phone or in person that it is really the person in question, because, the person's contact may have been cloned or forged
Create secure passwords and update them frequently
• Monitor your CPF frequently to ensure that you have not been a victim of any Pix fraud
Use only secure payment methods and enable two-factor authentication whenever possible
For companies, the recommendations are
In an increasingly digital and interconnected business environment, where frauds evolve and expand rapidly, invest in layered fraud prevention technologies to protect the integrity and security of your company's operations
Ensure the quality and accuracy of the data from fraud prevention solutions through solutions that continuously improve in response to changes and threats of fraud
Understand deeply the profile of your user and constantly seek to minimize friction points in their digital journey, ensuring a smooth experience without compromising security
Use fraud prevention as a lever to generate revenue, implementing an intelligent orchestration of solutions that maximizes security, reduce losses and allow for a faster and more reliable shopping experience for the customer
Methodology
Serasa Experian estimated the risk of fraud during Carnival 2025 based on data from the same period in 2024, when a fraud attempt occurred every 2,4 seconds
