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Reports from people who made some type of sale with payment via Pix, but who received a fake Pix receipt increased in recent years in sales groups.
If you sell products online and receive payments via Pix, it's crucial to learn more about the subject and discover how the scam works and how to protect yourself.
These steps can help prevent you from falling victim and losing money to this new scam. Read on to learn more!
How does the fake Pix receipt scam work?
Pix is the primary payment method for Brazilians. In October 2022 alone, it handled R$1,400,897.5 billion.
However, the numbers are only increasing and this tool has become increasingly common in the lives of Brazilians.
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With all the acceptance and popularization of Pix, there also appeared new scams in the payments market.
One of them is the fake Pix receipt, and has caused a lot of harm to buyers and sellers on the internet.
It typically occurs between strangers negotiating the sale of a product online. They arrange payment before leaving to deliver or ship the item.
In other words, José advertises a pair of sneakers in the Facebook sales group he participates in, and João becomes interested and decides to “buy the product”.
In reality, John is a scammer, aiming to scam Jose. They agree on the details of the sale, and Jose requests payment before leaving to deliver the item to the agreed-upon location.
João, in turn, forges a fake Pix receipt and says he scheduled the payment for the day after delivery, as that was the only date he would have the money.
José, the salesman, believes João and decides to complete the sale, even without having received the money.
The end of the story is not difficult to decipher: José will never receive the money and will still be blocked by João as soon as he receives the product.
This is one of the most common situations involving this scam. However, there are other situations and variations of the scam, as well as other scam models involving Pix.
Before learning more about scams involving the most popular instant payment method among Brazilians, find out how to tell if a Pix receipt is fake.
How do I know if a Pix receipt is fake?
A fake Pix receipt is a modified document, so it may contain many errors or suspicious information.
Personally, I never look at the data on the Pix receipt I receive. Since it's from people I know, I don't pay attention to it. I usually just check the amount.
However, this could become a bad habit and make me easy prey for such a scam.
I believe few people have the habit of checking all the Pix receipts they receive, especially if they receive payments frequently.
In fact, frequent Pix payments should be a good reason to check the receipt carefully.
This means that you sell something and then you are targeted by scammers.
The data that must be checked on a receipt are the dates and the name of the bank.
Check that the date matches the date the buyer claimed to have made the transfer. It's also important to check that the bank name and logo are correct.
Pix is an instant payment method; transfers are completed in seconds. Don't complete your purchase until the funds reach your account, even if a receipt is sent.
Completing a purchase via scheduled Pix payment is also not recommended. Wait until the scheduled date and check if the funds have been credited to your account. If the payment has been received, deliver the product.
Buyers can also fall victim to Pix scams: making a payment and not receiving the product.
In these cases, it's best to only buy from secure websites. When purchasing from groups or secondhand items, wait until you receive the product from the seller to make the payment.
Always be suspicious when someone comes up with excuses about instabilities, bugs in the app, or things like that.
What are the main scams involving Pix?
In addition to the fake Pix receipt and the scheduled Pix scam, there are other models involving this payment method.
Discover the main ones below!
#Investment in Pix
This scam involves sending a Pix to certain accounts with the promise of receiving double the amount.
Several videos, images, and messages were posted and shared on social media stating that a failure in the Brazilian fintech system and also in Pix could lead to a double refund of the transferred money.
In fact, this week I came across a very similar ad. They used the logo of a well-known fintech in Brazil, but the email address was different.
Since I already knew what it was about, I simply ignored it, but if you're an uninformed person, you'll end up clicking and falling for the scam, especially because it had the logo of a trustworthy company.
This scam is also known as the “Pix Bug” and has already caused financial losses for many Brazilians.
Any type of investment in Pix or Pix Bug with the promise of double the amount is false and a scam.
Many people end up falling victim to these scams because they are victims of the desire to make easy money or to take advantage of other people's mistakes.
So be careful!
#Fake call center
In this situation, the criminal contacts the customer pretending to be a bank customer service representative.
Then, he says that the victim needs to test the payment method to regularize the system or offers help to register a Pix key.
Then, he encourages the customer to make a transfer via Pix to test.
Banks and financial institutions do not request customer data over the phone or perform these types of tests.
Other than that, the Pix key must be registered by the customer in the bank's app. In some cases, it's necessary to visit a branch to register, but never by phone, text, or WhatsApp.
#WhatsApp Cloning
Just like the fake Pix receipt, WhatsApp cloning is a very common scam.
It can have some variations, but it usually consists of cloning the WhatsApp number.
The criminal gains access to the victim's contact list and begins sending messages asking for a loan via Pix.
Another variation of this scam is when the scammer takes the victim's photo and name, but uses a new number.
The conversation is always the same: he says he changed his number and urgently needs to borrow money.
Cloning is usually carried out when the scammer contacts the victim pretending to be an attendant and at the end of the call requests a code that will be sent via SMS.
The victim receives the code and sends it to the alleged attendant, however, he is providing a tool that will be used to clone his account.
This is one of the most serious options, as the criminal may have access to other customer information and carry out further scams.
Therefore, never share your security code with anyone. Also, be careful about exposing personal data on social media.
To find out if it's a scam, contact the person making the request through other channels to make sure the situation is genuine.
How to prevent scams involving Pix?
Pix is a practical, fast, and economical payment method. Due to the advantages it offers, it has become the most widely used by Brazilians.
Such practicality and speed also made life easier for scammers, so it's very important to take some precautions when receiving or sending money with this tool.
Money sent via Pix arrives in a maximum of 10 seconds, so don't complete any purchases before the money arrives in your account.
Even if the customer presents a receipt, it may be a fake Pix receipt.
Another important measure is not to share codes received via SMS with anyone, even if the person says they are from your bank or even if you receive an email claiming to be from the WhatsApp team.
Before making a transfer, verify your identity. Make sure the account details match the recipient's.
If you've never used the tool, test it with small amounts to get used to it. Don't click on suspicious links and websites, especially those that say you'll win something or that you need to register a Pix key.
Many acquaintances end up sharing suspicious links without their knowledge, as these sites promise a reward if you share them with a certain number of friends.
It's worth noting that your bank won't call you asking you to take any tests related to Pix.
If you're having any issues with the tool, go to your bank branch or contact a representative via the app's chat.
It is very important to be cautious, as scammers use different actions to attract and scam people.
Those who are uninformed and inattentive will eventually fall.
What to do in case of scams involving Pix?
Unfortunately, it's usually difficult to reverse the situation. But if you've been the victim of a Pix scam, first and foremost, file a police report.
The next step, which should also be taken urgently, is to contact your bank and inform them and prove that you have been the victim of a scam.
Your bank will then contact the scammer's bank to report the incident. The funds will be frozen for 72 hours.
During this period, the criminal's bank can assess the situation and also notify the customer so they can verify that it is not fraud.
The request must be made via MED (Special Return Mechanism)It was created by Bacen and brings together a series of rules that must be followed when requesting refunds for transfers made via Pix.
Conclusion
Pix frauds reach more than R$1,400,000 per month and cause significant financial and psychological distress to their victims.
Even with so many warnings, the fake Pix receipt still claims many victims in Brazil, as do other Pix scam models.
Therefore, we urge you to be cautious and suspicious of any suspicious activity. Don't ignore your sixth sense.
