Brazil confronts AI‑driven financial fraud surge and releases new internet safety guide

Digital fraud in Brazil has escalated dramatically, with an attempted scam occurring every 2.3 seconds and losses reaching roughly R$ 29 billion between July 2024 and June 2025. More than 6.9 million fraud attempts were recorded in the first half of 2025, half of which targeted banks and card issuers, while 28 million Pix‑related scams were reported through September 2025. Criminals now employ artificial intelligence to produce deep‑fake voices and videos, convincing victims to transfer money via instant Pix payments. Corporate victims include a Hong Kong‑based firm defrauded of over US$ 25 million after a deep‑fake CFO call, and high‑profile impersonations of executives at Ferrari and WPP.

In response, a new Brazilian internet‑security booklet offers practical advice to identify and avoid scams, outlines steps to take after a breach, and provides printable PDFs for organizations. The guide emphasizes vigilance, verification, and rapid action to mitigate the growing threat of AI‑enabled fraud.