Brazil fraud schemes siphon more than R$6,500 from victims in São Paulo state

A 20‑year‑old production assistant from Júlio Mesquita lost R$4,050.23 after falling for a fake car sale posted on Facebook Marketplace. The scammer, posing as a seller of a 2002 Fiat Palio, negotiated through WhatsApp and convinced the victim to make five PIX transfers for a down‑payment, transport and documentation. When the seller later claimed mechanical problems and requested further funds, the young man stopped paying and was blocked, leaving him without money or a vehicle. The case was filed as estelionato with the Polícia Civil of Júlio Mesquita.

In Barretos, a 45‑year‑old self‑employed driver and a 54‑year‑old administrative assistant were duped by fraudsters pretending to represent a retailer found on social media. After expressing interest in buying beverages, they were moved to WhatsApp, asked to validate a purchase with a R$0.40 PIX transfer, and instructed to install a remote‑access app. The scammers then obtained control of the victims’ phones and transferred R$2,500 via unauthorized PIX transactions. Both incidents were reported to the local police as estelionato.