Brazil identity fraud attempts rise to nearly 3 million in first half of 2026

Brazil experienced a significant surge in identity fraud during the first half of 2026. According to Serasa Experian, approximately 2.8 million identity fraud attempts were identified during customer onboarding and identity validation processes. This represents a 32.9% increase compared to the same period in 2025, averaging one fraud attempt every 5.5 seconds. Anti-fraud technologies prevented potential losses of R$ 3.77 billion during this period.

Sector-specific data shows that the retail sector saw the highest increase in fraud attempts at 120.7%, followed by telecommunications (51.4%) and services (40.2%). Despite these rises, the financial sector remains the primary target for such activities.

Complementary research from the Regional Center for Studies on the Development of the Information Society indicates that 32% of internet users in Brazil aged 16 or older have faced scam attempts using their personal data, with 20% reporting they were successful victims. Messaging applications are the most common vector for these attacks, utilized in 84% of cases, followed by phone calls (79%) and fraudulent websites or apps (71%).