Brazil reports massive rise in fraud scams while vehicle and cellphone thefts decline
The Brazilian Public Security Yearbook shows fraud scams (estelionato) surged 429.8% since 2018, reaching more than 2.2 million reported cases in 2025. WhatsApp was identified as one of the top channels used by scammers, followed by card‑cloning and fake bank‑center schemes.
In Teresina, the capital of Piauí, vehicle robbery reports fell 41.9% in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period in 2024, and 38.1% compared with the first half of 2025, after coordinated police actions.
Nationwide cellphone thefts dropped 7.7% in 2025 to 792,284 incidents, a 25% decline from the 2019 peak of 1.05 million. Studies cited indicate that remote‑kill‑switch technology, tighter control of the stolen‑phone market, and improved street lighting (LEDs reduced thefts by 36.9% in São Paulo) are effective counter‑measures.
Entities: Anuário Brasileiro de Segurança Pública · Brazil · Teresina · WhatsApp
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Cellphone theft in Brazil declined 25% in 2025 compared with the 2019 peak of 1.05 million incidents. (Brazilian Public Security Yearbook 2026)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Vehicle robbery reports in Teresina fell 38.1% in the first half of 2026 compared with the first half of 2025. (Piauí Public Security Secretariat)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Replacing conventional street lighting with LEDs reduced cellphone thefts by 36.9% in studied areas of São Paulo. (Study cited in Brazilian Public Security Yearbook 2026)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Fraud scams in Brazil increased 429.8% from 2018 to 2025, with over 2.2 million reported cases in 2025. (Brazilian Public Security Yearbook 2026)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Vehicle robbery reports in Teresina fell 41.9% in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period in 2024. (Piauí Public Security Secretariat)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] WhatsApp is among the top channels used by scammers in Brazil. (Brazilian Public Security Yearbook 2026)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Cellphone theft incidents in Brazil numbered 792,284 in 2025, a 7.7% decline from 2024. (Brazilian Public Security Yearbook 2026)