Marília woman loses R$ 48,000 to fake INSS loan scam

A 62-year-old woman in Marília, Brazil, lost R$ 48,000 to a fraudulent scheme involving a fake INSS payroll loan. The victim reported the incident to the Civil Police after being contacted by an individual posing as a representative of the National Social Security Institute (INSS).

The perpetrator, using a phone number from Minas Gerais, convinced the victim to take out bank loans and subsequently transfer the funds to a specified account. The scammer claimed these transfers were necessary to unlock a more advantageous credit line. Once the victim transferred the total amount to a Caixa Econômica Federal account, the fraudster ceased all communication.

The Civil Police are investigating the case as fraud (estelionato). The victim has been advised to provide detailed bank statements to assist authorities in attempting to lift banking secrecy on the recipient account and identify the perpetrator.