Rio de Janeiro reports 441% rise in fraud in Região dos Lagos

A study by the Federação das Indústrias do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (Firjan) covering 2015‑2025 shows that reported cases of estelionato (fraud) in the Região dos Lagos increased 441%, from 1,556 incidents in 2015 to 8,422 in 2025. The municipality of Cabo Frio recorded the highest number of cases in 2025 with 2,492, followed by Rio das Ostras, Araruama and Saquarema. State‑wide, estelionato rose 313% to 146,981 cases in the same period.

In the Leste Fluminense, Maricá experienced the steepest growth, with a 688% increase – from 267 cases in 2015 to 2,103 in 2025 – making it the leading municipality in that sub‑region. Other towns such as Rio Bonito, Niterói, Itaboraí and São Gonçalo also saw sizable rises. Across the state, violent homicide victims fell by about 59% and street robberies dropped 71%, while extortion incidents grew roughly 33%.

Firjan president Luiz Césio Caetano warned that the surge in fraud imposes an additional economic burden of about R$ 31.1 billion per year and called for region‑specific public‑security policies to address the divergent crime dynamics.