Brazil‑Argentina fraud scams targeting victims

In early July 2026 Brazilian police in Campina da Lagoa and São Pedro do Ivaí warned that WhatsApp‑based fraudsters impersonating lawyers, judges and bank officials had stolen more than R$750,000 from an elderly victim and R$8,100 from another senior. The alerts stressed that legitimate professionals never ask for deposits to release funds and urged verification through official channels.

A few weeks later the Civil Police of Piauí, Brazil, and the Military Police of Pato Bragado, Argentina, reported a telephone fraud that uses recorded biblical verses and voice‑snippet manipulation to coax victims into saying “autorizo”, “concordo” and “aceito”. The technique can bypass vocal‑biometric security, allowing scammers to open accounts, obtain loans or finance purchases in victims’ names. Losses in the Argentine cases exceeded R$4,450.

On 31 July, a 46‑year‑old man in Nova América da Colina, Brazil, was duped by a WhatsApp message from someone posing as his lawyer and transferred R$5,999 after providing personal data. The following day, a Pato Bragado resident responded to a Facebook advertisement promising reduced vehicle‑financing interest, signed a digital contract and sent R$2,000, after which the fraudsters demanded additional payments. Both incidents were referred to civil police, with authorities advising victims to block transfers, report the scams and seek possible recovery.

Across the two countries, police continue to urge the public to treat unsolicited calls, messages or online offers with skepticism, verify identities through official institutions, and report any suspicious activity promptly.