[REVISION HISTORY]
Phishing and identity theft scams in Brazil and Portugal
1 recorded revision of this situation.
What changed
2026-09-22 01:52 UTC → 2026-10-17 09:45 UTC ·
added
removed
Authorities in Brazil and Portugal have issued warnings regarding various phishing scams targeting citizens through SMS, WhatsApp, and email. In Brazil, fraudsters are impersonating the National Social Security Institute (INSS) via WhatsApp, using urgent language to claim beneficiaries must perform a ‘proof of life’ update to avoid benefit suspension. These messages aim to trick retirees into providing sensitive information or transferring money. In Portugal, the National Health Service (SNS 24) warned of fraudulent SMS messages regarding outstanding payments or overdue invoices that direct users to fake websites. invoices. Subsequently, Portugal’s Social Security (Segurança Social) issued an alert alerts regarding a wave waves of fraudulent emails. emails and SMS messages. These phishing attempts often use the institution’s name and logo to simulate pending debts or refunds, or use urgent subject lines, lines such as ‘Última chamada: atualize seu cadastro’, claiming cadastro’ to claim accounts may be blocked if data is not updated. Officials emphasize Social Security has clarified that legitimate entities do not threaten immediate suspensions it never sends direct links for payments or request data confirmation requests IBAN information via external links. message, advising citizens to use the official Social Security Portal or mobile application for verification. To combat rising fraudulent activities, the website AlertaFraude.pt was launched with support from the cybersecurity firm WhiteHat. This platform serves as a public guide, cataloging 64 different fraud schemes in Portugal, including MB WAY and VAT-related fraud, and providing tools for users to verify suspicious messages.
Versions
- 2026-10-17 09:45 UTC Phishing and identity theft scams in Brazil and Portugal
- 2026-09-22 01:52 UTC Phishing and identity theft scams in Brazil and Portugal
Select a version to see what changed compared to the one before it.