STORY-TRÅD·ekonomi

Financial fraud reports in Brazil rise 10%

The number of reported financial fraud cases in Brazil rose 10.26 percent in the first six months of 2026, reaching more than 9 million incidents, including suspected and confirmed cases. In the second half of 2025, the figure stood at 8.26 million. According to a survey by Quod, a data analytics firm specializing in credit market intelligence, the increase primarily reflects stronger detection mechanisms following the implementation of Resolution 501 by Brazil’s Central Bank, which expanded information sharing among financial institutions to combat scams. According to Quod’s criteria, these indicators include both suspected and confirmed cases of fraud. Collaborative system The study was based on data from the Unified Fraud Registry (RUFRA), a collaborative database created by Quod to collect fraud indicators and incidents reported by financial institutions and companies. The system centralizes security data to identify criminal patterns, track victims’ and fraudsters’ histories, and enable the preventive blocking of suspicious transactions. In addition to supporting fraud prevention strategies, RUFRA also meets the requirements of Central Bank Resolution 501, which has strengthened information sharing among financial institutions. As a result, fraud attempts that previously went unreported are now captured in a single intelligence database, enhancing the financial system’s detection capabilities. New rules According to Quod, the increase in reported cases does not necessarily indicate an expansion of criminal activity but also reflects stronger market monitoring capabilities. “The 10 percent increase in the number of fraud cases compared with the previous half-year actually reflects the strengthening of the financial market’s defenses. With the implementation of Central Bank Resolution 501, institutions have begun to share information much more actively through the RUFRA database, detecting and bringing to light scam attempts that were previously underreported in the system,” says Danilo Coelho, Director of Products and Data at Quod. Cell phones and Pix Digital channels continue to account for the majority of financial fraud cases in the country. Cell phones were used in 78 percent of reported cases, making them the main channel exploited by criminals. Checking accounts were involved in 94 percent of cases, while Pix was the instant payment system used in 85 percent of fraud cases. Psychological scams Social engineering remains criminals’ primary strategy. This type of fraud, which involves manipulating victims psychologically to obtain information or convince them to make transfers, accounted for 40 percent of reported cases - equivalent to more than 3.6 million incidents during the first half of the year. Profile of fraud victims The data show that young people are the primary targets of financial fraud. Individuals between the ages of 18 and 34 represent 49.06 percent of victims. The 35-to-49 age group accounts for 29.98 percent of cases. Men make up 51 percent of reported cases, compared with 48 percent for women. The majority of victims (58%) earn up to two minimum wages. The survey also identified a high rate of repeat victimization. Of the 3.1 million people affected by scams during the first half of the year, approximately 799,000 - equivalent to one-quarter of the total - fell victim two or more times.