According to the Identity and Fraud Reportby Serasa Experian, 51% of Brazilians suffered attempted scams in 2024. This is a terrifying number in itself, but for those who buy and sell online, the situation can be even more complicated. The most recent research by Axur on cybercrimes points to a 26-fold increase in the exposure of debit and credit cards, as well as 13 times more leaked credentials last year compared to 2023.
It's common for peak seasonal shopping periods, such as Mother's Day, to cause surges in fraud, requiring increased vigilance from both consumers and retailers. Adilson Neves, Commercial Director of the digital payment solutions fintech Paytime, points out that stores bear the brunt of these scams: “When working with online sales, it's essential to guarantee the security of customer data. If a criminal makes a purchase using this data, the responsibility may fall on the store, especially in cases of chargebacks, when the true cardholder disputes the purchase and the amount is reversed, causing direct losses to the merchant.”
Thus, Adilson highlights some important recommendations for those working in e-commerce. The first is to work with robust and reliable payment systems, with up-to-date security services, and with companies that offer fraud prevention systems, or two-factor authentication such as 3DS. This greatly reduces the risk of the person making the purchase not actually being the cardholder. Furthermore, a good fraud prevention system can identify the possibility of the card being cloned, analyze behavioral patterns, and prevent fraud against both the merchant and the consumer.
“Anti-fraud systems evaluate a series of parameters. For example, a website might consistently make sales for an average of R$50, and someone might try to make a purchase of one thousand. The system understands that the order has suspicious behavior, based on a real-time risk analysis that considers purchase history, location, time, and other behavioral factors,” explains the director.
Another increasingly popular and secure option for online sales is the use of payment links, especially for those who conduct transactions through social media such as Instagram or WhatsApp.
And how can customers protect themselves? “There are several precautions to take when shopping, especially with the high volume of promotions and information on Mother's Day. It's necessary to carefully check the website, where the links came from, and whether the store's history is trustworthy,” recommends Adilson. He suggests using the website siteconfiavel.com.br to do this type of verification.
It's also crucial to be aware of phishing attempts, a type of scam in which criminals try to deceive and convince consumers to reveal their sensitive data. According to a Kaspersky, in 2024 more than 893 million phishing attempts were recorded worldwide—a 26% increase compared to the previous year. Brazil continues to be among the countries with the highest volume of attacks, especially on seasonal dates such as Mother's Day, when the volume of online transactions skyrockets. And, according to an Axur report, this is the most common type of fraud in e-commerce: in 2024 alone, the volume of phishing pages doubled, reaching 72,455. Attacks can be simple or sophisticated, using SMS messages, WhatsApp, or even online advertising that leads the public to believe in the authenticity of the products.
“It is crucial that consumers pay close attention to links received via SMS, email, or WhatsApp, as scammers take advantage of the rush and volume of offers to deceive people,” warns Adilson. “It is important to verify the authenticity of websites, look for security seals, and avoid clicking on unknown links, even if they appear to be from trustworthy stores. Finally, consider using credit cards more often, instead of Pix and debit, since, in the first case, there is a greater possibility of filing a dispute if the consumer identifies a suspicion. In addition, credit cards usually offer buyer protection programs and bank intermediation, which facilitates the recovery of the amount in case of fraud,” concludes the professional.
