Father's Day is among the main dates for Brazilian commerce. With billions of reais moving in physical stores, e-commerces, marketplaces and social networks, the period represents an opportunity not only for retail, but also for criminals specialized in digital fraud, who intensify their activities taking advantage of the increase in purchasing volume and the more impulsive behavior of consumers.
In recent years, digital fraud has undergone a silent transformation. Instead of relying solely on fake pages or generic messages, criminals began to operate like real companies, using automation, artificial intelligence and large volumes of data to create highly personalized attacks. The result is a scenario in which scams are able to accurately reproduce the visual identity of large brands, adapt offers to the victim's profile and drastically reduce the signs that previously indicated fraud.
“The difference in current scams is not just technology, but the professionalization of digital crime. Today, fraudsters test different approaches, analyze success rates and use artificial intelligence to scale attacks with unprecedented efficiency. In a few seconds, an apparently legitimate offer can result in the compromise of financial data. The big challenge is to identify the signs of risk while the transaction is still happening, before the loss is realized”, says Rafael Garcia, Partner SuccessAdvisor at FICO.
According to the expert, the risk on important dates increases because purchasing behavior changes. Afraid of missing a promotion or not receiving a gift on time, consumers make quicker decisions and end up ignoring signs that could indicate a fraud attempt.
So that the celebration does not end in financial loss, FICO has put together eight recommendations to make purchases more safely.
8 FICO tips for a scam-free Father's Day
1. Be wary of discounts far below the market
Promotions with prices much lower than those charged are often used as bait to attract victims. Before finalizing the purchase, research the value of the product in different stores and be wary of offers that promise benefits that are well above the average.
2. Check if the store is trustworthy
Before providing personal or payment information, research the company's reputation, consult reviews from other consumers and check whether the website address is authentic. Small changes to the domain or spelling errors may indicate a cloned page.
3. Avoid accessing offers via links received in messages
Scammers use WhatsApp, SMS, emails and social networks to direct consumers to fake websites. Whenever possible, type the store address directly into your browser.
4. Give preference to the virtual card
Virtual cards significantly reduce the impact of a possible data leak, as they use temporary or exclusive numbering for online purchases.
5. Pay extra attention to promotions with exclusive payment via Pix
Offers that require immediate payment via Pix to guarantee a discount can hide scams. Before transferring any amount, confirm that the recipient actually belongs to the establishment.
6. Avoid making purchases on public Wi-Fi networks
Open networks can make it easier to intercept financial information. Whenever possible, use your mobile connection or wait until you get home to make the purchase on your own Wi-Fi network or on a secure network you trust.
7. Enable two-step authentication
Adding an extra layer of protection to banking apps and email makes it harder for criminals to access your accounts even after obtaining your passwords.
8. Prefer financial institutions that use artificial intelligence to prevent fraud
AI-based solutions can identify suspicious behavior in real time and block operations that are incompatible with the customer's profile before damage occurs.
Technology as an ally of prevention
While consumers choose gifts, fraud prevention platforms process billions of transactions simultaneously, analyzing hundreds of variables in just a few milliseconds. More than checking the value of the purchase, these solutions evaluate the complete context of the operation, including the device used, historical customer behavior, location, the establishment's reputation and several other risk signals.
“The future of fraud prevention is not in adding more steps for the consumer, but in making security practically invisible. The smarter the technology, the less the customer will need to interrupt their shopping experience to protect themselves. Artificial intelligence allows us to identify risks in real time and block suspicious transactions before fraud even happens”, explains Garcia.
As fraud becomes more sophisticated, the combination of vigilant consumers and advanced prevention technologies continues to be the most effective strategy for protecting people and financial institutions. After all, on Father's Day, the memory of the date should be the gift, and not a scam.
