Promises of easy money coming from well-known brands with instant payments via Pix have become the most frequent combination used by online scammers in Brazil. This is what the second edition of the report A Jornada dos Golpes, released this Wednesday (17), points out. The study by Observatório Lupa, Agência Lupa's research center, was based on 115 viral fraudulent content that circulated across the country between May 2024 and April 2026. It was found that around a third of the scams required payments exclusively via Pix. Another 71% of scams promised some type of financial advantage and 74% exploited the credibility of well-known companies or personalities to give the frauds an appearance of legitimacy. Related news: Rules on sustainable aviation fuel are expected soon. IBGE opens new selection to fill 1,400 temporary vacancies. Desenrola records 17 thousand operations in just over a month. The research identified that most scams use repetitive strategies that are, for this reason, predictable. Strategies that reappear throughout the year with small adaptations include false promotions, non-existent compensation, fraudulent job vacancies, fictitious social benefits and supposedly free gifts. And always following seasonal dates and topics highlighted in the news. The researcher responsible for the study, Beatriz Farrugia, indicated that criminals do not need to create completely new scams to continue claiming victims. “They reuse structures that have already worked, adapt the narrative to the context of the moment and take advantage of the trust that people place in well-known brands, institutions and public figures.” As this makes fraud increasingly predictable, Beatriz stated that it ends up opening space for more effective preventive actions. >> Follow the Agência Brasil channel on WhatsApp Distortion To increase the success rate of fraud, criminals especially exploit contexts of economic vulnerability and the expectation of obtaining easy money or significant discounts. The researchers identified that one of the main strategies is the distortion of real facts. In 66% of the scams analyzed, criminals used true information to construct misleading narratives. This includes manipulation of journalistic reports, official communications, legitimate campaigns, court decisions, government programs and institutional pages, aiming to create content that appears authentic at first glance. In the previous period, this index was 55%. According to Beatriz, the use of real elements makes scams more difficult to identify. “Often, fraud does not arise from completely invented information, but from the adulteration of true facts, recognized brands or news already circulating in the press”. According to the report, more than 15 retail companies, banks, marketplaces and digital platforms had their brands misused by criminals to give legitimacy to fraud. Among the most explored brands, Mercado Livre and Nubank stand out, with four occurrences each. Shopee, Serasa and Rede Globo also appear among the names most used by scammers. In addition to companies, public figures, journalists, doctors and influencers were often used to give veracity to fraudulent messages. Social networks The research shows that most frauds begin on open social networks, such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, and then migrate to more private environments, especially online forms, where personal data is collected, and messaging applications. WhatsApp appeared in almost 65% of the scams analyzed between May 2025 and April 2026, consolidating itself as the main channel for circulating this type of content in the country. In this environment, instant payments have become an important tool for criminals. Pix transfers are often presented as a unique way of paying fees supposedly necessary to release non-existent benefits, promotions, gifts or compensation. Responsibility The report draws attention to the role of digital platforms in the monetization and circulation of fraudulent content. In November 2025, internal Meta documents revealed by the press indicated that the company would have raised around US$16 billion in 2024 with advertisements related to scams and prohibited products. This value is equivalent to around 10% of the company's annual revenue. Observatório Lupa reported that the case expanded the international debate about advertising monitoring mechanisms and the responsibility of platforms in preventing fraud. Beatriz Farrugia highlighted the need for coordinated action between technology companies, financial institutions, public bodies, press vehicles and users to combat online scams. The researcher highlighted that the report shows that digital scams are not random. He reinforced that they follow relatively stable patterns of narrative, distribution and monetization. “The better we understand these patterns, the greater the chances of anticipating threats, reducing vulnerabilities and protecting users,” he concluded.