Government warns of scams in the name of “Voa Brasil”, not yet launched

The “Voa Brasil” program, announced in May by the federal government with the alleged objective of “democratizing” air transport and giving more dynamism to the sector, has been used by cybercriminals for scams. According to a note released this Thursday morning (13) by the Secretariat of Social Communication (Secom), “malicious websites and links are using the unprecedented Voa Brasil to capture personal data”.

The program, however, was not even launched. When announcing it, the government stated that the initiative – which promises air tickets at R$200 for specific groups – would be in operation until August this year. Afterwards, a new statement from the Ministry of Ports and Airports announced the postponement until the end of September. Even in October, the program did not get off the ground.

“The initiative, which will guarantee access for part of the Brazilian population to air travel at more affordable rates, is in final adjustment. There are still no defined rules for participation”, says the note.

“Thus, we warn that the Federal Government and the Ministry of Ports and Airports (MPor) are not registering or requesting values ​​for inclusion in the program. If you receive a call, correspondence, text message on your cell phone or via social networks requesting a cash deposit to be included in Voa Brasil, we suggest that you report this practice through the user service channels”, the statement continues.

As shown by People’s Gazette, reducing the fare to R$200 could have negative impacts. The program was well received by the main companies in the sector, who formed a working group to debate the proposal. Despite this, or because of this, the initiative carries risks. The main ones, according to experts, are the increase in prices for other passengers, to pay for the reduction of part of the tickets; the discouragement of competition and efficiency; and the creation of a relationship seen as “dangerously close” between the government and large companies. Find out more here.