With the start of the Income Tax refund, Serasa warns seniors about financial scams

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Criminals act mainly against people over 60 years old, precisely those who receive the amount in the first batches

From the release of income tax refund schedule, priority groups to receive payment are the main targets of scammers. Always innovating in techniques to apply financial fraud, criminals act mainly against people over 60 years old, precisely those who receive the value in the first batches.

Among the most common scams for this public at this time of economic movement, there are attempts focused on debt renegotiation. A survey by Serasa heard 1,224 Income Tax payers between May 23 and 29 to investigate the intention to use the payment. For most respondents, negotiating debts is the main desire (30%). When analyzing the cut of Brazilians over 60 years old, the number is still significant: 4 out of 10 seniors intend to pay their debts with the refund.

Taking advantage of negotiation opportunities expressed by consumers, criminals try to impersonate representatives of creditor companies, offering fictitious agreements and appealing discounts. “More vulnerable in the digital environment, the elderly end up becoming victims of approaches via email, cell phone messages and social networks”, explains Aline Sanches, manager of Serasa. “There is also the practice of convincing retirees about false payroll loans and payments, such as the Income Tax Refund itself and the anticipation of the 13th salary”.

To avoid these types of fraud and renegotiate safely, Serasa reinforces the importance of concentrating all operations on official websites and never sharing your data with third parties. “We advise that seniors do not respond to requests received by email, message or telephone, in addition to being aware of information from bank slips or documents received by other contacts. In case of any suspicion, do not click or pay any amount: look for the official service channels to clear all doubts”, reinforces Aline.

Increased attention increases prevention. Therefore, remember:

• Serasa does not send slips or codes through Social Networks;
• Serasa does not call the consumer, through messages, to talk about payments;
• Serasa does not generate payment slips on behalf of individuals;
• The only way to settle your debt with Serasa Limpa Nome is using one of the official negotiation channels: click here to access.

Attentive to scams related to the theft of personal information, Serasa lists four other common scams related to the public over 60 years old:

1. Fake data update

The retiree receives a call from a fake attendant at the National Social Security Institute (INSS) warning of the imminent blockage of the benefit due to outdated registration data. It is enough for the retiree to provide information such as CPF, address, date of birth, bank details, INSS card number and others: these records are enough for the criminal to commit fraud on behalf of the insured person.

That way, when approached by a contact you don’t recognize, do not disclose your personal information and/or financial data. When in doubt, look for the official channels of the institute.

2. False proof of life

In addition to this practice, there is also the “false proof of life”, based on the new modality created in the pandemic. For the operation, criminals ask for confirmation of their data and request to send a current photo and scanned documents via WhatsApp. That’s why, do not send photos of yourself and/or documentswhich can be used to carry out financial fraud, and look for verification signals in messaging applications before starting any conversation.

3. False appointment scheduling

Medical expertise must be carried out periodically by beneficiaries of benefits for temporary or continuous disability. In this situation, criminals make contact with victims to schedule an appointment and request information from the beneficiary such as address, RG, CPF, bank details and even passwords, in some cases.

The INSS warns that the insured person does not provide the data: the institute only asks for information or documents through the system My INSS. Summons only arrive by letter, notification from the paying bank, e-mail or publication in the Federal Official Gazette and will always be registered in the insured person’s profile on the official website, with a deadline and guidelines for scheduling.

4. False delayed benefits

The coup is old and can be practiced by phone or email. A fake INSS attendant makes contact with the victim and informs her about overdue benefit amounts that would have been released with interest update and correction. Surprised with the extra opportunity, the retiree informs personal data.

In the second stage, an administrative fee is charged to be deposited by the beneficiary to release the direct payment into the retiree’s account. This charge is made by a false bank slip or transfer of amounts directly to an account. That’s why, pay attention to the information in the document: if you do not recognize or suspect any data (such as names of natural persons), do not pay and inform the company.

For more tips on how to protect against scams, click here.

About Serasa

With the purpose of revolutionizing access to credit in Brazil, Serasa offers a complete ecosystem aimed at improving the financial health of the population with digital products and services.

For more information: www.serasa.com.br.

*With advisory information

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