Did you fall for a Pix scam? See how to act to get your money back

The advancement of Pix transformed bank transfers in Brazil, but also opened space for a wave of financial scams. In many cases, the money disappears within seconds. Still, experts and entities in the financial sector say that acting quickly can increase the chances of recovering values.

For the redemption of amounts, the main instrument available is the MED (Special Return Mechanism), created by the Central Bank of Brazil for cases of fraud, scam or operational error involving Pix.

According to Febraban (Brazilian Federation of Banks), all transactions via Pix are traceable, which helps banks and authorities in investigating financial crimes. Check out the step-by-step instructions recommended by entities and experts.

1. Contact the bank immediately
Contacting the bank as soon as you notice the scam is essential. The quicker the warning, the greater the chances of blocking the money in the fraudster's account. The order can be placed via the app, call center or in person.

2. Request the opening of MED
MED is the official mechanism for recovering amounts sent in scams via Pix. The bank may block the funds still available in the target account while it analyzes the case. The mechanism applies to:

- scams and fraud;
- account hacking;
- operational failures of the institution.

But does not apply to:

- commercial disagreements;
- purchases not delivered without proof of fraud;
- typing error by the victim when sending a Pix.

In MED, the Central Bank informs that the system can allow returns within 11 days after contesting the fraud.

3. Gather all the evidence
Digital security experts recommend keeping information that helps the bank in analyzing the case and can be used in police investigations. Check out some important records:

- proof of transfer;
- prints of conversations;
- scammer's phone number;
- Pix key used;
- ads or links used in the fraud.

4. Register a police report
The Brazilian Federation of Banks advises that the victim register a police report to assist in investigations and identification of gangs. Registration can be done in person or, in many states, via the electronic police station.

5. Block access and passwords
If the scam involves cell phone theft, application hacking or cloning, the recommendation includes changing passwords, blocking banking applications and notifying the operator to block the telephone line.

To prevent losses from recurring, Febraban recommends never clicking on links sent via SMS, WhatsApp or social networks; be wary of very advantageous offers; confirm data before transferring and avoid excessive exposure of personal data on social networks. On its website, the federation brings together a series of content aimed at combating fraud and scams.

Although there is no guarantee of full recovery of the amounts, banks and experts say that speed in communicating and documenting evidence are decisive factors in increasing the chances of recovering the money.

Pix in numbers
According to data from the Central Bank, more than 170 million individuals make transfers via Pix, which is equivalent to 80% of the population. In a single day, transactions totaled R$313.3 million, a record for the payment method.

This year, until April, transactions via Pix already total 20.9 billion, totaling R$13.1 trillion. In 2025, more than 79.8 billion transfers via Pix were made and totaled R$35.3 trillion.

Main target
Scams such as the fake relative on WhatsApp, fake online sales and fake bank attendants consolidate cases among people with less technological familiarity and greater confidence in interpersonal approaches, which implicates the elderly population as the main target of organized crime.

A survey by the anti-fraud company Silverguard found that elderly people represent 30.8% of victims of digital scams in the country. The average loss in this age group reached R$4,820 per scam, almost five times more than among young people.

The most frequent scam among elderly people continues to be "requesting money" via messaging apps, when criminals pretend to be children or relatives. This type accounted for 21% of incidents among people over 60 years of age. In April, people over 60 were responsible for 6% of transactions via Pix in Brazil.

Galípolo: There is no rivalry between Pix and credit cards

Source: CNN