Online scams in Brazil highlight the dangers that combine human mistakes and artificial intelligence, making potential risks just a digital click away.

In the digital age, securing personal data has become more crucial than ever. Unfortunately, Brazil has seen a significant increase in data breaches and scams in 2024, placing the country seventh globally in terms of such incidents, according to Surfshark, a leading cybersecurity and digital privacy company.

The National Data Protection Authority (ANPD) has been at the forefront of addressing these security issues. They register and analyse reports related to compromised personal data, and as of August 11, their incident panel had recorded 250 cases.

One of the most concerning trends in 2024 has been the use of deepfakes. These manipulated videos and voices of well-known people were used in scams to encourage individuals to provide their personal data by clicking a link. The Lupa Agency, a verification specialist, identified these scams as phishing attempts aimed at stealing personal data.

Notable figures, such as journalist Sandra Annenberg, have fallen victim to these scams. Annenberg took to her social media to report the use of her image in these fraudulent activities.

One of the scams that made headlines was the "Resgata Brasil" program. However, investigations have revealed that this program does not exist within the Brazilian government. The messages referring to this program promised compensation of up to 7,000 reales (around 1,300 US dollars) to individuals who had suffered data breaches or had forgotten money in the bank without knowing.

The Office of Social Communication issued an alert against such scams in January 2024, warning citizens about the use of websites and government policies in these fraudulent activities, through the Brazil Against Fake program.

In an effort to combat these issues, the ANPD is working to promote the security of personal data through rules and guidelines, and to audit and apply the General Law of Protection of Personal Data (LGPD). They also advise users to verify that the URL begins with "HTTPS" for secure navigation and to activate two-step verification or multi-factor authentication for an extra layer of security.

Moreover, using strong passwords with 12 characters that combine lowercase and uppercase letters, as well as special characters, makes it harder for a criminal to act and increases the time by thousands of years for an algorithm to decipher the password.

It is essential for everyone to remain vigilant and informed in this digital era, especially when it comes to protecting personal data. As the number of data breaches continues to rise, it is crucial to follow these security measures and stay updated on the latest scams and fraudulent activities.

Online scams in Brazil highlight the dangers that combine human mistakes and artificial intelligence, making potential risks just a digital click away.