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Card machine scam in Brazil: broken screens and swapped cards

Broken screens, a R$8,500 caipirinha and swapped cards at concerts: how Brazil's card machine scam works, the warning signs and what to do if hit.

2026-10-31

A caipirinha agreed at R$40 became an R$8,500 charge on a foreign tourist's card on Copacabana beach on July 27, 2026. Police said three further attempts, all declined, exceeded R$34,000, according to Correio; the tourist police arrested a suspect for fraud. It is a textbook case of Brazil's golpe da maquininha, the card machine scam.

How does the card machine scam work?

Broken or dim screen: only part of the amount shows. Idec cites a R$68.52 dinner charged as R$4,968.52.
“Faulty” machine: the vendor asks for the PIN several times or for card details typed into a phone (Serasa).
Card swap: during the retries the card is switched for a look-alike. At a concert in São José do Rio Preto in April 2026, a fan lost about R$12,000 and noticed five days later (O Liberal).
Tampered machines: in Goiânia, four suspects were detained in May 2026 with 200+ cards and altered machines; estimated losses exceeded R$100,000 (O Hoje).

Suspects are presumed innocent until a final court ruling.

How do you protect yourself?

Check the amount before entering the PIN or tapping. If the screen is unreadable, don't pay.
Never hand over your card; tap or insert it yourself and keep it in sight.
Use a phone wallet or a low-limit card at beaches and concerts, and turn on purchase alerts.
Check that the card you get back is yours.

What should you do if it happened?

Block the card and dispute the charges with your bank.
File a police report; in Rio, tourists can go to the DEAT tourist police.
If it involved a delivery or ride app, report it to the platform.

See also card skimming, tourist scams and tips.

What are the warning signs?

A cracked, dim or partly blank screen that does not show the full amount.
Requests to enter your PIN several times, or to type card details into a phone or a second machine.
A PIN that appears as digits instead of asterisks, which Idec flags as a possible sign of cloning.
A vendor who takes your card, turns away or hides the terminal.
Pressure to pay quickly, or extra payments requested outside a delivery or ride-hailing app.

Who is responsible for the loss?

According to Idec, the conduct is classed as fraud (estelionato, article 171 of Brazil's Penal Code). When the scam is carried out by a provider registered under a delivery or ride app's brand, Idec says the company should reimburse the customer. Debit payments leave your account immediately and are harder to recover, while credit card disputes are usually simpler. If the bank or the platform refuses a dispute without explanation, consumers in Brazil can turn to Procon, the local consumer protection agency.