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Courier card-swap scam: how it works, warning signs and what to do

Banking fraud · alto

It starts like the fake call-center scam: someone claiming to be from the bank reports a suspicious card purchase. To "cancel" it, they ask the victim to type their PIN on the phone keypad.

They then say a bank courier will pick up the card "for investigation". Sometimes they ask the victim to cut the card in half without damaging the chip and put it in an envelope.

The courier collects the card. With chip and PIN, the gang withdraws cash, shops and takes out credit before the victim notices. A variant is swapping the card at ATMs or shops with a fake "helper".

Sinais / Signs

• Someone from the "bank" says they'll send someone to collect your card.
• They ask you to type your PIN on the phone keypad.
• They ask you to cut the card but keep the chip intact.
• They insist you stay on the line and talk to no one.
• A stranger offers to help you at the ATM.

Prevenção / Prevention

• Banks never collect cards at home: hang up and call the official number.
• Never enter your PIN during a phone call.
• When discarding a card, cut through the chip and stripe too.
• Refuse help from strangers at ATMs and check that the card you get back is yours.
• Talk to older relatives about this specific scam.

O que fazer / What to do

• Call your bank right away using the official number (back of the card or in the app) and ask to block cards, accounts and access.
• Ask the bank to reverse purchases, withdrawals and loans made after the card was handed over, and note the case number.
• File a police report (many Brazilian states accept online reports) and keep screenshots, receipts, numbers and links.
• If there are building or street cameras, tell the police to help identify the courier.

FAQ

Do banks send couriers to collect cards?

No. No bank sends a courier to collect a card, even a blocked or cloned one.

I handed over my card. Must the bank reimburse me?

It depends on the case and the bank's review; report it immediately, dispute the transactions and, if refused, complain via Consumidor.gov.br, Procon or the courts.

• Card machine scam in Brazil: broken screens and swapped cards
• Fake bank call centres and courier scams in Brazil: how they work

CERT.br — Cartilha de Segurança para Internet · Consumidor.gov.br · FTC — ReportFraud