Fake lawyer scam in Brazil: how it works and the Véu de Themis raid
Brazilian police arrested four over a WhatsApp scam in which crooks pose as your lawyer and charge a fee to release a court award. How it works and what to do.
On October 28, 2026, the Pernambuco Civil Police in northeastern Brazil launched the first phase of Operation Véu de Themis (Themis's Veil) against a group suspected of running the fake lawyer scam and laundering the proceeds. Four arrest warrants and four search warrants were served with help from police in Paraíba and Bahia; according to CBN Recife, one person was arrested in Pernambuco, one in Bahia and two in Paraíba. Suspects were not named and are presumed innocent.
How does the fake lawyer scam work?
Police say the group had prior access to court case data and created fake WhatsApp profiles posing as lawyers or law-firm staff. They told victims their case had been won and money was waiting. Some victims were taken into fake video “hearings” with scammers posing as judges or prosecutors, per the Diario de Pernambuco. The hook was always a fee to “release” the award, paid by Pix, transfer or boleto into mule accounts.
So far 17 victims have been identified; one businesswoman reported a loss of R$ 15,000. The investigation began in May 2026.
How big is the problem in Brazil?
Brazil's Federal Bar (OAB) said in August 2025 it had received 2,619 reports of the scam from every state and abroad, and estimated about 90% happen over WhatsApp, according to an OAB statement. The Bar asked the National Council of Justice to make courts keep parties' personal data in sealed, separate files. The same playbook exists in the US as court-fee and “settlement release” impersonation scams.
How to protect yourself
- Call your lawyer on the number you already have, never the one that texted you.
- In Brazil, use the OAB's ConfirmADV tool (confirmadv.oab.org.br) to verify a lawyer's identity.
- Check the case on the court's website; real awards show up there.
- Treat any upfront “release fee” as a red flag.
- If you paid, call your bank at once (in Brazil, request the Pix MED refund process) and file a police report.
See also WhatsApp account takeover scams, the radar and our safety tips.
Source
- CBN Recife — Polícia prende 4 pessoas em investigação contra grupo suspeito de aplicar golpe do falso advogado (29/10/2026)
- Diario de Pernambuco — Operação investiga quadrilha que aplicava golpe do falso advogado (29/10/2026)
- Paraíba Online — Operação contra golpe do falso advogado prende dois suspeitos na Paraíba (28/10/2026)
- OAB — CFOAB solicita ao CNJ medidas nacionais contra golpe do falso advogado (18/08/2025)