Kaspersky and Brazilian authorities uncover a widespread scam exploiting the Novo Desenrola debt renegotiation programme to deceive victims with fake websites, personal data theft, and false debt settlements, prompting urgent warnings against online fraud tactics.
Kaspersky has identified a new fraud campaign that uses Brazil’s Novo Desenrola debt renegotiation programme as bait, according to the security firm and the Finance Ministry. The scam is aimed at people looking to settle overdue debts and relies on fake websites that imitate official government pages while presenting real personal data, such as tax ID numbers and dates of birth, to create a false sense of legitimacy. Reuters-style reporting from Agência Gov and other Brazilian outlets says the scheme is spreading through social media and redirecting victims to pages that closely copy the look of official services. Kaspersky said it found more than 60 domains using the word “desenrola”.
Once users land on the bogus sites, they are taken into a chat-style process where their name, tax ID and date of birth are already filled in. Kaspersky says that detail is central to the fraud, because it suggests the site has access to official records even though the information may come from previous data leaks. The pages then mimic a financial assessment, showing supposed debt amounts and credit scores, before a fake adviser sends pre-recorded messages, audio and video to simulate a live negotiation. The scam ends with an alleged settlement offer, often advertising discounts of up to 99% and claiming the arrangement will erase negative credit records and lift the victim’s score, none of which happens.
Fabio Assolini, Kaspersky’s lead security researcher, said the campaign combines two common social-engineering tricks: the hope of solving a debt quickly and the comfort people feel when they recognise their own personal details on screen. The Finance Ministry has separately warned that Novo Desenrola works only through the gov.br domain and that the programme does not charge an enrolment fee. Officials say debt renegotiation should be handled directly with financial institutions, not through third-party pages asking for an advance payment, especially by Pix. Brazilian authorities and news organisations have also reported earlier versions of the same scam, including a May campaign that used similar fake government branding and payment demands.
The advice from Kaspersky and the Finance Ministry is straightforward: type the official address into the browser yourself, avoid links sent by WhatsApp, SMS or social media, and treat any request for upfront payment as a warning sign. They also note that seeing a correct name, tax ID, date of birth or credit score is not proof that a site is genuine, because criminals can obtain those details from leaked databases. Anyone who suspects fraud, or who has already paid, should contact the creditor bank through official channels and report the site and Pix keys to the proper authorities, including the Federal Police.
Disclaimer: This article is intended to inform and educate, not to recommend or endorse any financial product, investment or strategy. Please consider your own financial circumstances and seek professional advice where appropriate before making financial decisions.
