Rio Police Probe 'Fake Bank Call' Scam That Emptied Man's Paycheck

Overview

• Rio's 18th Police Precinct is investigating a fraud case linked to a fake bank call and plans to request bank records to track the stolen funds.
• Wellington Lopes says a caller posed as his bank, sent a link that asked for his card PIN, and soon his entire monthly pay was gone.
• Criminals now spoof phone numbers to look like real bank lines, create urgency, and request passwords, codes, or Pix transfers to seize accounts within minutes.
• Official figures show more than 24,000 fraud reports in Rio across January and February 2026 after nearly 147,000 cases in 2025, a record for the state.
• STJ decisions have found banks can be liable when data leaks help these scams, while banks and Febraban say they review fraud disputes, invest in security, and work with police.