Itaú warns of scams as Black Friday 2026 sales are projected at R$ 13.3 billion

Scams tend to grow along with online sales. Itaú Unibanco has published five tips to help Brazilian shoppers avoid fraud during Black Friday 2026. The bank’s alert follows a projection from Confi Neotrust, made with E-Commerce Brasil, that online stores will bill R$ 13.3 billion over the four days of the sales period, a 20.7% increase over 2025.

Criminals take advantage of the rise in sales, and most of the offers are concentrated between November 26 and 29. According to the bank, the most common scams during Black Week are fake sales, phishing (fraudulent messages designed to steal personal data), card switching and fraud involving card machines.

Five steps to avoid scams when shopping on Black Friday

Start by doubting deals that look out of line with normal prices. Unrealistic prices are the first sign of a scam, and the bank advises distrusting offers that seem too good to be true. Before buying, check whether the store is authentic.

Make purchases only through the stores’ official apps. The bank also recommends extra care with messages, links and QR Codes sent by unknown contacts.

Check the payee’s details before paying by Pix, Brazil’s instant transfer system, or by boleto, a payment slip. Confirm the name and CNPJ, the company tax ID, of the person or business receiving the money. If the details do not match, cancel the transaction immediately.

For online purchases, the bank recommends using a virtual card. It highlights this option as an effective form of protection.

In physical stores, pay close attention. Check the amount typed into the card machine, protect your password from other people and never type it where it can be seen.

Learn more: PS5 or PS5 Pro for Black Friday 2026: standard model wins on price

If the card machine’s screen shows faults, refuse the payment. The bank suggests choosing digital wallets instead.

Never transfer money to unlock discounts. Scammers often pose as contacts about delivery problems. The bank says never to pay extra amounts to unlock a discount or regularize supposed charges.

When in doubt, contact the official channels of the company involved. Use the contact channels the company itself publishes.

Tell your bank quickly if you fall for a scam. For losses through Pix, the bank analyzes the request through the Special Refund Mechanism (MED), created by the Central Bank. Register a police report (boletim de ocorrência) and keep all transaction receipts.

See also: Black Friday 2026 Brazil: 48% of shoppers have lists and 59.2% of stores have one manager

Key dates and projected growth for the sales event

• Black Friday: November 27, 2026
• Cyber Monday: November 30, 2026
• Projected growth in online sales: 20.7% over 2025
• National holiday in Brazil: no, so November 27 is a regular business day

What online stores billed in the same days of 2025

In the same four-day window of 2025, e-commerce billed R$ 11.03 billion, according to Confi Neotrust. On Black Friday 2025, which fell on November 28, 2025, sales reached R$ 4.76 billion, up 11.2% over 2024.

How to recover money lost in a Pix scam

Anyone who falls for a Pix scam can ask their own bank for a refund through the Special Refund Mechanism (MED), created by the Central Bank, within 80 days of the transaction. Since February 2026, banks are required to offer the mechanism. The MED does not work like a credit card reversal, because the refund is not always full and the bank analyzes each case before releasing the money.

The mechanism covers fraud, scams, social engineering and operational errors by the bank, but it does not apply to commercial disputes. To request a refund, the victim must register the case through an official bank channel, such as SAC (customer service), the ombudsman or the app, and keep the police report and all transaction receipts.

Each store sets its own campaign start, and there is no official start time for the sales. Some retailers begin offers in early November, while others start on the night of November 26.