Fake sites lead Black Friday 2026 scams at 53%, Serasa survey shows

Fake online stores are the most common scam during Black Friday 2026, and artificial intelligence is making them harder to spot. Many victims only realize the fraud when the product never arrives.

A survey by Serasa from October 2026 ranks fake websites as the main type of fraud, at 53%. Scams involving Pix, Brazil’s instant payment system, follow at 42%. Phishing, messages that imitate banks and stores to steal data, is also frequent.

How AI helps criminals build convincing traps

Generative AI tools make it easy to produce ads, images and pages that copy legitimate stores. “Artificial intelligence amplifies these practices by making frauds more sophisticated and convincing, including by manipulating images, audio and video of public figures,” said Arthur Igreja, a technology specialist.

According to Agência Brasil, social engineering schemes account for 40% of suspected financial fraud in Brazil. In the first half of 2026, more than 9 million suspicious or confirmed occurrences were recorded, a 10.26% increase compared with the previous semester.

Criminals use AI to write flawless texts, personalize messages with the victim’s name and copy the visual identity of well-known stores. The old advice to look for spelling mistakes has lost force.

Warning signs and steps to avoid being tricked

Discounts of 80% or 90% should raise suspicion. “Black Friday in Brazil is different from the one in the United States. Discounts of 80% or 90% are rare. Research the price beforehand and be content with smaller discounts,” said Paniago.

Before buying, check the store’s history and how many payment options it offers. Reclame Aqui’s Detector de Site Confiável shows how long a site has been active, where it is hosted and the complaints against it.

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

Prefer official channels and avoid links sent by email, SMS or messages. Use a virtual card and check the web address letter by letter.

Non-delivery and fake sites top Reclame Aqui’s list of scams

Track prices weeks before the date and use comparison tools to confirm whether a discount is real. Read the store’s reputation on Reclame Aqui and customer reviews before adding items to the cart. The platform’s list of most common scams includes:

• Payment without delivery: 67%
• Fake websites: 30%

Be wary of stores that accept only Pix or bank slips (boleto). Prefer a virtual credit card, which can be blocked after the payment. Review the cart and shipping costs before completing the purchase.

What to do after falling for a scam

Gather proof of the transaction, such as the store link, screenshots of the fake profile and payment receipts. File a police report and contact the bank or payment institution as quickly as possible. If the payment was made by Pix, the customer can ask the bank for the Mecanismo Especial de Devolução (MED), a mechanism that tries to recover the transferred amount.

Black Friday 2026 requires constant checks because AI removes old warning signs such as spelling errors. A survey found that 87% of consumers plan to use AI to compare prices, while 63% cannot identify fake ads generated by algorithms. Exposure to AI-driven fraud rose from 26% in 2025 to 32% in 2026.