Irregular transmissions of popular Brazilian TV programs, mainly from broadcasters such as Globo and Record, are the bait for Pix scams practiced on YouTube. While showing periodicals like Fantástico and Domingo Espetacular, criminals use big brands to carry out false promotions, which promise the return of cash values from transfers through Pix.
It is a new variation of old moves, also with an international flavor. The alert from the cybersecurity company AHT Security talks about “ghost” videos, which are on the air for a few hours, usually only while the legitimate program is being shown on television, in order to take advantage of the high flow of searches for the topics shown on television news. In some cases, illegal broadcasts are even sponsored, appearing even more prominently in searches.
While the program is displayed for free, messages appear on the screen bringing names of fake lucky ones and indications on how to win. In one of the cases analyzed by the specialists, the promise seemed advantageous, with sending BRL 5.90 for a specific Pix key guaranteeing a return of BRL 1,000. Here, the name of retailer Casas Bahia was used as a way to give credibility to the coup.
The sense of urgency comes from the idea that only the first 12 to carry out the transfer would receive the amount, while a list displayed on the screen already brought nine people contemplated. As always happens in scams of this type, the idea is that users think little and carry out the transaction quickly, losing the amount sent and, logically, also without receiving the expected financial return.
According to AHT Security, more than 50,000 Brazilians were exposed to scams over the last few days, with brands like Magazine Luiza and Nubank also being used as a way to attribute credibility to false promotion. The videos are deleted shortly after the end of the live program and even before YouTube takes action against them, in order to hide the tracks and make it difficult for investigation by digital security experts and authorities, while the channels used for retransmission are preserved for new hits.
How to protect yourself from the Pix Coup on YouTube?
As said, the mechanics of the fraud alerted by AHT Security are well known, mixing very Brazilian elements with the international mechanics already seen on the video site. On the one hand, there is the use of the official Brazilian system for transfers and alleged financial return, in the scam that has become known as Urubu do Pix or Rei do Pix, while on the other, there is the use of fake live broadcasts, with the presence of celebrities and known programs, as a way to give credibility to scams.
Outside, it happens with fraud involving cryptocurrencies and names like Elon Musk and his aerospace company, SpaceX, or events like Formula 1. streaming”, points out Emilio Simoni, CEO of AHT Security.
The expert also asks citizens to be wary of promises of easy financial return, especially with high values. Promotions and cash deliveries involving an advance payment via Pix are classic scam baits, with the user having to ignore contacts of this type and avoid engaging with content that promotes such offers.
