After an investigation conducted by the São Paulo Civil Police, the Court ordered the blocking and hijacking of accounts of 131 companies that were scamming drivers, falsely informing them that their driver’s licenses (CNH) were suspended.
According to investigations conducted by the 3rd Anti-Money Laundering Police Station, criminals sent false messages to victims informing them that their driver’s license was suspended or had been revoked. These messages arrived via WhatsApp, SMS and even e-mailinforming that there was a problem with the driver’s license.
With this, they induced people to click on links to regularize the document, directing victims to websites fake ones that simulated the official portal of the State Department of Transit (Detran) or the federal government.
In these websites false, victims ended up entering personal data and even bank references. Criminals used this data to issue bills or charges via PIX. After payment was made, the funds were sent to accounts of shell companies that were involved in the scam.
Since the beginning of the year, 678 bank accounts of companies involved in this scam have been made in São Paulo. The Civil Police reported that investigations continue.
Wanted by Brazil Agencythe São Paulo State Traffic Department (Detran-SP) reported that it does not send notifications via social networks or e-mail. “Suspension and revocation notifications are sent exclusively by letter. The notifications now have a QR Code, which takes the reader to the municipality’s portal, where the driver, in addition to consulting details of the process, can present a defense. Another alternative for the driver is direct access to the website official, through login done with personal registration and password”, said the agency.
Detran-SP advises drivers who receive any notification of a suspended or revoked driver’s license through non-official means not to access these links and contact the Detran-SP Ombudsman’s Office or FalaSP, the São Paulo government’s reporting channel, to report the crime.
*Article amended at 5pm to add information.