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Recordings from Jornal Nacional Show Intermediaries Approaching INSS Insured Individuals with Promises of Access to the System and Charging Percentages, While the Institute and the OAB Reinforce Alerts About Irregular Practices.
Recordings made by Jornal Nacional showed people approaching insured individuals at the door of an INSS agency in Brasília, offering services related to the granting of benefits and claiming that it would be possible to expedite the process.
According to a report published by the Jornal Nacional, the INSS states that there is no procedure that allows for reducing the queue through payment or by intermediaries.
The recording took place at a unit of the INSS medical expertise, in the central region of the capital.
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In the footage, people approach insured individuals waiting for service and offer contacts of supposed lawyers or specialized offices.
One of the women approached by the report, unaware that she was being filmed, suggests directing the insured to a lawyer.
She claims that the consultation would be free and that the professional could check the status of the expertise request in the system.
The woman also mentions a charge of 30% in fees in case the benefit is granted.
Offering Cards and Promises of Process Verification
Another recorded approach shows a man handing over the card of a supposed lawyer.
He confirms the same percentage charge mentioned earlier.
When questioned about his role, he claims to be a lawyer.
According to the findings of the Jornal Nacional, this type of promise is considered irregular by specialists in social security law, as the progress of requests is available only through the INSS’s official channels.
Aggressive Reaction During Attempted Investigation
The day after the first recording, producer Afonso Ferreira returned to the location and sought out the same intermediary.
She denies engaging in the provision of legal services and ends the conversation.
Then, she approaches another man who was near the agency.
When asked if he was engaged in a similar activity, he reacts aggressively and tries to take the producer’s bag.
The team filed a police report with the Civil Police reporting the situation and informing about the aggression.
The newspaper also pointed out that the aggression occurred after the team insisted on clarifying the role of the intermediaries, a practice that tends to occur in different units across the country.
Cited Offices Present Divergent Versions
The report sought the offices mentioned in the approaches.
The lawyer indicated by the first intermediary denied any connection with the distributed materials and claimed to be unaware of their name being used.
On the other hand, the other office, associated with the card handed over by the recorded man, confirmed that they engage with insured individuals in the vicinity of the expertise post.
A representative stated that the practice occurs on certain days of the week.
INSS Reinforces That There Are No Shortcuts or Facilities
The INSS acknowledges that similar approaches occur in agencies in different regions of the country.
According to the institute, this type of offer may expose insured individuals to the risks of scams or undue charges.
The autarchy states that there are no shortcuts to speed up the analysis of retirements or allowances.
The queue and deadlines follow national administrative criteria, regardless of hiring a lawyer or any external services.
Representatives of the INSS emphasize that intermediaries are unregulated and do not represent the institute.
According to information released by the Jornal Nacional, consulted technicians stress that such approaches are not accepted by Social Security or the Order of Attorneys of Brazil.
Official Service Channels and Recommendations
The president of the INSS reiterated that citizens can use the Meu INSS app or schedule in-person service.
He explained that the result does not change regardless of the means used.
Requests made directly by the insured or with the support of a lawyer follow the same flow and criteria.
Consulted specialists point out that hiring a lawyer is legitimate when initiated voluntarily by the insured.
This differs from approaches made without solicitation that may induce payments of fees or high percentages.
The institute’s alert is for citizens to be wary of proposals for “privileged access” to the system.
The process is automated and standardized, with no possibility of acceleration through payment.
OAB’s Position on Irregular Client Acquisition
The Order of Attorneys of Brazil stated that it condemns the irregular acquisition of clients in the vicinity of the INSS.
According to the entity, the offer of services by third parties known as intermediaries, or even by lawyers who approach insured individuals in vulnerable situations, constitutes a ethical violation, as per the Advocacy Statute.
In this regard, the OAB reinforces that the choice of a lawyer should be made freely. The insured should decide whom they wish to hire, without approaches or promises of undue advantages.
In light of the recorded episodes, a central question arises for those seeking retirement or benefits: how to safely identify when an external offer genuinely corresponds to a legitimate service?
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