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Criminals Have Been Using Fake Documents to Take Over gov.br Accounts, Include Nonexistent Curators, and Take Control Away from Retirees Over Their Benefits. The Scam Exposes Failures of INSS and Increases Risks in Other Digital Government Services.
A digital scam has left INSS retirees (National Institute of Social Security) without access to their own benefits.
Criminals use fake documents to take over accounts on the gov.br portal and insert fictitious curators into the registrations, causing the victim to lose complete control over their pension affairs.
According to a column published in Folha de S. Paulo by lawyer and social security specialist Rômulo Saraiva, the fraudsters carry out a sophisticated procedure: they invade the victim’s account and make them appear legally incapacitated, as if they depended on a legal representative.
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“Suddenly, the retiree who had full control of their life is treated as mentally incompetent, dependent on a curator and discredited in their claims,” wrote Saraiva.
How the Scam Works at INSS
According to the column, after including a fake curator, the criminals take complete control of the account management.
From there, they can transfer funds to other accounts, incur debts in the victim’s name, and block any administrative response from the retiree.
The social security legislation states that individuals who are civilly incapable must be represented by guardians or curators, but this can only happen by court order.
“The legal representative, whether a guardian, curator, or temporary administrator, must be appointed through a court decision. In the scam, this decision is forged with ideologically false documents,” explained Saraiva in the text.
Fake Documents with Errors Accepted by INSS
According to Folha de S. Paulo, the files presented by the scammers contain obvious flaws, such as incorrect letterheads, names of non-existent judges, and incompatible case numbers.
Even so, the INSS system has accepted the requests.
Saraiva emphasized in his column that, although the signs are easily perceptible, retirees cannot reverse the fraud administratively.
“The INSS has responded that the removal of the curator can only be done via judicial process,” he highlighted.
Inequality in Treatment Between Victim and Criminal
The jurist pointed out the disparity in the treatment given to the criminal and the victim.
While the inclusion of the fake curator happens quickly, the removal depends on a court order.
“The curious thing about this situation is that the criminal invades the platform, includes the false documentation, and quickly obtains approval. To undo the INSS’s own mistake, however, the requirements are strict for the retiree,” said Saraiva.
Expanded Risk with Access to gov.br
The newspaper also highlighted that the vulnerability goes beyond retirement.
The gov.br account is the key to accessing over 4,800 digital services, such as information about the Work Card, driver’s license, SUS, and even Income Tax.
Thus, when the account is compromised, criminals gain access to a wide range of personal data.
For Saraiva, the case exposes not only the fragility of the social security system but also a widespread risk in the management of digital data by the State.
He warns that the scale of the invasions may indicate serious structural failures.
“This type of scam has been increasing and does not depend on prior information being provided by the victim. The ease with which it is carried out raises suspicion even about the involvement of state agents,” he wrote.
The episode raises an urgent concern: if retirees and pensioners, a particularly vulnerable group, are already being affected, to what extent does the centralization of data on gov.br put all citizens at risk?
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