In Brazil’s “wrong Pix” scam, a criminal sends money to your account, says it was a mistake and asks you to send it back to a different account, not the one it came from. If you do, you lose the money twice: you refund it voluntarily, and then the scammer files a fraud claim through the central bank’s refund system, known as the MED, and your bank pulls the same amount again. The rule that protects you is simple: refund only with the Return button on the original transaction.
Pix is Brazil’s instant payment system, run by the central bank. Most people there use a phone number, email or tax ID as their Pix key. That convenience is what this scam exploits, and it can reach anyone with a Brazilian bank account, including expats and frequent visitors.
How does the wrong Pix scam work?
Scammers often use a phone number as the Pix key, because it’s tied to the victim’s WhatsApp profile. According to Brazilian outlet Olhar Digital, the script goes like this:
- The criminal sends you a Pix.
- Soon after, they contact you, usually on WhatsApp, saying they got the key wrong and want the money back.
- Instead of asking you to use the bank’s refund option, they give you a new key that belongs to a third account.
- If you transfer the money, they trigger the MED claiming fraud. The victim’s bank sends the same amount back to them, so the scammer is paid twice. Olhar Digital’s example: R$ 700 turns into R$ 1,400.
Brazil’s banking federation, Febraban, warned about this scam in 2024, and the guidance from banks is unchanged: any refund must go back to the account the Pix came from, never to a third party.
What is the MED and why does it matter here?
The MED (Mecanismo Especial de Devolução, or Special Return Mechanism) was created by Brazil’s central bank to make it easier to recover money in scams and fraud. The victim reports the case to their own bank, the information goes to the central bank, and if the refund is confirmed the receiving account must return the money.
It’s a legitimate tool that protects real victims. The wrong Pix scam turns it around: the criminal poses as the victim. That’s why refunding only to the original account matters so much. If the money goes back to whoever sent it, the MED can’t be used to pull a second payment out of you.
What to do if an unexpected Pix arrives
Follow these steps in order:
- Don’t rush to reply. Scammers rely on urgency. Check your statement first.
- Confirm the money really arrived. Open your bank app. Don’t trust a link or receipt the other person sends.
- Use the Return button. In the app, open your statement, tap the received transaction and choose Return. Per PagBank, you can refund the full amount or only the excess. Menu paths vary by bank, but the function exists in the major apps.
- Refuse new keys. If the person says the account changed, that the money belongs to a company or that it must go to another tax ID, don’t send it. Someone who truly made a mistake will accept the official refund.
- Keep evidence. Record your screen showing the Pix arriving and the chat with the sender. Save their profile photo, phone number, messages, any bank details they gave and the transaction record.
- Tell your bank. Use official channels, such as the in-app chat or the phone number on the bank’s website. Per Olhar Digital, the bank reviews the transactions and watches for MED requests. File a police report if needed.
What if you sent a Pix to the wrong person?
This is a different situation, and the MED generally doesn’t apply. According to PagBank, it’s meant for scams and fraud, not ordinary mistakes like typing the wrong key. Here’s what to do:
- Contact the recipient. Use the receipt details (name, bank, branch) to politely ask for the money back, and keep the conversation. Cielo suggests a short, courteous message.
- Call your bank. It can try to mediate with the recipient’s bank. There’s no guarantee, because a Pix can’t be canceled once sent.
- File a police report if nothing works. It helps if you seek legal advice.
- Consider small claims court. Cielo says you can file a claim at a Juizado Especial Cível without a lawyer for amounts up to 40 minimum wages.
If the problem was a bank failure, such as a duplicate payment or a canceled scheduled Pix that was charged anyway, ask the bank for a formal record. Cielo says that for a confirmed failure like this, the bank usually returns the money within 24 hours through the MED.
How long do you have to file a MED claim?
Per PagBank and Cielo, a MED claim can be filed up to 80 days after the transaction. PagBank adds that once fraud is confirmed, the money can come back within 96 hours after the banks’ review, and that if the scammer’s account is empty, the bank keeps monitoring it for up to 90 days. These deadlines come from financial companies’ blogs, so confirm your case with your bank or on the central bank’s website.
The MED doesn’t guarantee a refund. If the scammer already emptied the account, you might get only part of it back, or nothing.
Other ways to protect yourself
- Be wary of any refund request outside the app. If someone says they sent money by mistake, offer only the official option.
- Lock down WhatsApp. Many scams start from a phone number. Turn on WhatsApp two-step verification to make account takeovers harder.
- Watch for signs of a hijacked phone. If your phone acts strangely, see how to tell if your phone was cloned or SIM swapped.
- Don’t hand over codes or passwords to anyone who contacts you by message. Confirm everything through your bank’s official channels.
Frequently asked questions
Can I keep a Pix that arrived by mistake?
No. PagBank says keeping money received by mistake is a crime in Brazil called “apropriação indébita” (misappropriation), under article 169 of the Penal Code. The right move is to use the Return button.
Can my bank get back money I lost to the scam?
It depends. If you file a MED claim in time and the fraud is confirmed, the money can come back, but only if the recipient’s account has funds. Contact your bank as soon as you can.
Does the Return button protect me from this scam?
It protects you from the script described here, because the money goes back to the account it came from. Still, keep your evidence and tell your bank if the contact keeps seeming off.
