# Fake boleto scam: how it works and what to do · Bipe The boleto looks like it is from a company you deal with, but the barcode sends the money to someone else. Before you pay, check the name your bank shows. **The fake boleto scam: it looks like the company's, it pays the scammer** Also called: fake boleto, altered bill. ## The numbers - **14.3%** of Brazilians aged 16 or older lost money to a Pix or fake boleto scam (Jul 2024 to Jun 2025. Source: [Fórum Brasileiro de Segurança Pública e Datafolha](https://publicacoes.forumseguranca.org.br/server/api/core/bitstreams/33ed3320-fc11-45f9-a909-ed69eba48cfd/content)) ## How it works 1. The scammer sends a boleto in the name of a company, school or building, or makes a fake duplicate-bill site. 2. The boleto has the right logo and amount, but the barcode is for another account. 3. You pay, and the money lands in the scammer's account. ## How to spot it - A boleto arrived that you did not expect, or by a new route. - The payee's name on your bank screen is not the company's. - They say the account or payment key changed. ## What to do - Before you pay, check the name and CNPJ your bank shows. - Get duplicate bills only in the company's official app or site. - Paid? Talk to your bank at once and to the company, and file a police report. ## How Bipe helps Each item shows where it stands on iPhone and Android. - [Scam warnings](https://bipe.chat/en/features/scam-warnings/) (iPhone: In the test app; Android: In development): A warning shows under a message that looks like a scam, such as a rushed Pix, a new number or a boleto. It is on by default, with nothing to set up. - [Business Pix charges](https://bipe.chat/en/features/business-pix-charges/) (iPhone: Coming soon; Android: Coming soon): A verified institution charges by Pix inside the chat. The card shows the CNPJ that receives the money and turns to paid when the bank confirms. - [Business seal](https://bipe.chat/en/features/business-seal/) (iPhone: Coming soon; Android: Coming soon): A company, school or association proves its CNPJ and gets a seal with the name on the federal register. **What Bipe does not solve here:** A PDF boleto by e-mail is outside Bipe. On Bipe, the warning shows on a boleto code pasted in a chat. Bipe only protects the chats that happen in Bipe. If someone in the family still uses another app, a scammer can write to them there. ## Who describes this scam - [Golpe Falso Boleto](https://portal.febraban.org.br/DetalheAntifraude/14/pt-br/) (Febraban) - [Glossário de Tipologias de Fraudes e Golpes Digitais](https://www.gov.br/mj/pt-br/assuntos/alianca-nacional-de-combate-a-fraudes-bancarias-digitais/glossario_final_iniciativa_1-8_v10.pdf) (Ministério da Justiça e Segurança Pública e Febraban (Aliança Nacional de Combate a Fraudes Bancárias Digitais)) ## Other common scams - [Fake relative](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/fake-relative-scam/) - [Taken number or account](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/cloned-number-scam/) - [Fake bank call centre](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/fake-bank-call-scam/) - [Pix and fake boleto](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/pix-scam/) - [Fake shop](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/fake-shop-scam/) - [Threats with your data](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/threat-scam/) - [Fake acquaintance](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/fake-acquaintance-scam/) - ["I sent you a code by mistake"](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/code-by-mistake-scam/) - [Romance scam](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/romance-scam/) - [Fake lawyer](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/fake-lawyer-scam/) - [Fake government body](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/fake-government-scam/) - [Fake delivery fee](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/fake-delivery-fee-scam/) - [Fake job and task scam](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/task-job-scam/) - [Fake support](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/fake-support-scam/) - [Fake second-hand sale](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/fake-seller-scam/) - [Fake buyer and fake receipt](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/fake-receipt-scam/) - [Fake rental](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/fake-rental-scam/) - [Wrong Pix](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/wrong-pix-scam/) - [Fake loan](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/fake-loan-scam/) - [Fake investment](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/fake-investment-scam/) - [Betting and "tigrinho"](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/betting-scam/) - [Fake link](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/fake-link-scam/) - [Phantom hand and fake app](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/remote-access-scam/) - [SIM swap](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/sim-swap-scam/) - [Fake kidnapping](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/fake-kidnapping-scam/) - [Sextortion](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/sextortion-scam/) - [Group chat scam](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/group-chat-scam/) - [Fake fundraiser](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/fake-charity-scam/) - [Scams in Brazil in numbers](https://bipe.chat/en/scams-in-brazil/) ## Where these numbers come from Researched on 13 October 2026. We only use numbers that have a source. Surveys by a company or a private association are marked as such. - [Pesquisa de vitimização e percepção sobre violência e segurança pública 2025](https://publicacoes.forumseguranca.org.br/server/api/core/bitstreams/33ed3320-fc11-45f9-a909-ed69eba48cfd/content) (Fórum Brasileiro de Segurança Pública e Datafolha, 2025-08) - [Glossário de Tipologias de Fraudes e Golpes Digitais](https://www.gov.br/mj/pt-br/assuntos/alianca-nacional-de-combate-a-fraudes-bancarias-digitais/glossario_final_iniciativa_1-8_v10.pdf) (Ministério da Justiça e Segurança Pública e Febraban (Aliança Nacional de Combate a Fraudes Bancárias Digitais), 2025-10) - [Golpe Falso Boleto](https://portal.febraban.org.br/DetalheAntifraude/14/pt-br/) (Febraban, 2025-04-05) ## Download - Install on iPhone: https://testflight.apple.com/join/k3ycEfzk (Test version, through Apple TestFlight.) - Download for Android: https://bipe.chat/baixar/android/bipe.apk (Test version. Download the file and open it on your phone. Android asks you to allow the install. Notifications do not work yet.) An experiment by Envisioning: https://envisioning.com ## Source code - iPhone app: https://github.com/bipe-chat/bipe-ios - Android app: https://github.com/bipe-chat/bipe-android - App rules and text: https://github.com/bipe-chat/bipe-shared - Invites and @ directory: https://github.com/bipe-chat/bipe-api - This site: https://github.com/bipe-chat/bipe-web - Colours and styles: https://github.com/bipe-chat/compound-design-tokens - On-device scam model: https://github.com/bipe-chat/bipe-ml - Business bridge and inbox: https://github.com/bipe-chat/bipe-business