‘Pix Gangs’ cash in on Brazil’s mobile payments boom

Criminals turn to phishing scams as the central bank’s instant payment system transforms the way Brazilians manage their cash. — Reuters

When a man approached Maria on Facebook, the 61-year-old Brazilian widow thought she might have another chance at love. She never imagined their budding online relationship would turn into a financial nightmare.

The man, who said he lived abroad, gained her trust with promises of love and marriage. Saying he had sent a box of gifts that had been seized by Customs, he told her she needed to make a down payment to a Brazilian company to release the goods.