Expert warns of the rise in new fraud schemes that require strengthened authentication, data protection, and trust in official channels.
With the opening of the Individual Income Tax (IRPF) filing period, the Brazilian digital ecosystem enters one of its periods of greatest exposure to fraud. In 2026, this scenario gains a new layer of complexity with the increasing use of artificial intelligence to refine scams, increase the plausibility of false communications, and strain citizens' trust in official digital channels.
For TIVIT, a multinational company belonging to the Almaviva Group and a technology services provider in Latin America, the rise in these frauds demands that the discussion go beyond the individual protection of taxpayers. The issue also encompasses the digital resilience of public institutions, the security of digital journeys, and the ability to preserve trust in critical public sector infrastructures.
Data from Serasa Experian indicates an intensification of the problem: at the beginning of 2026, Brazil registered an attempted financial fraud every 2.2 seconds. The use of leaked data, combined with hyper-personalized social engineering tactics, resulted in a jump of almost 301,300 attempted fraud attempts in the last cycle. Currently, more than 501,300 Brazilians report having been targeted by digital scams in the last 12 months, challenging the perceived security of official channels.
According to Thiago Tanaka, Cybersecurity Director at TIVIT, the main change in 2026 lies in the use of generative AI to make attacks more convincing. “The scams have become more sophisticated. Artificial intelligence allows for the creation of fake communications with language, visual identity, and structure very similar to official ones, which increases the risk of error on the part of the citizen and further undermines trust in digital channels,” he states.
In the context of income tax, this trend often appears on fake websites, messages about tax audits, promises of refunds, or improper charges. Although the most visible impact falls on the taxpayer, the company believes that the problem also affects the institutions themselves, by increasing the overload on support channels, hindering official communication, and requiring faster responses for prevention and guidance.
The expert states that protection in this scenario depends on a combination of secure digital architecture, robust authentication, continuous monitoring, and user education. The use of authenticated environments, such as the e-CAC portal and the Meu Imposto de Renda app, in addition to mechanisms like multi-factor authentication, remains one of the main layers of defense to reduce the risks of unauthorized access and fraud.
“The challenge is not just blocking attacks, but ensuring that the citizen’s digital journey is secure and reliable from start to finish. This involves identity, authentication, data protection, and incident response capabilities,” explains Tanaka. “Official channels do not use triggers of emotional urgency. A nation’s cyber resilience depends as much on robust infrastructure as on a culture of digital distrust on the part of the end user.”.
In this context, he believes that strengthening the digital resilience of the public sector requires an integrated approach that combines infrastructure, governance, monitoring, and user guidance. During periods of high demand, such as income tax season, this capacity becomes even more relevant to protect data, reduce vulnerabilities, and preserve trust in digital services.
“When trust in official communication is shaken, the efficiency of Digital Government regresses. The public body is pressured to act in crisis management mode, impacting strategic revenue collection and oversight planning. Security, therefore, must be seen as a pillar of sustainability for public business,” concludes Tanaka.
About TIVIT
TIVIT is a multinational company that connects technology for a better world. Through its constantly evolving business lines, TIVIT supports companies with cloud solutions (public, hybrid, and private), enabling secure environments with cybersecurity capabilities, developing technologies focused on Artificial Intelligence, and offering services focused on automation and SaaS solutions. Through transformative digital projects, TIVIT impacts millions of people daily. TIVIT is an Almaviva Group company, which is part of a global ecosystem present in 21 countries, with over 45,000 professionals. For more information, visit www.tivit.com and follow our LinkedIn and Instagram.
