How to spot a fake Pix QR code before you pay

Pix is fast and safe by design — but that speed is exactly what fraudsters try to exploit. Once a payment goes through, it can be hard to reverse, which is why the most effective protection happens in the few seconds before you confirm. Here are the patterns to watch for.

The swapped QR code

A classic trick: a fraudster pastes their own QR code over a legitimate one — on posters, donation signs, parking meters, even printed invoices. The code scans perfectly; only the destination is wrong. Whenever you scan anything printed or static, treat the next step as mandatory: read the recipient's name on the confirmation screen.

Always check the recipient before confirming

Pix shows you who will actually receive the money — name and partial CPF or CNPJ — right before you finalize. This is your ten-second safety check. If the name doesn't match the person or company you meant to pay, stop. When buying DePix, that means confirming the recipient is the company you registered with, not a look-alike name.

Urgent payment requests by message

Impersonation scams work through urgency: "it's your cousin, my phone broke, pay this Pix now" or fake support asking you to "verify" by sending a payment. No legitimate company — including us — will ever message you asking for an urgent Pix payment. When in doubt, contact the person or company through a channel you already trust.

Copy-paste codes deserve the same care

A Pix copy-paste code carries the same risks as a QR. The defense is identical: check the recipient name shown before confirming, and be suspicious of codes that arrive unexpectedly, especially with a deadline attached. For the bigger picture, see common crypto scams and how to spot them and protecting your Pix and crypto accounts from fraud.