10/09/2022 – Widespread confusion and brawling on Gold Street – called so by the great number of jewelry stores -, in downtown São Paulo, left three men injured. They were beaten with punches, kicks and even a piece of wood. According to the police, the fight took place between handlers, people who take customers to the stores, due to a turf dispute.
11/09/2022 – A motorcycle courier was killed after reacting to a robbery at a tobacco store in Campo Limpo, South Zone. Two armed criminals broke into the premises. The 26-year-old victim reacted to the robbery and tried to steal the gun from the robber but was shot.
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12/09/2022 – A security guard was shot and killed while returning to his house on a motorcycle in Marginal Pinheiros, South Zone.
13/09/2022 – A motorcyclist was shot dead during a robbery on the Raposo Tavares highway (SP-280), in Butantã region, West Zone. Two men were arrested and a teenager apprehended. According to the police, the criminals were on a stolen motorcycle and approached the victim, who had just left a gas station.
13/09/2022 – Police carried out an operation against a gang that applied the fake “boleto” (bill) scam. Among those arrested is a bank manager. 34 search and seizure warrants were also executed in six cities. According to the police, the bank manager informed the other criminals when someone would have to pay a bill. The scammers would then send a fake ticket to the victim. When the bill was paid, the money went to another shell company. The victim lost the money and continued with the debt.
Our analysis:
The “boleto” (bank bill) is the second most used payment method in Brazil, second only to the credit card. Care must be taken to avoid falling into scams:
- Check the barcode: On a real boleto, the barcode numbers that appear in the upper and lower region are exactly the same
- Check the source: Always make sure that the source of the ticket is reliable. Many scammers send the fake boleto via email, SMS or WhatsApp, instead of using official channels such as online stores. So, if you made any purchases online or accessed a trading website, issue your boleto through the official website
- Pay attention to bank slip data: Portuguese errors are very common to appear in fake bills. Always check the information such as expiration date, CNPJ and name of the beneficiary
- Note the amount: The boleto price appears in two places, at the end of the barcode and in the “document value” space. If it is not the same, do not pay. Another warning sign is to include a different price in a charge that usually has a fixed amount
- Analyze the beneficiary’s data: Note the issuer’s CNPJ described in the bill. The company may use its Corporate Name (official company name) instead of the trade name. If the name that appears on the ticket is unknown to you, search the company’s website or do an internet search to make sure
13/09/2022 – One criminal died, another was injured and a retired police officer was shot during an attempted kidnapping in Jaguaré, West Zone. According to the Military Police, the crime took place on Andries Both Street, when the victim was returning home after going to the supermarket and was approached by two criminals who announced the kidnapping. Upon realizing the crime, the retired police officer took out his gun and shot the criminals, who shot back.
13/09/2022 – Criminals captured a truck driver on Rodovia Anhanguera (SP-330) and took him to a point known as Estrada do Adubo. About R$ 3 million worth of electronic goods, which were in the truck, were taken by the criminals. The truck driver was in the possession of criminals and was even assaulted. An escort car, with two security guards, accompanied the truck driver but was also stopped by the gang.
14/09/2022 – A police chase ended with the arrest of two criminals on Bem-te-vi Avenue, near the intersection with Ibirapuera Avenue, in Indianópolis, South Zone. According to the police, the men were armed on a motorcycle and were suspected of committing robberies in the Ibirapuera region.
14/09/2022 – A Municipal Civil Guard died during an attempted robbery while arriving home with his wife, who is a military police officer, in Itaim Paulista, East Zone. The victim was parking the car in the garage of the residence when he was approached by four criminals. During the robbery, for reasons not yet clarified, the criminals shot the guard and the officer, hitting the man.
15/09/2022 – At least ten criminals, in two luxury cars, robbed an armored car in Grajaú, a neighborhood in the South Zone. Armed with long weapons, including a rifle for restricted use by the Armed Forces, the criminals shot at the vehicle, hit two security guards and took approximately R$300,000. A criminal was also shot. According to the Military Police, the armored car was supplying an ATM inside a supermarket, when it was attacked by the criminals.
15/09/2022 – Three men were arrested and a victim was released after a kidnapping during the date scam in the region of Pirituba, North Zone. The man had arranged a meeting with the alleged suitor at Cantareira Norte Shopping. Shortly before the time, the woman got in touch and asked them to meet at another address, which was supposed to be her residence. While waiting for the date, the man was approached by three criminals who announced the kidnapping and held him hostage inside his own vehicle.
Our analysis:
The number of scams involving dating apps has increased a lot. Thus, it is necessary to take some care when using applications – and the internet as a whole – when meeting new people.
- Avoid connecting the profile of the dating app to social networks, as this allows the criminal to quickly retrieve your personal data
- On the profile of the contact you are chatting with, note whether the photo(s) come from image banks or are from other people. You can save suspicious images and do reverse search on sites like Google Images
- Try to cross-reference application data with other sources and social networks. It is worth searching even in the database of cases in Justice. Anything you can gather information about the person is important
- Be wary if the person makes excuses to avoid face-to-face meetings or video calls. Or if, when you make them, the camera is turned off
- If you are going to meet in person, choose a public place and always give advance notice to people close to you about the date
- Do not send money to the person, even in cases where they say they are in an emergency. Attention: the justifications can be very emotional. The dating apps themselves provide this guidance
16/09/2022 – A robbery ended in an accident in Freguesia do Ó, North Zone. The app driver accepted a ride and halfway through the fake passenger announced the robbery. The victim got nervous about the announcement, accelerated the car and crashed into a pole. The thief then fled without taking anything. The app driver’s car was left with the front all destroyed.
16/09/2022 – A body was found with signs of violence on Vieira de Carvalho Avenue, near Praça da República, in downtown São Paulo. According to the Military Police, the corporation was called and, at first, officers thought it was a case of a suicide attempt. However, the body showed signs of violence, which lead the PM to treat it as a homicide.
