Computer Says Maybe The Vaporstate: Brazil is Banking on Apps
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Jan 23, 2026 Rafael Zanatta, a digital rights activist, shares a gripping story about his mother's identity theft and how a vigilant bank teller thwarted a major fraud attempt. He highlights the vulnerabilities in Brazil’s government systems and data breaches that facilitate such crimes. Joining him, Luã Cruz discusses PIX, Brazil's innovative payment system, which outpaced competitors like WhatsApp Pay due to regulatory actions. They both address the consumer protection challenges and the ongoing struggle between efficiency and safety in digital finance.
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Identity Theft Nearly Yielded $80k Loan
- Rafael Zanatta recounts his mother's identity theft that nearly enabled an $80k fraudulent loan and withdrawals.
- A suspicious bank teller who checked her online lectures foiled the second large withdrawal and likely prevented catastrophic loss.
Layered Digital IDs Create Attack Chains
- Gov.br's layered 'gold' accounts link biometrics, driver's licenses, and phone numbers, creating high-value attack chains.
- Attackers exploited password reset, new SIMs, and printed IDs to impersonate victims across institutions.
Surveillance System Abused By Police And Criminals
- Rafael describes Cortex, a federal surveillance system that aggregated 160 databases and was abused by police and criminals.
- Journalists bought access on Telegram, revealing organized crime used it to target people for scams and kidnappings.
