Senacon will investigate banks for payroll credit card fraud

The Ministry of Justice and Public Security announced this Thursday (25) that it will investigate 23 financial institutions for possible fraud in payroll-deductible credit cards.

The investigation was opened by Senacon (National Consumer Secretariat) on Monday (22) and takes place after a complaint from Nudecon (Nucleus for Consumer Protection of the Public Defender’s Office) of the State of Rio de Janeiro, that consumers have been harmed with the unauthorized issuance of cards and charging of interest on invoices with a discount from the minimum payment directly on the payroll.

Bradesco, Banco do Brasil, Banco Pan, Itaucard, Itaú Unibanco Nubank, Santander Brasil and Caixa Econômica Federal are among those investigated, according to the statement.

Sought by Reuters, Itaú said that “it does not sell payroll-deductible credit cards and is at Senacon’s disposal for any additional clarifications”.

Nubank replied that it is “not qualified to offer this product and does not offer a payroll card”.

BB stated that it “has not issued a payroll-deductible credit card for four years and is at Senacon’s disposal for further clarification”.

Santander Brasil reported that it learned of the case from the press and that it was not contacted by Nudecon in Rio de Janeiro or by the Ministry of Justice. He also added that “all its products and services comply with the regulation and that it is available to the competent bodies to provide clarifications”.

Bradesco said it will not comment on the matter. Pan and Caixa did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

According to the complaint, fraud occurs when a customer, when contracting a payroll loan, also receives a credit card, without having the proper information that the loan received is released as a withdrawal on the card and deposited in his current account.