backOn December, 2025, it was reported that the São Paulo chapter of the Brazilian Bar (OAB-SP) Association filed a Public Civil Action before the Federal Courts seeking to hold Meta, the National Telecommunications Agency, and telecom operators Vivo, Claro, and TIM accountable for the sharp rise in so-called “fake lawyer” scams. The action responds to the rapid growth of fraud schemes in which criminals impersonate law firms to extort clients, using real court case information, public documents, and, in some instances, artificial intelligence tools to simulate voices and legitimate communications.
According to the OAB-SP, nearly four thousand complaints related to the misuse of lawyers’ credentials were recorded between February and September 2025, with most cases resulting in financial losses for victims. The lawsuit calls for urgent and structural measures, including stricter identity verification mechanisms on messaging platforms, swift blocking of accounts and phone lines used for fraud, and enhanced oversight by the telecommunications regulator, as well as collective moral damages and public awareness campaigns. The case highlights broader challenges surrounding digital fraud prevention, data protection, and the allocation of responsibility among platforms and telecommunications service providers.
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