82% of consumers have fallen for online scams - see how this threatens the credibility of brands

Digital piracy is no longer a phenomenon restricted to illegally downloaded movies or cracked software. Today, it is present in fake advertisements, on cloned pages on social networks, and even in advertising campaigns that use famous brands to deceive.

The problem is that this reality has reached a global scale. According to one surveying from Branddi, 82% of consumers have been the target of online scams.

If almost every consumer has had contact with internet scams, then the credibility of any company can be put to the test at any time. Do you want to understand how to protect your brand and not repeat this scenario? Check out the guide below!

What is the digital piracy landscape in Brazil?

The country ranks fifth in the world in terms of the number of accesses to piracy sites, according to a study published in Época Negócios.

In 2023, Brazil lost approximately R$ 441 billion to the illegal market, considering 15 productive sectors and tax evasion (about R$ 139 billion in tax evasion). These amounts were determined by the FNCP (National Forum against Piracy) and recorded in reportage released in 2024.

In 2024, the losses were even greater: around R$ 468 billion according to news sources, or even R$ 471 billion of global losses according to anti-counterfeiting associations, an increase of approximately 27% compared to the previous year.

Parallel to consumption, the authorities have intensified combat actions. In 2025, according to dice According to the Federal Government, Brazil reported to the UN more than 8,000 links to illegal sites for blocking and notified hundreds of sites for deindexing.

To better understand this scenario and prepare for the impacts, it is worth looking carefully at the most affected sectors:

• Technology (software, games, cell phones and PCs);
• Fashion (counterfeit clothing, footwear, and accessories sold online);
• Streaming (movies, series, sports and pirate IPTV);
• E-commerce (counterfeit products and the monetization of illegal sites).

If your brand operates in any of these sectors, it's time to reinforce digital protection and monitoring strategies.

What are the impacts for brands?

Digital piracy imposes economic losses and affects intangible assets of companies in many sectors:

Embezzlement of revenue and business sustainability

In many cases, part of the demand that could be converted into legitimate revenue migrates to pirated versions, reducing the volume of authorized sales

In Brazil, in just one year, National Forum against Piracy (FNCP) It estimated losses at around R$ 441 billion in the illegal market, considering the consequence of 15 productive sectors plus tax evasion of ~R$ 139 billion.

Deterioration of brand perception

6 out of 10 Brazilians would abandon a brand after being victims of online scams linked to the illegal use of the brand name, even if she was not the author of the scam, according to a survey recent by Branddi.

Counterfeit products or illegitimate low-quality versions are associated with the original brand, compromising satisfaction rates and digital reputation.

Risk of association with criminal practices

Fake sites they usually host malware, phishing scams, and misleading advertising, and the least informed consumer can blame the brand for the risk it faced when searching for that content or product.

It is a type of exposure that compromises the company's image of responsibility, in addition to generating institutional wear and tear that is difficult to repair.

What is the best shielding strategy?

The most important shielding strategy against digital piracy is the active internet monitoring, including the verification of fake advertisements, illegal sites, and unauthorized distribution channels that use the brand without permission.

Digital monitoring tools, such as Google Alerts, and platforms specialized in identifying cases of Impersonation Scams, help detect the brand's presence on pirated sites or in advertisements that may be misleading consumers.

It is clear that digital piracy is a problem that is not restricted to small players. The difference is in how each company reacts! You can monitor scam signs and invest in protection to reduce losses and build solid credibility in the market.

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