In Sorocaba, São Paulo, the family of a 6-year-old boy named Arthur, who suffers from Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, has had their fundraising campaign targeted by a scam. Arthur requires a very expensive medication amounting to approximately R$ 17 million, which is currently not authorized for use in Brazil, as well as additional expenses for travel to the United States for his treatment. With the campaign underway, the family initially collected nearly R$ 1 million in donations.

Unfortunately, a potential donor discovered that their transfer had not reached the official account set up by the family, leading them to investigate the issue further. They found out that scammers had created similar PIX keys to exploit donors' goodwill, hijacking funds intended for Arthur's medical treatment. This revelation has sparked concern about fraudulent activities targeting vulnerable families seeking help with significant medical expenses.

The implications of this scam are severe, not only for Arthur's family, who are already dealing with the emotional and financial burden of his illness, but also for the broader community, which may become hesitant to support future charitable causes due to the fear of falling victim to similar scams. Awareness and education about these fraudulent practices will be crucial in protecting future donation campaigns from being undermined by scammers.