Recently, a 72-year-old woman in the Jardim Santa Emília district of Tatuí, São Paulo, fell prey to a scam related to the delivery of her IPTU (property tax) booklet. The incident occurred on Tuesday, October 10, when the woman was approached by a man claiming to be a public servant. He insisted on charging a supposed fee for the delivery of the document, raising immediate suspicions regarding the legitimacy of his claims.

As the woman attempted to make the payment, the card reader allegedly malfunctioned, leading the scammer to flee on a motorcycle before she could complete the transaction. Shortly after the encounter, the elderly victim was notified of unauthorized purchases made with her credit card, indicating that the scammer may have had access to her card details, which is a growing concern among the elderly population who are increasingly targeted by fraudsters.

In response to the incident, local authorities are urging residents to rely solely on official channels for receiving IPTU booklets, emphasizing that there will be no payment required at the time of delivery, and there’s no need for signatures on any documents. The police are actively investigating the suspect's identity to prevent further incidents and protect vulnerable community members from similar scams.