Pix: new rules allow attaching police reports and screenshots in fraud disputes.
The Central Bank published new rules this Thursday (September 4th) for contesting Pix transfers. The main change allows users to attach documents such as police reports and screenshots directly to the bank's app when questioning a transaction suspected of fraud.
The update directly affects those who use Pix daily, but it also establishes clear limits on what can and cannot be disputed. Transfers made in error and losses from bets, lotteries, and games of chance are outside the scope of the return mechanism and cannot be questioned through this channel.
The changes affect the MED (Special Refund Mechanism), created by the Central Bank to recover funds lost due to fraud and scams. Banks have until March 1, 2027, to implement the updates. In addition to the possibility of submitting documents, the mechanism's guidelines will undergo language adjustments to facilitate customer understanding.
Proof of income and contact information
The Central Bank has also prohibited the inclusion of advertisements, commercial offers, and hyperlinks on payment receipts. According to the institution, this measure reduces the risk of the document being used to perpetrate scams.
Two other requirements were established. Changes to saved contact information must be communicated by banks to the paying user. In automatic Pix transactions, the "payment item" field must appear clearly next to the recipient's name to avoid transaction errors.
MED deadlines and rules
The core rules of the MED (Medical Dispute Resolution) remain unchanged. Users have up to 80 days from the transaction date to file a dispute. Banks have 11 days to analyze the validity of the request, and the same timeframe applies to the reversal of charges, provided there are sufficient funds in the receiving account.
On Tuesday (September 1st), the extension of this deadline for those who suspect fraudulent returns came into effect. Previously, the limit was 30 days to question amounts returned at the request of a third party.
Cases of commercial disagreement, buyer's remorse, and erroneous transfers are not eligible for the MED (Medical Dispute Resolution Mechanism). When the issue does not fall under this mechanism, the bank must indicate the appropriate customer service channels to the user.
How does the dispute process work?
The process begins in the bank's app, on the Pix page, by clicking the "Dispute Pix" button. The system then displays a list of recent transactions for the user to select the one they wish to dispute.
After selection, the customer indicates the reason for the dispute. Available options include scam, fraud, and Pix transactions made under duress or without the account holder's authorization. Submitting documents such as a police report and screenshots is permitted at this stage, but not mandatory.
Once the registration is complete, the bank generates a protocol with the date and time and informs the response deadline. The paying institution begins the investigation and decides whether to open a claim for recovery of funds in the DICT (Directory of Transactional Account Identifiers), a database of the Central Bank. If there are indications of misuse of the dispute, the bank may reject the opening even if the stated reason is fraud.
Accounts involved in potential fraud may be blocked for up to 11 days. If the dispute is deemed valid and there is available balance, the refund will be processed within 11 days of the institutions' decision. The user can cancel the request at any time; in this case, any amounts already refunded will be reversed. Transactions that have already been reviewed, regardless of the outcome, cannot be disputed again.
