To guide the population on how to avoid fraud and protect their assets when purchasing property, the Notary's Offices are holding a free national effort this Saturday (7) in several cities across the country.
Scams can involve false owners, adulterated documents and non-existent properties that can turn the purchase of your own home into a financial loss.
The action will take notaries to shopping malls, squares, public spaces and partner institutions in different cities to clarify doubts about the purchase and sale of properties, public deeds, powers of attorney, donations and other official acts that help avoid losses and property conflicts.
The initiative is promoted by the Colégio Notarial do Brasil – Conselho Federal (CNB/CF), in partnership with its State Sections and participating Notary Offices.
Scams
According to the CNB/CF, scams that can compromise a negotiation include:
Sale of properties by people who are not their owners,
Presentation of false powers of attorney,
Marketing of properties with omitted restrictions and
Requirement of advance payments without due formalization of the business.
In many cases, the buyer only identifies the problem after transferring resources or discovering that the property cannot be registered in their name.
For the president of the CNB/CF, Eduardo Calais, preventive guidance is essential to prevent patrimonial decisions from turning into legal disputes.
"The purchase of a property often represents the savings of a lifetime. Therefore, it is essential that people understand what they are signing, know the risks and seek guidance before making any payment. A scam can compromise the assets built over decades. Our job is to help prevent this from happening", he states.
According to the Brazilian Public Security Yearbook 2026, released by the Brazilian Public Security Forum, 2,261,055 incidents of embezzlement were recorded in 2025, an increase of 429.8% compared to 2018.
Although the survey brings together different types of fraud and not just real estate fraud, the advancement of this type of crime reinforces the importance of checking documents, correctly identifying those involved and seeking guidance before making financial commitments.
Prevention
One of the main forms of prevention is the public deed, a document prepared by the notary, a legal professional responsible for identifying the participants, verifying their legal capacity, examining the relevant documentation and ensuring that the parties understand the effects of the transaction.
The deed allows you to formalize the conditions of the purchase and sale, while registration with the Property Registry is the necessary step for transferring the property.
Guidance also involves care prior to signing. Consulting the property's updated registration allows you to check who the owner is and identify any registered restrictions.
The buyer must check the identity of whoever is selling, check the authenticity of powers of attorney, be wary of offers with values far below those practiced in the market and avoid payments without the conditions of the negotiation being properly documented.
Security
According to the CNB/CF, one of the most delicate moments of purchasing a property is payment: the buyer needs to transfer the money, but wants to be sure that the conditions of the deal will be met.
To demonstrate how to reduce this risk, Jornada Notarial 2026 will present the Notarial Account Simulator, an educational tool that will show how the values of a negotiation can be protected until the conditions established between the parties are met.
The resource allows you to structure operations in which resources are only released after proof of agreed conditions, helping to reduce risks related to early payment or non-compliance with obligations.
Mutirão
The mobilization will have activities planned in Salvador (BA), João Pessoa (PB), Fortaleza (CE), Recife (PE), Belo Horizonte (BH), Santos (SP), Brasília (DF), Campo Grande (MS), Boa Vista (RR), Porto Alegre (RS) and municipalities in Goiás, in addition to other participating locations.
The orientations will be free and open to the population, according to each location’s schedule.
