The Special Return Mechanism (MED) is a tool created by the Central Bank of Brazil to help victims of fraud involving PIX. It's designed to increase security and help users recover their money after a scam, coercion, or unauthorized transaction.
We use MED when a user is the victim of:
Account invasion (unauthorized access or ATO)
Scams (fraud in online sales or misleading offers)
Coercion (forced transfers under threat)
Operational error (system mistake on our side)
When is a MED opened?
A MED is only opened after an initial review by our team. They’ll investigate your case, and determine if it qualifies for a MED request.
Types of MED
1. Invasion (Account Takeover)
This happens when a fraudster gains access to your AstroPay account and sends money via PIX without your consent.
Example:
Scammers create fake websites that promise a "deposit duplication bug."
They convince victims to share their screen, steal OTP codes, and access the account to withdraw funds.
Important: In these cases, a police report is required to open a MED.
2. Scam (Fraudulent Sales)
This applies when a product or service was paid via PIX but never delivered.
Common cases:
Online sales on Facebook or Instagram
The seller disappears after receiving the payment
To open a MED, we require:
Screenshots showing communication with the seller
Evidence that you tried to resolve the issue (e.g., asking for tracking info)
A police report
3. Coercion (Forced Transfers)
This happens when someone is forced to send PIX transfers under threat or violence.
Examples:
Kidnapping
Armed robbery
Blackmail
4. System Error (Internal Operational Failure)
If a technical issue in our system causes a duplicate or incorrect PIX transfer (not user error), we may open a MED to correct it.
Need to report a fraud?
If you were a victim of any of the above, contact support. Our team will guide you through the initial review and, if applicable, start the MED process.