Special Refund Mechanism (MED)

The Special Refund Mechanism (MED) is a feature designed to protect customers in cases of fraud, scams, or operational errors involving the use of Pix. Financial institutions are required to adhere to the MED, which operates as a set of rules and procedures to ensure user safety.

In addition to fraud, the MED also allows the recovery of funds that were wrongly credited, such as in cases of duplicate payments, which commonly result from operational failures of financial institutions.

Situations Where the MED Applies

• Suspected fraud or scam: The MED can be requested even in cases where no physical force was used.
• Unauthorized transactions: If third parties, such as hackers or individuals with access to your device, perform unauthorized transactions.
• Operational failures: Errors like duplicate payments that are the responsibility of the financial institution.
• Beneficiary involved in illicit activities: When the recipient is involved in criminal activity without the payer’s knowledge.

How to Request the MED

If you are a victim of fraud, scam, or operational error, the MED request process must be initiated within 80 days from the date of the Pix transaction. The process follows these steps:

1. Filing the Complaint

You must file a refund request with your financial institution, which will then assess whether the case qualifies for the MED.

2. Blocking the Funds

If the institution determines the request is valid, the transferred amount will be blocked in the recipient’s account.

3. Review and Resolution

The case will be reviewed within 7 calendar days, with:

• 5 days for the recipient to present a defense, and
• 2 days for the institution to evaluate the case.

If no fraud is found: The funds will be unblocked.
If fraud is confirmed: The full or partial amount will be refunded to you within 96 hours after the decision.

Operational Error

In cases of operational error, such as a duplicate transaction, the institution has up to 24 hours to refund the money after confirming the mistake.

To activate the MED and recover the funds, you must contact the bank responsible for the transaction using the communication channels provided by the institution.