The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has received a number of complaints from Brazilian citizens who are victims of theft, fraud, and violence committed by foreign spouses they met online and with whom they had little or no in-person interaction before marriage. According to the reports received, which include allegations of unlawful confinement, it is common in these cases for foreign husbands to completely change their behavior shortly after the marriage is formalized, becoming aggressive and manipulative or abruptly cutting off contact with the victims after obtaining a residence visa in Brazil.
In these circumstances, Brazilian women and men are advised to exercise special caution with virtual relationships maintained with foreigners for the purpose of marriage, in order to protect themselves against scams and risky situations. It is suggested, among other precautions, to seek references about the foreign citizen from third parties with common knowledge, as well as to avoid keeping contact restricted to remote communication methods prior to marriage.