Carlos Fernandes was mugged in Lisbon and filed a complaint with the authorities. Months later, he discovered that bank accounts had been opened in his name, one of them with over half a million euros, and a company had been created with nearly 200 foreign workers and a multi-million euro debt to Social Security.
Exclusive. His wallet was stolen in Lisbon and he ended up with a 300,000 euro debt and several criminal cases
Thursday, 23 April 2026RSS
Context & Explainers
Segurança Social is Portugal's public social security system, responsible for administering pensions, unemployment benefits, sickness pay, parental leave, family allowances, and other social support payments. It is funded through mandatory contributions from employers and employees.
Most services are managed online through Segurança Social Direta (SSD), where users can check contribution records, apply for benefits, submit declarations, and track payments using their NISS (Social Security Identification Number) and Citizen Card credentials.
Key interactions for residents include registering as a contributor (mandatory for all workers), claiming unemployment benefits, applying for parental leave, and accessing the minimum income scheme (Rendimento Social de Inserção). Self-employed workers (trabalhadores independentes) must also make quarterly income declarations through the platform.
