Visa Uncovers US$2.6bn in Fraud From Global Scam Networks

Fraudulent operations are expanding rapidly worldwide, with payment giant Visa revealing it has successfully identified over US$2.6bn in illicit activity.

Reaching this milestone is the Visa Scam Disruption (VSD) team, which was launched just over two years ago to identify and stop scams before they impact consumers.

The soaring figures demonstrate the rapid expansion of scam activity across international markets, illuminated by the multibillion figure uncovered, including an additional US$1.6bn in fraud attempts detected since October 2025.

Timed with the recent Global Anti-Scam Alliance Summit in Lisbon, Visa’s announcement highlights the growing scale of online scams and the increasing need for proactive fraud prevention. 

The VSD team spots suspicious patterns indicative of organised criminal operations by employing advanced analytics, AI and intelligence gathered from across Visa's global network.

Once flagged, investigators work to uncover wider fraud networks and collaborate with banks, partners and law enforcement agencies to disrupt them.

“Every day, members of the VSD team work tirelessly to identify and help dismantle global criminal networks that target unsuspecting consumers around the world,” says David Capezza, Chief Risk Officer at Visa Europe.

“The work they do to protect consumers ensures a stronger, more resilient ecosystem that benefits everyone.”

Scam prevention: powered by data intelligence and AI

To outpace emerging threats as fraud tactics become increasingly sophisticated, Visa is investing heavily in technology and specialist expertise.

Strengthening its fraud-fighting capabilities, VSD recruits data scientists, engineers, AI developers and professionals from law enforcement and military backgrounds – diversifying expertise to tackle complicated scams.

To connect seemingly unrelated scam operations, the team utilises network-level data and Gen AI tools to analyse vast amounts of information and identify trends. Armed with this intelligence, investigators can detect fraudulent activity earlier and take action before significant consumer losses occur.

Underscoring both the growing threat landscape and the effectiveness of its detection capabilities, Visa reported that the VSD team identified 22% more scams during the second half of 2025 than during the same period a year earlier.

The social media survey scam

The European VSD team recently disrupted a big hitter in the fraud arena involving a widespread social media “survey scam”.

Cybercriminals targeted consumers across multiple markets by offering products such as beauty boxes, digital cameras and toolkits at heavily discounted prices.

Unbeknown to the buyers, after this initial purchase went through, consumers were enrolled in recurring payment subscriptions at much higher charges without their knowledge.

Following a detailed investigation, Visa identified approximately 1,000 merchants operating through 21 European acquirers.

This massive operation was eventually dismantled – shutting down a scam network responsible for US$100m in fraudulent earnings.

“Scams are global, adaptive and fast-moving – and fighting them requires the same,” says Michael Jabbara, Senior Vice President, Payment Ecosystem Risk and Control at Visa.

“Visa’s Scam Disruption practice uses intelligence from across our global network to connect signals across markets, detect evolving threats earlier using AI-enabled capabilities and help stop scams with key ecosystem partners before they harm consumers.

“The US$2.6bn in scam activity we’ve identified shows both the scale of the challenge and the value of disrupting it at the source.”

Ultimately, as online scams become more organised and international in scope, Visa's latest results highlight the growing importance of technology-driven fraud prevention and cross-industry collaboration in protecting consumers worldwide.