Visa Exposes US$2.6bn in Fraud Across Global Scam Networks

Scams are everywhere and Visa says that it identified more than US$2.6bn worth of it.

The Visa Scam Disruption (VSD) team was launched just over two years ago to identify and stop scams before they impact consumers and has already achieved this huge milestone. 

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

Visa’s announcement follows this week's Global Anti-Scam Alliance Summit in Lisbon highlighting the growing scale of online scams and the increasing need for proactive fraud prevention. 

Employing advanced analytics, AI and intelligence gathered from across Visa's global network, VSD detects suspicious activity that may indicate organised criminal operations. 

Investigators then 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.”

AI and data intelligence drive scam prevention

As fraud tactics become increasingly sophisticated, Visa is investing heavily in technology and specialist expertise to stay ahead of emerging threats. 

VSD recruits data scientists, engineers, artificial intelligence developers and professionals from law enforcement and military backgrounds – diversifying expertise to tackle complicated scams, thereby strengthening fraud-fighting capabilities.

The team utilises network-level data and Gen AI tools to analyse vast amounts of information – identifying patterns to connect seemingly unrelated scam operations. 

This intelligence enables investigators to detect fraudulent activity earlier and take action before significant consumer losses occur.

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

European survey scam ring shut down 

A big hitter in the fraud arena disrupted by the European VSD team involved a widespread social media “survey scam”. 

Targeting consumers across multiple markets, the scammers offered products such as beauty boxes, digital cameras and toolkits at heavily discounted prices. 

However, 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. 

The 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 Jabarra, 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.”

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.