Visa: Using AI to Disrupt US$2.6bn in Global Scam Networks

Scams continue to proliferate globally, with Visa reporting it has uncovered more than US$2.6bn in fraudulent activity.

The company’s Visa Scam Disruption (VSD) unit, established two years ago, was created to identify and stop scams before they impact consumers and has already reached this significant milestone.

Of the total amount detected, US$1.6bn in attempted fraud has been identified since October 2025 alone, underlining the accelerating pace and scale of scam operations worldwide.

The announcement comes in the same week as the Global Anti-Scam Alliance Summit in Lisbon, where industry leaders emphasised the growing sophistication of online scams and the urgent need for preventative measures.

By leveraging advanced analytics, AI and insights drawn from its global network, VSD is able to flag patterns of suspicious activity that may signal coordinated criminal behaviour.

Specialist investigators then trace these activities to uncover broader fraud networks, working alongside financial institutions, partners and law enforcement 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 schemes grow more complex, Visa is stepping up investment in both advanced technologies and specialist talent to keep pace with evolving threats.

The VSD team brings together data scientists, engineers and AI specialists – as well as experts with law enforcement and military experience – broadening its capabilities to address increasingly sophisticated scams.

Using network-level data alongside gen AI tools, the team analyses large volumes of information to uncover patterns that link seemingly disconnected fraudulent activities.

These insights allow investigators to identify suspicious behaviour earlier and intervene before significant losses are incurred by consumers.

In the second half of 2025, Visa reported that VSD detected 22% more scams compared to the same period the previous year, highlighting both the escalating scale of fraud and the growing effectiveness of its detection efforts.

European survey scam ring shut down 

One notable case handled by the European VSD team – described as a major player in the fraud landscape – centred on a large-scale social media “survey scam”.

The scheme targeted consumers across multiple markets, advertising products such as beauty boxes, digital cameras and toolkits at significantly reduced prices.

Once an initial purchase was made, victims were unknowingly signed up to recurring subscription payments at substantially higher costs.

Following an in-depth investigation, Visa uncovered around 1,000 merchants linked to the operation, working through 21 European acquirers.

The network was ultimately dismantled, bringing an end to a scam operation that had generated approximately US$100m in illicit revenue.

“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 increasingly coordinated and global in nature, Visa’s latest findings underscore the rising importance of technology-led fraud prevention and industry-wide collaboration to safeguard consumers worldwide.