Visa's Scam Disruption Team Shuts Down $100M 'Survey Scam' Operation

Visa’s Scam Disruption (VSD) team has uncovered and stopped a major fraud operation known as the 'survey scam'. The scheme tricked cardholders with false promises of cheap products while signing them up for expensive recurring payments. The scam generated around $100 million in illegal earnings before being shut down. The VSD team, created over two years ago, uses advanced analytics to detect and block scams before they reach consumers. Since its launch, it has identified over $2.6 billion in global fraud attempts. In the second half of 2025 alone, the team spotted 22% more scams than in the previous year.

The 'survey scam' involved around 1,000 merchants across 21 European payment processors. After pinpointing the fraud, the VSD team worked with banks, partners, and law enforcement to dismantle it. Since October 2025, an additional $1.6 billion in fraud attempts has been exposed.

David Capezza, Visa Europe’s Chief Risk Officer, highlighted the team’s role in safeguarding consumers. Their efforts also help clients combat new threats and reinforce trust in the payments system. The VSD team’s actions have prevented significant financial losses for consumers and businesses. Their work continues to strengthen security across the global payments network. The shutdown of the 'survey scam' alone has already saved millions from falling into fraudsters’ hands.