What Visa’s Black Friday Fraud Data Reveals About Seasonal Risk

Why Fraud Attempts Surged on Black Friday This Year

Black Friday continues to be one of the busiest shopping periods of the year, especially for online transactions. It is also becoming one of the riskiest. New data from Visa shows a sharp increase in attempted fraud during this year's holiday kickoff, underscoring the growing sophistication of scam activity and the pressure it places on global payment networks.

Visa reported blocking 280 percent more suspected fraud attempts in the United Kingdom on Black Friday compared to last year. Across Europe, the increase was 140 percent. Even when compared to the previous Friday, attempted fraud rose significantly, jumping 63 percent in the UK and 40 percent across Europe.

This surge is part of a broader trend. Higher digital spending and increased price sensitivity make consumers more vulnerable during the holiday season. Fraudsters exploit this moment, targeting shoppers with deceptive sites, fake delivery notices, fake job offers and fraudulent travel deals.

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The Challenge of Rising Fraud Pressure

The European Union is seeing online fraud losses approaching 5 billion dollars annually. Artificial intelligence is accelerating the problem. As scammers adopt AI-driven techniques, fraudulent activity becomes harder to detect quickly.

In the United States, fraud is also widespread. One in three consumers has experienced financial loss from a scam in the past five years, according to a PYMNTS Intelligence collaboration with Featurespace. During the holidays, these threats intensify as consumers spend more online and engage with unfamiliar retailers or offers that appear time-sensitive.

Visa’s Holiday Threats Report identifies five scam categories that peak during the season. These include fake retail sites, package delivery scams, fraudulent job postings, travel scams that imitate well-known brands and charity scams that target donors during year-end giving.

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Technology Steps In

Visa has invested 12 billion dollars over the past five years in cybersecurity, fraud prevention and network infrastructure. These investments are designed to adapt to rapidly evolving threats and protect consumers at scale.

The Visa Scam Disruption practice, launched about a year ago, has already identified more than 260 million dollars in attempted fraud in Europe and more than 1 billion dollars worldwide. The team has worked with law enforcement to dismantle over 25,000 scam merchants.

Visa has also strengthened its Visa Integrity Risk Program, which helps banks detect deceptive merchant behaviour earlier and act faster in response. As David Capezza, interim chief risk officer for Visa Europe, said, fraudsters do not take breaks during the holidays, which means the network cannot either.

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Beyond Efficiency

Fraud attempts threaten more than individual transactions. They affect consumer trust, merchant confidence and the stability of digital commerce during peak spending windows. As holiday shopping continues to move online, the pressure on payment networks grows accordingly.

The rise in fraud attempts on Black Friday shows how critical advanced risk tools have become. Payment systems must anticipate, detect and block suspicious activity at speed, especially during periods of heightened transaction volume.

For financial institutions and merchants, the challenge is clear. Strong fraud prevention is not only a security measure. It is a foundation for customer confidence and continued digital growth.

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Payment Solutions with Kubera Payments

At Kubera Payments, we help businesses across North America move millions of dollars daily, whether in-store, online or on mobile.

Our team of payment experts can support your fraud prevention strategy with secure, compliant payment solutions designed to reduce risk and strengthen customer trust. We partner with leading acquirers and technology providers to ensure your payment operations remain protected during peak seasons and beyond.

Get expert guidance on optimising your payment security. Contact our team at sales@kuberapayments.com or 604-484-9278

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