VISA Warns That AI is Accelerating Scams

AI has undeniably changed daily life, helping people work faster and automate routine tasks. Yet alongside those benefits, concerns about the technology continue to grow. Critics have pointed to its environmental cost, workplace disruption, and the spread of AI-generated content. Now, financial fraud is emerging as another major concern. 

According to Visa’s Spring 2026 Biannual Threats Report, cybercriminals are increasingly relying on AI to expand the reach of scams and make deceptive tactics appear more legitimate. Data from the company showed that during the latter half of 2025 alone, nearly $1 billion in scam-related activity was detected. 

Michael Jabbara, Visa’s senior vice president of payment ecosystem risk and control, noted that AI has dramatically reduced the expertise once needed to carry out fraud. Tasks that previously required advanced technical abilities can now be completed with minimal effort using widely available AI tools. 

Meanwhile, Paul Fabara, Visa’s chief risk and client services officer, noted that criminal threats are changing at an unprecedented pace. He outlined two major ways the technology is reshaping scams: impersonation and speed. 

Scammers increasingly mimic trusted individuals or institutions, including banks and relatives. While suspicious text messages and emails remain common, criminals are also turning to phone calls and manipulated videos to appear legitimate. 

One particularly troubling development involves voice-cloning software. Fraudsters can recreate someone’s voice using only a brief audio clip, making calls sound remarkably authentic. Deepfake video technology has also become more advanced, alongside fake customer service interactions and phishing campaigns tailored using publicly accessible personal details. 

AI tools are also enabling criminals to work on a much larger scale. Instead of generic mass emails, scammers can now generate thousands of customized messages aimed at specific individuals. Personalized content increases the likelihood that someone will trust the communication enough to respond. 

Experts say warning signs still exist. Requests for urgent action, emotional pressure, or demands for money remain major indicators that something may be wrong. However, modern scams often include personal information gathered from social media, making them feel more believable. Someone pretending to be a relative may reference birthdays, travel plans, or other details found online. 

To protect against impersonation, Visa recommends families establish private verification questions or phrases unknown to outsiders. If fraud is suspected, consumers should immediately contact their bank using official contact information, document every interaction, update passwords, enable multi-factor authentication, and monitor accounts for unusual activity. 

Experts also stress that victims should avoid shame, noting that today’s scams are increasingly difficult for even experienced users to detect. 

As entities like GlobalTech Corp. (OTC: GLTK) continue to expand their range of AI services, businesses need to talk to these firms about how to safeguard the enterprise solutions they acquire so that scammers don’t easily access those systems and compromise client data. 

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