Visa Blocked 280% More Suspected Fraud Payments In The UK On Black Friday Than It Did In 2024

Visa reported that fraud attempts came up during Black Friday in the UK and across Europe. Visa said it blocked 280% more suspected fraud in the UK on Black Friday this year compared with Black Friday last year. Visa also said it blocked 63% more suspected fraud in the UK than on the Friday before Black Friday. These came from Visa’s latest review of payment activity.

In Europe, the company reported 140% more suspected fraud across Europe compared with last year’s Black Friday and 40% more than the previous Friday. This shows that criminals tried to use the shopping period to catch people who were busy chasing deals. The higher show that criminals put in more organised attempts during one of the busiest shopping days of the year.

Visa explained that this period gives criminals a chance to take advantage of the rush, because shoppers often act quickly and pay without checking. Fake websites, package scam messages and made up job ads sit among the main tricks used during this season. Visa said these scams appear every year but come up strongly during the holiday period when people expect parcels and job adverts.

Visa said these methods are common because they look real at first glance. Scam websites often copy real brand pages. Delivery scam messages often mention parcel delays or charges. Job scams are timed to match holiday hiring. These patterns are in Visa’s records and help the company spot suspicious patterns faster.

How Did Visa Respond To The Higher Activity?

Visa said that it used its security systems to block the increase in suspected fraud before payments could go through. Visa said its Scam Disruption team has stopped more than €220 million worth of scam attempts in Europe in one year. The team also blocked more than $1 billion across the world in the same period. Visa said these blocked attempts never reached consumers, which kept many shoppers safe during the busiest weekend of the year.

Visa said that it put $12 billion into technology and infrastructure during the last five years. This covers fraud checks, payment security and tools that help spot suspicious activity across millions of transactions. Visa said these tools helped detect scam behaviour early during this year’s Black Friday period.

Visa described the holiday season as a time when criminals try to take advantage of the festive mood. The company’s data shows how quickly fraud patterns come up across different regions, with the UK seeing the biggest increase in suspected fraud. Visa’s early checks acted before the money could leave a shopper’s account.

Visa also pointed out that criminal groups try to use events like Black Friday because high shopping numbers help hide fake payments. The company’s systems tracked fast changes in activity and flagged patterns that did match normal spending. This allowed teams to inspect those transactions and block them quickly.

Visa said its systems must work fast because criminals adjust their tricks. Fake websites appear for a short time before they vanish. Scam messages change wording whenever old tricks become easy to recognise. This means security checks must spot strange patterns instantly, and Visa said its upgrades helped during this period.

What Scams Should Shoppers Look Out For Next?

Visa’s breakdown of this year’s activity lists the main tricks shoppers faced during Black Friday. Fake shopping sites stood among the most common. These sites use copied brand names, discounted items that do not exist and payment pages that steal card details. Visa said many of these sites open for a short period before disappearing.

Package scams also showed up during the Black Friday weekend. These messages tell shoppers that a parcel needs extra payment or that delivery information is missing. Visa said these messages look convincing during a period when people expect large numbers of parcels at their door.

Visa said that holiday job scams appeared again. These fake ads promise quick cash during the festive break. Travel scams and holiday charity scams also made the list. These target people planning holidays or donating at the end of the year. Visa said all these scam types follow long running patterns that come up each holiday season.

Visa reminded people that the shopping season can draw in criminal groups. The company’s review of Black Friday shows that scam activity grows fast during this time, but stronger detection systems caught a large share before they reached shoppers.

David Capezza, Interim Chief Risk Officer, Visa Europe said: “Black Friday still remains a prime time for retailers – and especially for online shopping. However, where there is money to be spent, fraudsters will always try to take advantage – which is why Visa’s network never takes a day off. We protect every transaction, no matter how big or small, helping consumers shop with peace of mind all year round.”