Visa's AI-powered fraud defense delivers record protection for holiday shoppers, stopping 38.5% more suspected fraud in Canada this black Friday

Visa's ongoing commitment to fraud prevention delivered significant results for consumers during this year's holiday shopping rush. In Canada, the company's AI-powered security systems identified and blocked 38.5% more suspected fraudulent activity over Black Friday compared to the previous year, as shoppers hunted for deals both online and in stores.

In the latest Visa Biannual Threats Report,  bad actors are increasingly deploying artificial intelligence to automate and industrialize their schemes.

Backed by $13 billion in technology investments over the last five years, Visa has built a multilayered defense infrastructure that analyzes transactions at lightning speed. This holiday season proved the value of these capabilities as both legitimate shoppers and criminals increased their activity.

Survey Key Findings:

A recent study from Visa and Morning Consult* found anxiety around fraud and scams proliferates among Canadians. Key takeaways from the report include:

·       74% of those surveyed said fraud schemes are getting more sophisticated and harder to detect

·       63% of Canadians worry their friends or family could fall victim to an online scam this season

·       26% say they or someone they know has been a victim of an online payment scam in the last year

Visa's annual Holiday Threats Report, published in November, outlined emerging scam tactics and offered consumers practical guidance for protecting themselves during peak shopping periods, but they are not alone in the fight for secure holiday shopping.

 "The fight against fraud is intensifying and it’s critical we stay ahead of the rapidly evolving tactics bad actors are using," said Rich Kohari, regional risk officer for Visa Canada. "Our advantage comes from using AI as an early-warning system, detecting patterns, predicting risks, and neutralizing threats before they ever reach the customer. This holiday season underscored the strength of that approach: we’re outmaneuvering increasingly sophisticated fraud networks while continuing to deliver seamless checkout experiences.”

Learn more about Visa's global fraud prevention efforts and the spending shift.

*Methodology: The 2025 Holiday Spending Report was conducted in partnership with Morning Consult between October 14 to October 16, 2025, among a sample of 1,000 adults in 12 markets, including Canada. The key data points above are Canada specific.