#39: Visa's cyber war room push, AI to fight AI, scammers ride the tariff talk wave

From scammers capitalizing on tariff talk, to the payments industry’s push to protect their use of AI, to Visa’s full-blown PR campaign spotlighting its global fraud defense - there’s a lot happening behind the headlines.

Let’s get into it.

NATE'S TAKE - JULY 8, 2025

Top Three This Week

1. Visa launches a global PR campaign to reinforce trust in its fraud ops
2. AI Rules Could Undercut Fraud Defenses, Payments Groups Warn
3. Scammers Ride the Tariff Talk Wave

1. Visa launches a global PR campaign to reinforce trust in its fraud ops

Visa is running a full-court press to spotlight its anti-fraud infrastructure, from real-time threat detection and AI-driven decisioning to its ability to disrupt account takeovers and money mule activity. The company is showcasing its round-the-clock war room, staffed with specialists monitoring activity in over 200 countries.

What’s worth noting isn’t just the content - it's the campaign. This isn’t an investigative look inside Visa’s security practices. It’s a sponsored media blitz, likely aimed at reassuring businesses, regulators, and investors ahead of the company’s earnings call later this month.

At a time when stablecoins, open banking, and real-time payments are pressuring the card networks, Visa is making the case: we’re still the most secure way to move money. Whether the market agrees is another story.

2. AI Rules Could Undercut Fraud Defenses, Payments Groups Warn

As Congress debates how (or whether) to regulate AI, payments processors are urging caution. The American Transaction Processors Coalition (ATPC) - which represents companies like American Express, Fiserv, and Deluxe - warned that new restrictions on AI could weaken the industry’s ability to defend against fraud.

The timing comes as federal agencies and lawmakers ramp up pressure on fraud. Senators recently introduced a bipartisan bill to create a federal task force on payment scams, while the Fed, FDIC, and OCC all called for stronger supervision and education efforts.

ATPC’s executive director says modern fraud is increasingly AI-driven and processors need flexibility to use advanced AI to respond in kind. While the group didn’t officially oppose or support a recent Senate vote to strike down a 10-year moratorium on state-level AI regulation, it cautioned that fragmented rules across 50 states could hinder fraud-fighting efforts.

One point of consensus: AI will play a growing role in payments and fraud teams need to be part of shaping how it’s governed.

3. Scammers Ride the Tariff Talk Wave

Amid renewed public debate around tariffs and inflation, scammers are deploying fake ads across social media claiming Americans are eligible for relief payments ranging from $750 to $5,600. The ads lead to fraudulent websites that mimic government programs, promising rent, grocery, and gas subsidies. In reality, these sites are designed to steal personal information for identity theft and financial fraud.

Guardio, a consumer-focused cybersecurity firm, flagged multiple versions of the scam, including one that falsely claimed the credit was backed by China. The tactic relies on current headlines to create urgency and legitimacy, pushing unsuspecting users into handing over sensitive data.

Fraud fighters should take note: trending economic narratives like tariffs are increasingly being weaponized in phishing and malvertising schemes. Staying ahead of these shifts and helping users understand how news cycles can fuel scams is key to early detection and response.

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That’s all for this week! For more insights, follow us on LinkedIn or X, and if you want to learn more about what we do, visit www.specprotected.com.

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