Seeing is believing? Not anymore. That’s bad news for online safety. AI has become fraudsters’ favourite tool, costing people millions of dollars collectively throughout the world. Visa and its agency, Marcel, created The Feathered Lamb, to raise awareness about online fraud. Because the weakest link in AI-driven fraud is people.

On social media, 99% of scams originate from fake ads. Thanks to AI, these scams are multiplying and becoming increasingly difficult to detect. Phishing, for example, surged by 1,265% in 2025 (source: SlashNext).

The Feathered Lamb campaign borrowed the very tactics used by fraudsters and flips them for awareness purposes. Absurd yet highly realistic AI-generated images, such as a lamb covered in feathers were shared on social media to grab attention. Once users took the bait, the trick was revealed and a clear educational message delivered.

“We wanted to use the same psychological triggers as fraudsters, but in reverse,” explained Julian Clobus, brand & product marketing director, Visa France. “Transaction security is at the core of our mission, but the main vulnerability remains human. The idea is to attract attention, then immediately defuse the trap by reminding people of simple best practices and the solutions Visa provides.”

This awareness campaign unfolded in two phases:

1. The trap: first, the campaign posted AI-generated fake photos and videos on social media through an anonymous account called Petit Pamplemousse. Then it let users react to the posts for two weeks.
2. The reveal: everyone who believed the fake news received a message with a personalised video revealing that everything was staged. This allowed Visa to share simple tips to help them avoid fraud and encourage them to learn more at visa.fr/protectionfraude.

A dedicated website extended the experience, offering practical advice, educational articles, and an overview of Visa’s solutions. In addition, two content creators, Zut Antoine & Kllxn, were brought to and publish campaign-related content. A recap video was also shared on Meta and Brut. Alongside the digital and social rollout, the campaign was reinforced through a media partnership with Le Parisien and Les Échos, that published articles and videos addressing AI-related threats, emerging forms of fraud, and the solutions provided by Visa.

The campaign in France is part of a broader European educational initiative by Visa, Can You Trust What You See Online, aimed at raising awareness of the new AI techniques used by fraudsters, as scams become increasingly difficult to detect.

The campaign works with Visa’s own strengthening against payment fraud through a collection of advanced solutions brought together under Visa Protect.

The Feathered Lamb campaign generated a particularly strong response from audiences, recording over 500,000 interactions within just a few days and reaching a total of 2.09 million people. It achieved an average engagement rate of 24% significantly above the platform’s typical benchmarks reflecting strong audience interest in the content. The AI-generated visuals sparked an intense wave of conversation, with more than 20,000 comments and 17,000 shares. This momentum extended the visibility of the posts well beyond their initial publication and significantly boosted their organic reach.