A whistleblower complaint described by Reuters alleges that Visa and Mastercard failed to stop their networks from processing payments connected to child sexual abuse material and sex trafficking on OnlyFans. Reuters reported the allegations on January 24, 2025; the reporting does not establish that a court or regulator found them true.
What the complaint alleges
Reuters reported that an anonymous whistleblower complaint accused Visa and Mastercard of failing to stop payments connected to child sexual abuse material and sex trafficking on OnlyFans. The claims concern alleged activity on the companies’ payment networks; they are allegations in a complaint, not a finding that either network knowingly processed a particular transaction or violated the law.
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Reuters described the whistleblower as a senior compliance expert in the credit-card and banking industries. According to the news report, the complaint said the whistleblower and other anti-trafficking experts, including federal agents, raised concerns with Visa and Mastercard in calls during 2021 and 2022. The underlying complaint’s full contents are not verified here.
What Mastercard said, according to Reuters
Reuters reported that a Mastercard spokesperson called the findings “alarming” and said law enforcement or certain child-protection groups would need to provide evidence of illegal activity for Mastercard to act or investigate. This is the company’s reported response; it does not independently establish what the company knew, what evidence it received, or how it handled any specific transaction. Reuters’ account did not provide a comparable direct response from Visa or OnlyFans.
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How Mastercard’s adult-content rules fit the story
Reuters reported that Mastercard introduced stricter rules in October 2021 aimed at preventing illegal adult content on its network. That policy context is relevant to the allegation, but it does not prove what either payment network knew about particular transactions or whether the complaint’s claims are accurate.
A separate 2023 complaint hosted by the ACLU discusses Mastercard’s adult-content rules and merchant controls. It is an advocacy filing in litigation, not a neutral investigation or a ruling establishing the filing’s assertions as fact. It is also distinct from the whistleblower complaint described by Reuters.
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- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
What is—and is not—established
- Established by the reporting: Reuters reported on January 24, 2025 that a whistleblower complaint made the allegations and said warnings were raised in calls during 2021 and 2022.
- Not established by these sources: That a court or regulator found Visa, Mastercard, or OnlyFans legally liable; that the allegations were proven; or what the companies currently say in direct statements about the complaint.
Readers should therefore treat the account as a report about serious allegations, not as proof that the named companies were found to have enabled illegal activity.
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- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
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- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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