1 in 3 Americans Has Been Hit by an Online Shopping Scam – Here’s How to Stay Safe

If you’ve ever clicked “Buy Now” on a deal that seemed too good to be true, only to receive nothing or a cheap counterfeit, you’re far from alone. According to a 2025 survey by the Pew Research Center, about one-third of U.S. adults say they’ve experienced an online shopping scam. That’s roughly 33% of American consumers who have lost money, had their personal information stolen, or been tricked into buying from a fraudulent seller.

The number is striking, but it also highlights a growing reality: online shopping scams have become so common that almost everyone knows someone who’s been hit. The good news is that awareness and a few simple habits can greatly reduce your risk.

What Happened

Pew’s survey, conducted in late 2025, asked Americans whether they had ever personally experienced an online shopping scam—defined as a situation where they were tricked into paying for an item that never arrived, was misrepresented, or was counterfeit. The result: 33% said yes.

The data also showed that younger adults (ages 18–29) are more likely to have been scammed than older generations. This makes sense, as younger shoppers tend to spend more time online and are more active on social media, where scams often thrive. However, no age group is immune. Scammers target everyone, from retirees looking for deals on supplements to parents buying holiday gifts.

Common scam methods include:

  • Fake e-commerce websites that look like legitimate stores but never ship the product.
  • Phishing emails or texts that impersonate major retailers like Amazon, Walmart, or PayPal, asking for login or payment details.
  • Payment app fraud, where a seller asks for money via Venmo, Cash App, or Zelle and then disappears.
  • Counterfeit goods sold on otherwise reputable platforms, often at steep discounts.

Why It Matters

Online shopping scams aren’t just a minor annoyance—they can cause serious financial harm. The average loss per victim varies, but even a single $50 scam adds up across millions of people. More importantly, scams often steal not just money but also personal information—credit card numbers, home addresses, and even Social Security numbers—which can lead to identity theft.

Beyond the direct costs, these scams erode trust in e-commerce. When people become afraid to shop online, smaller businesses and honest sellers suffer. And as scammers become more sophisticated—using AI to generate realistic product photos and fake reviews—it’s getting harder to tell a legitimate offer from a trap.

What Readers Can Do

The best defense is a combination of caution and good habits. Here are concrete steps you can take before and after you make a purchase.

Before you buy

  1. Check the website carefully. Scammers often use addresses that are close to the real one but slightly off, like “amaz0n.com” instead of “amazon.com.” Look for typos, poor grammar, and missing contact information. Use a site like Whois to see how long the domain has been registered—newer sites are riskier.

  2. Research the seller. If you’re on a marketplace like eBay or Etsy, look at the seller’s history and reviews. For independent sites, search the company name plus “scam” or “complaints.” If you can’t find anything beyond the site itself, be wary.

  3. Use a credit card, not a debit card or payment app. Credit cards offer stronger fraud protection under federal law (the Fair Credit Billing Act). If you don’t receive your item or it’s not as described, you can dispute the charge. Debit cards and payment apps like Venmo or Zelle have much less recourse—once the money is sent, it’s often gone for good.

  4. Look for a padlock in the address bar. This indicates the site uses HTTPS encryption. While it’s not a guarantee of legitimacy, its absence is a major red flag.

  5. Be skeptical of unbelievable deals. If a new iPhone is listed at 80% off, it’s almost certainly a scam. Scammers prey on the desire for bargains.

If you think you’ve been scammed

  • Contact your bank or credit card issuer immediately. Report the transaction as fraudulent. They can help block further charges and sometimes reverse the payment.
  • Change the passwords on any accounts you used while shopping, especially if you entered login credentials on a suspicious site.
  • Report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Your report helps law enforcement track patterns and warn others.
  • Monitor your accounts for unauthorized activity for several weeks after the incident.

The Big Picture

Online shopping scams are not going away. As Pew’s research confirms, they are now a regular part of the digital landscape, affecting roughly one in three Americans. But being aware of the risk is half the battle. By staying cautious, using secure payment methods, and acting quickly if something goes wrong, you can shop online with far less worry.

Remember: if a deal feels too good to be true, it probably is. Trust your instincts, and don’t let the fear of missing out override common sense.

Sources:

  • Pew Research Center, “About a third of Americans say they’ve had an online shopping scam happen to them,” November 2025.
  • Pew Research Center, “Online Scams and Attacks in America Today,” July 2025.
  • Federal Trade Commission, “How to Avoid an Online Shopping Scam.”