1 in 3 Americans Has Been Scammed While Shopping Online – Are You Protected?

A fresh study from Pew Research Center, released in November 2025, found that about one in three U.S. adults (33%) say they have personally experienced an online shopping scam. That is not a niche problem — it is a widespread hazard that touches every demographic. And with holiday shopping, deep discounts, and social media ads flooding inboxes, the risk only grows.

This article walks through what the Pew data tells us, why it matters, and — most importantly — what you can do to avoid becoming part of that statistic.

What happened

Pew’s survey, part of a broader report on online scams and attacks, asked Americans whether they had ever fallen victim to an online shopping scam. A third said yes. The scams ranged from fake websites that took payment and never delivered goods, to phishing emails impersonating retailers, to fraudulent ads on social media marketplaces.

While the study did not break down exact dollar losses, earlier Pew research and Federal Trade Commission reports indicate that median losses in online shopping fraud run into the hundreds of dollars per incident, and can exceed a thousand for some victims. Personal information — addresses, credit card numbers, passwords — is often stolen as well, leading to further harm.

Why it matters

The Pew figure confirms something many security experts have warned about for years: online shopping scams are not rare anomalies. They are common enough that one in three Americans has directly encountered one. If you shop online regularly, the odds you will eventually face a scam are not trivial.

The consequences go beyond lost money. Scammed consumers often spend hours disputing charges, replacing cards, and dealing with identity theft. And the emotional toll — feeling tricked or embarrassed — can prevent people from reporting the crime, which in turn helps scammers operate with impunity.

What makes this especially relevant now is that scammers are increasingly sophisticated. They clone legitimate retailer websites, create realistic order confirmation emails, and use social media ads that look exactly like those from trusted brands. The line between real and fake has blurred.

What readers can do

The good news is that most online shopping scams share telltale signs. Recognizing them is the first line of defense. Here are concrete steps you can take, based on common patterns documented by consumer protection agencies.

Know the most common scam types.

  • Fake websites and stores. Scammers set up a site that looks like a known retailer or a new brand with unbelievable prices. They take your payment and either send a counterfeit item or nothing at all.
  • Phishing emails and texts. You receive a message that appears to be from Amazon, PayPal, or your bank, asking you to click a link to “confirm your order” or “update payment.” The link leads to a fake login page that steals your credentials.
  • Social media marketplace scams. Pop-up shops, paid ads from unknown accounts, or “friends” selling discounted gift cards often turn out to be fraudulent, especially on platforms with limited seller vetting.

Watch for red flags.

  • Unrealistic discounts. If a new iPhone is listed at 70% off, it’s almost certainly a scam.
  • Poor grammar and odd URLs. Legitimate companies proofread their sites. A URL like “amaz0n-deals.xyz” is not Amazon.
  • Pressure to act fast. “Only 3 left!” or “Sale ends in 5 minutes!” is a common tactic to make you skip checking.
  • Requests for wire transfers, gift cards, or cryptocurrency. These payment methods have little to no fraud protection. Credit cards are far safer.

Protect yourself before buying.

  • Use a credit card, not a debit card or payment app. Credit cards allow you to dispute charges and limit liability under federal law (Fair Credit Billing Act). Debit cards offer fewer protections, and payment apps like Venmo or Cash App generally do not cover scams unless you use the “goods and services” option.
  • Check the seller’s reputation. Search the store name plus “scam” or “review.” Look at the Better Business Bureau and Trustpilot — but be aware that fake positive reviews exist. Cross-check with a Reddit search.
  • Verify the site’s security. Ensure the URL begins with “https://” and that the padlock icon appears in the address bar. That does not guarantee legitimacy, but it is a basic hygiene step.
  • Enable purchase alerts. Most banks and credit card issuers let you set up text or email notifications for any transaction over a dollar amount. This gives you near‑real‑time visibility.

If you do get scammed, act fast.

  • Contact your bank or credit card issuer immediately to dispute the charge and request a new card.
  • Change the password for the account you used to pay (if you created one), and enable two-factor authentication.
  • Report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. The FTC shares data with law enforcement and tracks patterns.
  • If you gave away personal information like your Social Security number, visit IdentityTheft.gov for a recovery plan.
  • Consider placing a fraud alert on your credit file through one of the three major bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion). It is free and lasts one year.

No single step will make you invincible, but combining these habits — skepticism of too-good-to-be-true deals, using credit cards, and verifying sellers — dramatically reduces your risk. The Pew data shows that the problem is widespread, not that you are helpless.

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, “Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book 2024” (February 2025).