1 in 3 Americans Has Been Scammed While Shopping Online – What You Need to Know

If you’ve ever clicked a too-good-to-be-true deal on social media, paid for an item through a peer-to-peer app, or ordered from a site that looked professional but turned out to be fake, you’re not alone. According to a new Pew Research Center survey, roughly one in three U.S. adults say they have personally experienced an online shopping scam. With holiday shopping in full swing and more transactions happening outside traditional e-commerce platforms, understanding the scope of the problem and how to protect yourself has never been more timely.

What happened: the study’s key findings

The Pew Research Center released its survey in November 2025, based on responses from a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults. The headline number: 34% of Americans report having been the victim of an online shopping scam. That’s about 85 million people.

The study also broke down the types of scams respondents encountered. The most common involved:

  • Fake websites that mimicked real retailers.
  • Payment app fraud (Venmo, Cash App, Zelle, etc.), where money was sent for goods that never arrived or were misrepresented.
  • Social media marketplace scams, particularly on platforms like Facebook Marketplace and Instagram shopping posts.

Younger adults (ages 18 to 29) were significantly more likely than older adults to report being scammed. Frequent social media users and those who regularly use payment apps also faced higher risks. The survey did not determine exactly how much money victims lost, but other research suggests losses can range from a few dollars to thousands.

Why it matters

These findings matter because the way Americans shop is shifting. More people are buying directly from social media influencers, peer-to-peer marketplaces, and small sellers on sites like TikTok Shop. Traditional credit card protections don’t always apply when you use a payment app’s “friends and family” option or send money via wire transfer. Once the money is sent, recovering it is difficult, sometimes impossible.

The Pew data also highlights a trust gap: many consumers assume that if a site looks professional or a seller has good reviews, the transaction is safe. But scammers are adept at creating convincing storefronts and fake reviews. The result is a growing class of fraud that disproportionately hits those who are most comfortable with digital platforms—and least likely to suspect a problem until it’s too late.

What you can do: practical steps to protect yourself

Avoiding online shopping scams doesn’t require paranoia, but it does call for a few consistent habits. Here are steps backed by consumer protection agencies and the same kind of advice security researchers recommend:

  1. Stick with trusted retailers when possible. If you’re buying from a store you know—Amazon, Target, Walmart, or a brand’s official site—you have recourse if something goes wrong. For lesser-known sellers, do a quick background check: search the company name plus “scam” or “complaint.”

  2. Use a credit card for online purchases. Credit cards offer the strongest fraud protection under federal law. Debit cards and payment apps offer far less. If a seller asks you to use “friends and family” on PayPal or to pay via Venmo, that’s a red flag.

  3. Double-check URLs and website details. Scammers often register domains that are one letter off from the real site (e.g., “amaz0n.com” instead of “amazon.com”). Look for a padlock icon in the address bar, but remember: a padlock only means the connection is encrypted, not that the site is legitimate.

  4. Be skeptical of deals that seem impossibly good. If a popular item is listed at 90% off, there’s almost always a catch. Scammers prey on urgency and too-good-to-be-true pricing.

  5. Review the platform’s buyer protection policy. Social media marketplaces and payment apps often have built-in protections—but only if you follow their rules. For example, Venmo’s purchase protection only covers eligible transactions when you mark them as goods and services. Always use the “goods and services” option, not the “friends and family” one.

  6. Avoid wiring money or using gift cards for payment. These methods are virtually untraceable and favored by scammers. Legitimate sellers rarely request them.

What to do if you’ve been scammed

If you do fall victim, take these steps promptly:

  • Contact your bank or credit card issuer to dispute the charge. Time is critical.
  • Report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Your report helps track patterns.
  • Report the seller to the platform (e.g., Facebook, Venmo) so they can take down the scam account.
  • Change your passwords if you suspect your account details were compromised.

You may not get your money back, especially if you used an unprotected payment method. But reporting the incident improves consumer protection for everyone.

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 Advice on Online Shopping Scams

The new Pew data is a wake-up call that online fraud is now a normal risk of shopping, not an edge case. With the right precautions, you can dramatically lower your odds of becoming part of that one-in-three statistic.