1 in 3 Americans Has Experienced an Online Shopping Scam: Here’s How to Stay Safe

If you’ve ever clicked a too-good-to-be-true deal and ended up with nothing to show for it, you’re far from alone. A new Pew Research Center report, published in late November 2025, found that about a third of Americans say they’ve had an online shopping scam happen to them. That’s roughly 33% of U.S. adults – and the numbers are even higher for younger shoppers.

This isn’t just a theory or a warning from consumer advocates. It’s a measured, large-scale snapshot of a problem that has grown alongside the convenience of buying everything from phones to furniture with a single tap. The Pew survey, which polled more than 10,000 U.S. adults, confirms that online shopping scams are now a mainstream risk, not an edge case.

What Happened

Pew’s researchers asked people whether they had personally experienced an online shopping scam – something like paying for a product that never arrived, receiving a counterfeit item, or having their payment information stolen after shopping on a fraudulent site. The headline number is 33%. But the breakdown matters more.

Younger adults aged 18 to 29 reported the highest rates of victimization, with roughly 4 in 10 saying they had been scammed. That tracks with other research showing younger demographics are more likely to shop on social media platforms and mobile apps, where scams are harder to spot. Meanwhile, the Federal Trade Commission reported that consumers lost more than $2 billion to online shopping fraud in 2024 alone.

The typical scams haven’t changed much, but they’ve become more polished. Fake storefronts pop up with professional-looking layouts and real-looking address details. Social media ads lead to sites that mimic major retailers. Pressure to use peer-to-peer payment apps (Venmo, Cash App, Zelle) instead of credit cards is a common tactic, because those payments are hard to reverse.

Why It Matters

We’re heading into (or are already in) the busiest shopping season of the year. Gift lists are long, and scammers know that people are more willing to click quickly, ignore warning signs, and try new sellers. The Pew data is a reminder that this is not a small risk. One in three adults has already been burned. The real number may be higher if people did not realize they were scammed, or chose not to report it.

For many people, a single scam can mean losing $50 or $100. But for others – especially those who are less familiar with online payment protections – it can be several hundred dollars. And the emotional cost, the frustration and distrust, can last longer.

What Readers Can Do

You don’t have to stop shopping online. But there are concrete steps that reduce your risk.

Before you click “buy”

  • Check the URL carefully. Scammers often use addresses like “amazon-shop-deals[.]com” or “bestbuy-discount[.]store.” A missing padlock icon in the address bar is a red flag, but not a perfect one – some scammers buy cheap SSL certificates now.
  • Search for the store name plus “scam” or “review.” If multiple complaints come up from recent months, avoid it.
  • Be skeptical of extreme discounts, especially on popular electronics or luxury goods. If it’s 80% off retail and the “sale ends in 5 minutes,” step away.
  • Never pay with gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency for ordinary online purchases. Those are almost untraceable.

During checkout

  • Use a credit card when possible. Under U.S. law, you can dispute unauthorized charges and often get a refund. Debit cards have weaker protections, and peer-to-peer payment apps generally offer no purchase protection unless you pay with a credit card linked to the app.
  • Enable two-factor authentication on shopping accounts, especially those that store payment info. This adds a small extra step but makes it much harder for a scammer to take over your account.

If you are scammed

  • Contact your bank or credit card issuer immediately to report the transaction and freeze the card.
  • File a report with the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. The agency uses these reports to track patterns and sometimes pursue enforcement.
  • Change passwords on any accounts you used, especially if you reused the password elsewhere.
  • If you paid through a peer-to-peer app, contact the app’s support and ask for a fraud dispute. Success rates vary, but it’s worth trying.

Last tip: share this information with friends or family who may be less cautious online. Many scams rely on people not knowing what to look for. The more people who can spot a fake site or a phishing link, the fewer victims there will be.

Sources

  • Pew Research Center, “About a third of Americans say they’ve had an online shopping scam happen to them,” November 2025. Survey of 10,021 U.S. adults conducted November 2025.
  • Federal Trade Commission, “Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book 2024,” February 2025. Reports $2.1 billion in online shopping fraud losses.