1 in 3 Americans Has Fallen for an Online Shopping Scam: Here’s How to Protect Yourself
If you shop online—and these days almost everyone does—you’ve likely seen deals that seem too good to be true, messages from unfamiliar sellers, or ads on social media promising steep discounts. A new survey from the Pew Research Center, published in November 2025, puts a number on the risk: about a third of U.S. adults say they have personally experienced an online shopping scam.
That’s a striking figure, and it’s one worth paying attention to as the holiday shopping season picks up. Scammers are becoming more sophisticated, but many of the tactics they use are predictable. Understanding them is the first step to staying safe.
What happened
Pew’s study, “Online Scams and Attacks in America Today,” asked Americans about a range of digital fraud experiences. The finding that roughly one in three have encountered an online shopping scam aligns with other data: the Federal Trade Commission received more than 2.4 million fraud reports in 2024, and the median reported loss for online shopping scams was $125. That might not sound huge, but for many households it’s real money—and the cumulative toll runs into billions of dollars.
The scams appear in many forms. Some involve fake websites that mimic legitimate retailers. Others come through phishing emails or text messages with links to counterfeit checkout pages. Social media marketplaces and payment apps like Venmo, Cash App, and Zelle are also common vectors. Sellers vanish after receiving payment, or the product never arrives. In some cases, buyers receive a cheap knockoff or an empty box.
Why it matters
Online shopping has become routine. Most people now buy everything from groceries to electronics with a few clicks. The convenience is real, but it also creates openings for fraud. Scammers exploit the speed of digital transactions, the anonymity of online profiles, and the trust we often place in platforms that lack strong buyer protections.
Payment apps are a particular concern. Unlike credit cards, which typically offer fraud protection and the ability to dispute charges, many peer-to-peer payment services treat transfers like cash. Once you send money, it’s usually gone. The Pew survey found that a notable share of app users worry about security, yet many still use them for purchases from strangers—especially on social media.
The problem is not limited to older adults. Younger shoppers, who frequently rely on social media recommendations and influencer posts, are also at risk. In a separate 2024 survey, Pew found that a majority of TikTok users go to the platform for product reviews and recommendations, which can blur the line between genuine content and paid promotion.
What readers can do
You don’t need to abandon online shopping, but you should adopt a few habits that reduce your chances of getting burned.
Use a credit card for online purchases. Credit cards provide the strongest legal protections under 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 offer less protection, and payment apps typically offer none.
Check the seller and the website. Before buying from an unfamiliar site, look up reviews and complaints. Search for the store name plus “scam” or “complaint.” Verify that the URL is correct—scammers often use addresses that differ by one letter (like amaz0n.com). Legitimate sites have contact information and a physical address, not just an email form.
Be suspicious of deals that are dramatically cheaper than market price. A 70% discount on a popular item is a red flag. Scammers know that shoppers are drawn to bargains, so they set prices just low enough to be tempting but not so low that they look absurd.
Avoid wiring money or using gift cards for payment. These methods are virtually untraceable and are a favorite of scammers. Legitimate sellers don’t ask for payment via wire transfer or prepaid card.
Enable two-factor authentication on your shopping accounts. This adds a layer of security even if your password is compromised. Also set up purchase alerts with your bank or credit card issuer so you get notified of every transaction.
Think twice before buying through social media ads or from accounts you don’t follow. Scammers create fake storefronts on Instagram, Facebook Marketplace, and TikTok. A 2022 Pew study found that payment app users often have concerns about security, yet many still use them for purchases from unknown sellers.
If something goes wrong, act quickly. Contact your bank or credit card company immediately to dispute the charge. Change your account passwords, especially if you entered login details on a fake site. Report the scam to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If you shared personal information like your Social Security number, consider placing a fraud alert on your credit file.
Staying ahead of the scammers
The Pew data shows that online shopping scams are not rare anomalies—they are a common hazard of digital life. But most of these scams rely on the same predictable techniques. By slowing down, verifying sellers, and using payment methods with built-in protections, you can avoid becoming part of that one-in-three statistic.
The holiday season is a prime time for fraud, but the advice applies year-round. A little caution goes a long way.
Sources: Pew Research Center (“About a third of Americans say they’ve had an online shopping scam happen to them,” Nov. 2025; “Online Scams and Attacks in America Today,” July 2025; “Payment apps like Venmo and Cash App bring convenience – and security concerns,” Sept. 2022; “A majority of U.S. TikTok users are there for product reviews and recommendations,” Nov. 2024); Federal Trade Commission (2024 Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book).