1 in 3 Americans Have Been Hit by an Online Shopping Scam – Here’s How to Avoid Being Next

Online shopping has become so routine that it’s easy to forget how quickly things can go wrong. A new study from the Pew Research Center, published in November 2025, puts a number on that risk: about a third of Americans say they’ve had an online shopping scam happen to them. That’s not a small fringe problem—it’s a widespread issue affecting millions of consumers.

What Happened

The Pew survey found that 33 percent of U.S. adults reported experiencing an online shopping scam. The data comes from a broader report on online scams and attacks, which also explored phishing, account takeovers, and other forms of digital fraud. The shopping scam figure is striking because it cuts across age groups and income levels, though younger adults who shop more frequently on social media and mobile apps appear especially exposed.

Pew’s findings align with earlier research from the Federal Trade Commission, which has consistently reported rising losses to online shopping fraud. In 2024 alone, consumers lost over $10 billion to various types of fraud, with shopping scams accounting for a significant share.

Why It Matters

The term “online shopping scam” covers a lot of ground. It can mean a fake website that takes your money and never ships anything, a social media ad for a product that arrives damaged or not at all, or a phishing email that looks like an order confirmation but is really an attempt to steal your payment details. What these have in common is that they exploit trust and convenience.

The financial impact is obvious—lost money—but there are also risks to your personal information. Scammers often collect credit card numbers, addresses, and even passwords during a fake transaction. That data can be used later for identity theft or sold on the dark web.

The Pew data also reinforces that online shopping scams are not just a matter of “someone falling for a too-good-to-be-true deal.” Many victims are careful shoppers who simply encountered a well-disguised fraud.

What Readers Can Do

Fortunately, there are concrete steps you can take to reduce your chances of being scammed. None of these are foolproof, but they add layers of protection.

Stick with credit cards when possible. Credit cards offer stronger fraud protections than debit cards or payment apps like Venmo and Cash App. If a purchase turns out to be a scam, you can dispute the charge with your card issuer. Debit cards have fewer protections, and payment app transfers are often treated like cash—once sent, hard to recover.

Research the seller before you buy. If you’re on a site you don’t know, do a quick search for the store name plus “scam” or “review.” Check for complaints on the Better Business Bureau website or sites like Trustpilot. Be wary of stores that have only a few glowing reviews, all written in similar language.

Watch for red flags in the website itself. Look for signs of legitimacy: a physical address, a working customer service phone number, and clear return policies. If the site uses an unusual domain (like “best-deals-shop.today”) or has no security certificate (look for the padlock icon in the address bar), proceed with caution.

Be skeptical of deals that seem too good. A 90 percent discount on a popular brand is almost always a scam. Scammers use urgency—“only 3 left!”—to rush you into a decision. Slow down.

Avoid clicking links in unsolicited emails or texts. Scammers often send fake order confirmations or shipping alerts to trick you into entering your information. Instead of clicking the link, go directly to the retailer’s website and log in to check your order status.

Know what to do if you are scammed. Contact your bank or credit card issuer immediately to report the fraud and request a chargeback. File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If you gave away passwords, change them right away and enable two-factor authentication on your accounts. You can also report scam websites to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at ic3.gov.

Staying Ahead

The fact that one in three Americans has experienced an online shopping scam is a reminder that fraud is not a rare event—it’s a routine risk of modern shopping. But that doesn’t mean you need to stop buying online. With a few habits—using credit cards, researching sellers, and staying skeptical of unsolicited offers—you can significantly lower your odds of becoming part of the next statistic.

Sources

• Pew Research Center, “About a third of Americans say they’ve had an online shopping scam happen to them,” November 19, 2025.
• Pew Research Center, “Online Scams and Attacks in America Today,” July 31, 2025.
• Federal Trade Commission, “Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book,” February 2025.