1 in 3 Americans have been scammed while shopping online. Are you next?

If you’ve ever bought something online and never received it, or clicked a link in a text about a package delivery and later saw strange charges on your card, you are not alone. New data from the Pew Research Center, published in November 2025, shows that roughly one in three American adults say they have experienced an online shopping scam. That number is high enough that it’s worth understanding what these scams look like and how to avoid becoming part of the statistic.

What happened?

Pew surveyed U.S. adults about a range of online scams and found that 32% reported having an online shopping scam happen to them. This was the most common type of online fraud they asked about, outpacing phishing emails, fake tech support calls, and romance scams. The research also noted that younger adults and people who shop online frequently are especially likely to have been targeted. While the report didn’t break down every single method, the scams typically fell into a few categories:

  • Fake online stores that take payment but never ship anything.
  • Phishing messages pretending to be from a retailer or shipping company, designed to steal login or payment details.
  • Too-good-to-be-true deals on social media, often pushed by ads or accounts that vanish after you pay.
  • Payment app fraud, where a seller asks for money via Venmo, Cash App, or Zelle with the promise of goods that never arrive.

Why it matters

Online shopping has become routine for most people, and the convenience is real. But the same tools that make buying easy also make it easy for scammers to set up convincing storefronts or impersonate legitimate businesses. The Pew data confirms that this isn’t a rare or niche problem—it has affected a large share of the population. The financial losses can be small (a few dollars for a product that never ships) or significant (hundreds or thousands for electronics, event tickets, or rental deposits). Beyond the money, there is the hassle of disputing charges, changing passwords, and worrying about whether your personal information has been compromised.

What readers can do

You can’t eliminate every risk, but you can make yourself a much harder target. Here are concrete steps that work.

Before you buy

  • Research the seller. If you’re on a site you’ve never used before, search for the store name plus “scam” or “complaint.” Check for a physical address and a working customer service phone number. For social media sellers, look at how long the account has been active and whether real people have posted reviews.
  • Pay with a credit card or a buyer-protection service. Credit cards in the U.S. give you the right to dispute charges under the Fair Credit Billing Act. Services like PayPal (when you use the “Goods and Services” option) also offer dispute resolution. Avoid wiring money, using gift cards, or sending funds through peer-to-peer payment apps for purchases from someone you don’t know—those methods rarely have protections.
  • Watch the URL. Scammers often register addresses that look like a real store’s but with a small difference (amaz0n.com instead of amazon.com). Also check that the site uses HTTPS, though that alone is not a guarantee of legitimacy.
  • Beware of unsolicited deals. An email or text offering a 90% discount on a popular item is almost certainly a scam. If you didn’t sign up for a store’s alerts, don’t click the link. Go directly to the retailer’s website instead.

If you think you’ve been scammed

  • Contact your bank or credit card issuer immediately. Tell them you did not authorize the charge or did not receive the item. They can reverse the payment in many cases and issue a new card if needed.
  • Report it. File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. The FTC uses these reports to track patterns and may take action against repeat offenders.
  • Change your passwords. If you entered login credentials on a fake site, change that password immediately on the real site, and use a unique password for each account. A password manager makes this easier.
  • Monitor your accounts. Keep an eye on bank and credit card statements for the next few weeks for any suspicious charges that might stem from the same scam.

Sources

  • Pew Research Center, “About a third of Americans say they’ve had an online shopping scam happen to them,” November 2025.
  • Federal Trade Commission, “What To Do If You Were Scammed,” consumer advice page.
  • Pew Research Center, “Online Scams and Attacks in America Today,” July 2025 (additional context on scam prevalence).

No one should have to assume every online purchase carries a risk, but the reality is that scammers are actively working to take advantage of trust. A little pause before hitting “buy” can save you a lot of trouble.