1 in 3 Americans Have Been Scammed While Shopping Online – Here’s How to Protect Yourself

If you shop online regularly, you have likely come across a deal that seemed too good to be true, a seller with no track record, or a payment request that felt off. According to a November 2025 Pew Research Center survey, about a third of Americans say they’ve had an online shopping scam happen to them. That figure has stayed relevant through mid‑2026 as holiday shopping season nears. Understanding the most common tricks and knowing what to do before and after a purchase can help you avoid becoming part of that statistic.

What happened

Pew’s study, published in late 2025, surveyed U.S. adults about their experiences with online scams and digital fraud. The key finding: roughly 33% of respondents reported that they had personally encountered an online shopping scam. The research also touched on related topics – about one in five Americans had used cryptocurrency, and a separate survey found that payment app users often have security concerns. But the shopping scam figure stands out because it covers a broad range of deceptions, from fake websites that take money without delivering goods to counterfeit items and phishing messages that steal credit card details.

Why it matters

Online shopping is now routine for most people. Platforms like Amazon, eBay, Facebook Marketplace, and social media storefronts make it easy to buy from strangers. The same convenience enables scammers. A low price on a popular item, a pressure to “pay now before it’s gone,” or a request to send money via gift card or wire transfer are common red flags. Once the money is sent, it is nearly impossible to recover.

The risk goes beyond losing the purchase amount. Scammers can harvest personal information – name, address, credit card number – and use it for identity theft or further fraud. The consequences can take weeks or months to undo. Because the study shows that one in three Americans has already been hit, the problem is not rare. It is something every shopper should prepare for.

What readers can do

You can reduce your chances of being scammed by following a few straightforward practices. None of them guarantee total safety, but they make you a much harder target.

Recognize the most common scams

  • Fake websites: A site looks legitimate but is a copycat. Check the URL carefully. Misspellings or odd domain endings (.shop, .bargain) are warning signs.
  • Non‑delivery: You pay for an item, it never arrives. This is the classic online shopping scam.
  • Phishing: You receive an email or text that appears to be from a retailer or payment service, asking you to click a link and enter login or payment info. Do not click. Go directly to the official site instead.
  • Counterfeit goods: The product looks real in photos but is a cheap knockoff. This is more common on social media marketplaces.

Look for red flags before you buy

  • Price too good to be true: A brand‑new video game console for half the retail price is almost certainly a scam.
  • Pressure to pay outside the platform: A seller who insists on using Venmo, Zelle, Cash App, or wire transfer instead of the marketplace’s built‑in payment system is a major red flag. Platform payment systems often offer buyer protection; person‑to‑person payment apps usually do not.
  • Poor website quality: Bad grammar, missing contact information, no return policy, or a lack of secure connection (look for “https” and a padlock icon) should make you pause.

Verify the seller

  • Search the seller’s name or store name plus “scam” or “review.” Check third‑party review sites.
  • Look for a physical address and a working customer service phone number. Call it if you are unsure.
  • On marketplaces, check the seller’s history and rating. A brand‑new account with no sales and glowing five‑star reviews that are all worded the same way is suspicious.

Pay safely

  • Use a credit card when possible. Credit cards offer stronger fraud protection than debit cards or payment apps.
  • Avoid gift cards as payment. Legitimate businesses do not ask for gift cards.
  • If you use a payment app, enable transaction notifications and keep your account monitoring turned on.

Act fast if you think you’ve been scammed

  1. Contact your bank or credit card issuer immediately. Report the transaction as unauthorized. They may be able to reverse the charge.
  2. Change passwords for any accounts that might be compromised, and enable two‑factor authentication.
  3. Report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. You can also file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at ic3.gov.
  4. Freeze your credit if you believe your Social Security number or other sensitive data was exposed. You can freeze it for free at each of the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.

Long‑term habits

  • Monitor your bank and credit card statements at least once a week.
  • Use a separate email address for online shopping to reduce spam and phishing attempts.
  • Keep your devices and browsers updated.

The fact that one in three Americans has already been scammed means the threat is real and widespread. But you are not powerless. By slowing down, verifying sellers, paying with protection, and knowing what to do if something goes wrong, you can shop online with more confidence and less risk.

Sources

  • Pew Research Center. “About a third of Americans say they’ve had an online shopping scam happen to them.” Published November 19, 2025. Accessed June 2026.
  • Pew Research Center. “Online Scams and Attacks in America Today.” July 31, 2025.
  • Pew Research Center. “Payment apps like Venmo and Cash App bring convenience – and security concerns – to some users.” September 8, 2022.