New Pew Data: One in Three Americans Hit by Online Shopping Scams – How to Stay Safe

If you shop online—and most of us do—there’s a better-than-average chance you’ve already brushed up against a scam. According to a November 2025 survey from the Pew Research Center, about a third of American adults say they’ve personally experienced an online shopping scam. That’s roughly 33 percent of the country, and the number has likely grown since the data was collected.

The report arrives just as holiday shopping and year-end sales ramp up, making this a good time to review what these scams look like and how to avoid becoming part of that statistic.

What happened

Pew’s survey asked a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults whether they had ever been the victim of an online shopping scam. Just over one in three said yes. That figure is part of a broader Pew study on online scams and attacks, which also found that payment app users report significant security concerns, and that about one in five Americans have used cryptocurrency—a method scammers frequently demand.

The survey didn’t detail every type of scam, but common patterns emerge from consumer protection reports and previous research: fake websites that mimic legitimate retailers, phishing emails offering too-good-to-be-true deals, fraudulent seller accounts on social media platforms, and requests for payment via gift cards or wire transfers.

Why it matters

Online shopping scams aren’t just a nuisance. They can drain bank accounts, steal personal information, and take weeks or months to resolve. Many victims never recover their money, especially if they used payment methods that lack fraud protection like debit cards, peer-to-peer apps, or cryptocurrency.

The timing is important. During peak shopping periods—Black Friday, Cyber Monday, January sales—scammers ramp up their efforts. They know people are looking for bargains and may let their guard down. A single click on a malicious ad or an order placed on a fake website can lead to identity theft or unauthorized charges.

What readers can do

The good news is that most online shopping scams follow recognizable patterns. Here are practical steps to protect yourself.

Know the common scams

  • Fake websites: Scammers clone the look of a known store (e.g., Nike, Target, Amazon) but the URL is slightly off—like nike-official-deals.com.
  • Social media ads: Fraudulent sellers promote products with unrealistically low prices on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok. The items never arrive.
  • Phishing emails: Messages claiming to be from a retailer say your order failed or you need to “confirm payment.” Links lead to fake login pages that steal your credentials.
  • Payment fraud: The seller insists on payment via gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfer—methods that are almost impossible to reverse.

Spot the red flags

  • Prices that are far below the market rate.
  • Urgent language like “only 3 left” or “offer expires in 15 minutes.”
  • Requests to pay outside the platform (e.g., a seller on eBay asking for a direct bank transfer).
  • Poor website design, missing contact information, or no terms of service.
  • URLs that use common misspellings or unusual domain endings (.xyz, .top).

Prevention tips

  • Use a credit card for online purchases. Credit cards offer stronger fraud protection than debit cards or payment apps.
  • Before buying from an unfamiliar store, search for “[store name] scam” or “[store name] reviews” to see if others have reported problems.
  • Check the URL carefully before entering payment details. Look for “https://” and a padlock icon in the browser bar.
  • Avoid clicking links in unsolicited emails or text messages. Instead, go directly to the retailer’s website.
  • Enable purchase alerts with your bank or credit card company so you get notified of every transaction.
  • Consider using a virtual credit card number or a one-time-use card for online purchases.

What to do if you get scammed

  • Contact your bank or credit card issuer immediately to dispute the charge.
  • File a report with the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
  • Change passwords on any accounts that may have been compromised, and enable two-factor authentication if available.
  • Monitor your bank and credit card statements for other unauthorized transactions.
  • If the scam involved cryptocurrency, report it to the exchange used and to the FTC, though recovery is unlikely.

Sources

  • Pew Research Center. “About a third of Americans say they’ve had an online shopping scam happen to them.” November 2025.
  • Pew Research Center. “Online Scams and Attacks in America Today.” July 2025.
  • Federal Trade Commission. “How to Avoid Online Shopping Scams.” ftc.gov.

Staying safe online doesn’t require paranoia—just a little caution and know-how. The next time a deal seems too good to be true, take an extra minute to verify the seller. That minute could save you more than just money.