One in Three Americans Have Been Scammed While Shopping Online – Here’s How to Stay Safe
A new survey from the Pew Research Center has quantified what many consumers already suspect: online shopping scams are disturbingly common. According to the November 2025 report, about a third of U.S. adults (33%) say they have personally experienced an online shopping scam. That figure translates into tens of millions of people who have paid for goods that never arrived, handed over payment details to fake storefronts, or clicked on phony order confirmations that led to identity theft.
The numbers alone are a reminder that no one is immune. But the real question is what you can do about it. Below we break down how these scams typically work, why they are so prevalent, and – most importantly – how to avoid becoming part of the next statistic.
What Happened
The Pew survey asked a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults whether they had ever been the victim of an online shopping scam. One in three said yes. The research also found that certain groups are more frequently targeted: younger adults, those who shop online more often, and people who use social media for shopping reported higher rates of victimization.
The report did not single out specific scam types, but common patterns include:
- Fake websites that mimic legitimate retailers, often using nearly identical domain names (e.g., “amaz0n- deals.com”).
- Phishing emails or texts that claim to be order confirmations or shipping updates from well-known companies, but contain links that steal login credentials or payment information.
- Social media marketplace scams where sellers post products at attractive prices, request payment via peer-to-peer apps like Venmo or Cash App, and then disappear after receiving the money.
- Non-delivery scams in which an order is placed on what seems like a real store, but the item is never shipped and customer support is unreachable.
The Pew data adds to a growing body of evidence that online shopping fraud is not a fringe problem but a widespread hazard of modern e-commerce.
Why It Matters
Beyond the immediate financial loss (which can range from a few dollars to thousands), online shopping scams erode trust in the digital marketplace. They also often lead to secondary harm: stolen card details can be used for further fraud, and phishing links can compromise email accounts or other sensitive data.
For many consumers, the low cost of a single scam item – say, a $30 shirt that never arrives – might not seem worth reporting. But scammers rely on volume. Even small losses, multiplied across millions of victims, fund sophisticated criminal operations. Understanding the risks and adopting straightforward precautions can prevent both small headaches and serious breaches.
What You Can Do
No strategy guarantees complete safety, but the following steps will significantly reduce your chances of being scammed.
Verify the seller before you buy.
If you are on a site you have not used before, do a quick background check. Search the company name plus the word “scam” or “review.” Look for complaints on sites like the Better Business Bureau or Trustpilot. Be especially wary of stores that have only been online for a few months or have no physical address.
Check for basic website security.
Look for “https://” and a padlock icon in the address bar before entering payment information. While HTTPS alone does not mean a site is legitimate, its absence is a major red flag. So is a poorly designed site with broken English, missing pages, or generic stock photos.
Use a credit card or a trusted payment service.
Credit cards offer stronger fraud protection than debit cards. Services like PayPal, Apple Pay, or Google Pay also provide a layer of separation between your actual bank account and the merchant. Avoid wiring money, using cryptocurrency, or sending funds via peer-to-peer apps to sellers you do not know.
Be skeptical of deals that seem too good to be true.
Scammers often lure shoppers with prices far below market value – a brand new gaming console for $100, for example. If the discount is extreme, treat it as a warning. Legitimate retailers sometimes have deep sales, but they rarely sell popular products at a fraction of the going rate.
Do not click on unsolicited shipping or order messages.
Phishing emails and texts often mimic DHL, Amazon, FedEx, or similar carriers. Instead of clicking the link in the message, go directly to the company’s official website or app and check your orders there.
What to Do If You Are Scammed
If you realize that you have fallen for a scam, act quickly.
- Contact your bank or credit card issuer immediately. Report the transaction as fraudulent and request a chargeback. Most card networks have a limited window (often 60 days) to dispute charges.
- Change the passwords for the affected accounts and any other accounts that use the same password.
- Report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Your report helps them track patterns and may lead to enforcement actions.
- Monitor your financial accounts for unusual activity over the following weeks. Set up alerts for transactions above a small threshold.
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.
- Business Journal Daily, “About a Third of Americans Report Online Shopping Scams,” December 2025.
The full Pew report is available at pewresearch.org.