1 in 3 Americans Hit by Online Shopping Scams — Here’s How to Protect Yourself
If you shop online, the odds that you or someone you know has been caught by a scam are higher than you might expect. According to a November 2025 survey from Pew Research Center, about one-third of Americans say they’ve had an online shopping scam happen to them. That’s a large number, and with the holiday shopping season ramping up, it’s worth understanding what these scams look like and how to avoid them.
What happened
Pew’s survey asked a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults about their experiences with various types of online fraud. The data showed that roughly 33 percent of respondents reported falling victim to an online shopping scam. That includes deceptive ads, fake store websites, phishing emails that mimic real retailers, and fraud that happens through payment apps such as Venmo or Cash App. The figure is part of a broader study on digital threats; earlier Pew research (July 2025) found that most Americans encounter some form of online scam or attack at least occasionally.
Why it matters
Online shopping scams often succeed because they imitate legitimate experiences. A fake website can look nearly identical to a major retailer’s site. A discount offer that seems too good to be true can pressure shoppers into acting fast. And because many people now use peer-to-peer payment apps, which offer less fraud protection than credit cards, scammers have adapted their tactics accordingly. The scale of the problem — one in three adults affected — means it’s not just a matter of being careful; it requires knowing exactly what to look for and which payment methods carry the most risk.
What readers can do
Here are the most common types of online shopping scams and how to guard against them, based on fraud prevention advice from the Federal Trade Commission and consumer protection experts.
Fake websites and lookalike stores
Scammers set up e-commerce sites that mimic well‑known brands. They often use slightly misspelled domain names (amaz0n .store instead of amazon .com) or build entire catalogs with discounted merchandise that never ships.
How to spot them: Check the URL carefully before entering payment information. Look for a padlock icon in the address bar, but note that a secure connection alone doesn’t mean the seller is legitimate. Search for the company name plus “scam” or “review” to see if others have reported problems. If a site has no contact information, no physical address, or only accepts payment via cryptocurrency or wire transfer, treat it as highly suspicious.
Phishing emails and fake order confirmations
A common tactic is an email that looks like a real order confirmation or shipping notification from a company you’ve used before. The email contains a link that leads to a phishing page designed to steal your login credentials or credit card details.
How to spot them: Never click links in emails about orders you didn’t place. Instead, go directly to the retailer’s website by typing the address into your browser. Examine the sender’s email address carefully — many scams come from addresses that differ from the legitimate domain by one or two characters. If the email urges you to “verify your account” or “update payment information,” it’s almost certainly a phishing attempt.
Payment app fraud
Apps like Venmo, Cash App, and Zelle are convenient, but they were designed for sending money between people you know. When you use them to pay a seller you’ve never met, you lose the chargeback protections that come with credit cards. If the seller turns out to be a scammer, it’s very difficult to get your money back.
How to protect yourself: Whenever possible, pay with a credit card. Credit card issuers are required by law to investigate disputed charges and can often reverse them if the goods never arrive. Debit cards offer some protection, but the rules are weaker and the refund process can take longer. If a seller insists on payment via a person‑to‑person app, consider that a red flag. The FTC recommends treating payment apps like cash — only use them with trusted parties.
Too‑good‑to‑be‑true deals
Scammers advertise high‑demand items (electronics, designer goods, concert tickets) at prices well below market value. The goal is to collect payment and disappear.
How to spot them: Compare the price with what you would pay on a reputable site or in a physical store. If it’s significantly lower and the seller is unknown, it’s likely a scam. Look for independent reviews of the seller, not just glowing testimonials on their own site.
If you are scammed
Act quickly. Contact your bank or credit card issuer immediately to report the transaction and ask about reversing it. Change the passwords on any accounts that may have been compromised. File a report with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov — even if you can’t recover your money, your report helps authorities track scam patterns. You can also report the fraudulent website or seller to the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
No one is immune, but knowing the playbook makes a difference. Before you click “pay,” take a few seconds to verify who you’re dealing with. That pause might be what saves you from becoming part of the next Pew statistic.
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, “How to avoid an online shopping scam.”
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, guidance on payment app protections.