1 in 3 Americans Hit by Online Shopping Scams: How to Protect Yourself This Season

If you shop online, you are not alone in worrying about getting cheated. According to a November 2025 survey by the Pew Research Center, about a third of U.S. adults say they have personally experienced an online shopping scam. That number jumps during the holiday season, when fake deals and fraudulent storefronts multiply. The good news is that most of these scams follow predictable patterns. Once you know what to look for, you can avoid them.

What happened

Pew’s research, part of a broader study on online scams and attacks, found that roughly 33 percent of Americans have fallen victim to at least one online shopping scam. The scams range from paying for goods that never arrive to receiving counterfeit items or having payment information stolen. Younger adults and those who shop frequently on social media platforms reported higher rates of victimization. The data was collected in early fall 2025, just before the holiday shopping surge.

Why it matters

The holiday season concentrates both legitimate sales and scam attempts. Criminals know that people are looking for bargains, often under time pressure, and they exploit that urgency. Beyond the immediate financial loss — which can be anywhere from a few dollars to several hundred — there is the hassle of disputing charges, changing passwords, and sometimes freezing credit. For many people, a single scam can erode trust in online shopping altogether. Understanding the risks is the first step toward protecting yourself.

What readers can do

Most online shopping scams fall into a few categories. Knowing them makes prevention straightforward.

Common scam types

  • Phishing emails and texts that appear to come from a retailer or shipping company, asking you to click a link to confirm an order or track a package. The link leads to a fake login page that steals your credentials.
  • Fake websites that mimic legitimate stores, often offering steep discounts. They may look professional but have telltale signs: strange domain names (e.g., “amaz0n-deals.com”), missing contact information, or poor grammar.
  • Social media marketplace fraud, especially on platforms like Facebook Marketplace, Instagram, and TikTok. Sellers post photos of items they don’t actually have. They pressure buyers to pay via peer-to-peer apps like Venmo or Cash App, which offer little recourse if something goes wrong.
  • Too-good-to-be-true deals advertised through sponsored posts or influencer links. The product may be counterfeit or never arrive.

Red flags to watch for

  • Prices that are far below what you see elsewhere.
  • Demands for payment via gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency.
  • A website that lacks “https://” at the start of the URL or shows a padlock icon that is broken.
  • The seller has no phone number or physical address, only an email address.
  • The deal includes a countdown timer or message like “only 3 left” to rush you.

How to shop safely

  • Use a credit card for online purchases whenever possible. Credit cards offer stronger fraud protection than debit cards or payment apps. If your credit card number is stolen, you can dispute the charge and often get a refund.
  • Stick to known retailers or verify unknown ones by checking the Better Business Bureau (BBB Scam Tracker) and reading independent reviews. Look for reviews on sites like Trustpilot — but be aware that some reviews are fake.
  • Check the website’s security: ensure the URL begins with “https” and that the site does not have obvious spelling errors or broken design.
  • Read the return policy before you buy. Legitimate stores clearly state their return window and process. Scam sites often hide this or make returns impossible.
  • Pay through a trusted third-party service like PayPal or Apple Pay, which often have buyer protection policies. Avoid direct bank transfers or sending money to strangers via payment apps.

What to do if you are scammed

  • Contact your bank or credit card issuer immediately to report the fraudulent transaction. They can often reverse the charge or issue a new card.
  • Change any passwords you may have used on the fake site or any accounts that share the same password.
  • File a report with the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov. This helps track patterns and may assist in investigations.
  • Monitor your credit reports for any signs of identity theft. You can check them for free at AnnualCreditReport.com. If you see accounts you did not open, freeze your credit with the three major bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion).

Sources

  • Pew Research Center. “About a third of Americans say they’ve had an online shopping scam happen to them.” November 2025. Link
  • Pew Research Center. “Online Scams and Attacks in America Today.” July 2025. Link
  • Federal Trade Commission. “ReportFraud.ftc.gov.” Link
  • Better Business Bureau. “BBB Scam Tracker.” Link