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

If you shop online, you’re not alone—and neither are the scammers trying to take your money. A new survey from the Pew Research Center, published in November 2025, finds that about 1 in 3 Americans say they have experienced an online shopping scam. That figure includes everything from fake websites that never deliver goods to phishing emails designed to steal your payment details. With the holiday shopping season already underway, it’s worth taking a closer look at what the data says and how you can avoid becoming part of that statistic.

What Happened

Pew’s survey asked American adults whether they had ever fallen victim to an online shopping scam—defined as a situation where someone paid for an item online that never arrived, or where they were tricked into entering personal or financial information on a fraudulent site. The result: roughly one-third of respondents said yes. The scams took several common forms:

  • Fraudulent websites that look like legitimate retailers but are set up to collect payments and disappear.
  • Phishing emails or text messages that impersonate well-known brands and ask for login credentials or credit card numbers.
  • Non-delivery scams, where a seller accepts payment but never ships the product.

Pew also found that older adults and people with lower levels of digital literacy reported higher rates of being targeted, though the scam experience cut across age and income groups. The survey’s timing is notable: it comes as online shopping continues to grow, and as scammers become more sophisticated at creating convincing storefronts and messages.

Why It Matters

One in three is a striking number. If you haven’t been scammed yourself, you almost certainly know someone who has. The consequences go beyond losing the cost of a single purchase. Scammers often walk away with enough information to commit identity theft, open fraudulent accounts, or drain bank accounts. Recovering money from these scams can be difficult, especially when the seller operates from outside the country or uses anonymous payment methods.

The risk spikes during major shopping events like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and holiday sales. Scammers know people are looking for deals, and they design their traps accordingly. For example, recent news reports have highlighted fake florist websites that pop up around Mother’s Day, taking orders for bouquets that never arrive. Similar patterns appear for popular electronics, toys, and seasonal items. The Pew data confirms that this isn’t a fringe problem—it affects a large share of the online shopping public.

What Readers Can Do

You don’t need to be a cybersecurity expert to shop more safely. Here are practical steps that can reduce your chances of being scammed, and what to do if you suspect you’ve been targeted.

Recognize the Most Common Tactics

  • Too-good-to-be-true pricing. If a deal is drastically lower than what you see elsewhere, pause. Scammers lure shoppers with prices that are impossible for legitimate retailers to match.
  • Lookalike website URLs. Check the domain name carefully. A site might use “amazonn.com” instead of “amazon.com,” or “bestbuy-discounts.shop” instead of the real Best Buy site. A missing padlock icon in the address bar is also a red flag, though not a guarantee of fraud.
  • Pressure to act fast. Messages that say “only 2 left!” or “sale ends in one hour” are designed to make you click without thinking. Legitimate sales usually give you time.
  • Unusual payment methods. Scammers often request payment via wire transfer, gift cards, or cryptocurrency. Credit cards offer better fraud protection, and it’s safer to use them or reputable third-party payment services like PayPal.

Prevention Tips

  1. Shop on trusted sites. Stick to retailers you know, or do research on unfamiliar companies. Search for “[store name] scam” before buying.
  2. Use a credit card rather than a debit card. Under U.S. law, credit card fraud liability is usually capped at $50, and many issuers offer zero-liability policies. Debit cards do not always offer the same protections.
  3. Enable two-factor authentication on your shopping accounts. This adds an extra step when logging in, making it harder for scammers to access your account even if they steal your password.
  4. Keep your devices and browser up to date. Security patches fix vulnerabilities that scammers exploit.
  5. Be skeptical of unsolicited emails or texts that claim to be from a retailer. Do not click links directly; instead, open a browser and visit the official website manually.

If You Are Scammed

Act quickly.

  • Contact your bank or credit card issuer immediately to report the transaction and freeze the card if needed. Many banks have a fraud department that can reverse unauthorized charges if you report them promptly.
  • Change your passwords for any accounts you used on the fraudulent site, and for your email and banking accounts.
  • File a report with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at reportfraud.ftc.gov. While the FTC can’t recover your money, your report helps them track patterns and may assist law enforcement.
  • Monitor your accounts for several weeks. Look for small test charges that could indicate someone is validating your card details.

Sources

  • Pew Research Center, “About 1 in 3 Americans say they experienced an online shopping scam,” November 2025. Available at: Pew Research Center article
  • For an example of seasonal scam patterns, see: Tri-City Herald, “Fake florist scams: What to watch out for this Mother’s Day,” April 2026.

Online shopping scams are not going away, but awareness and a few simple habits can make a real difference. The next time you see a flashy deal in your inbox, take a moment to check where it’s really coming from. That pause could save you both money and frustration.