1 in 3 Americans Say They’ve Been Scammed Shopping Online — Here’s How to Stay Safe

A new Pew Research Center survey published in November 2025 found that roughly one in three Americans report having experienced an online shopping scam. That means if you shop online, there’s a good chance either you or someone you know has been hit. With Mother’s Day, Black Friday, and the broader holiday season on the calendar, scammers are especially active right now. Here’s what the data says and what you can do about it.

The Scope of the Problem

Pew’s survey asked U.S. adults whether they had ever encountered an online shopping scam — defined broadly as a fraudulent transaction, a fake website, a product that never arrived, or counterfeit goods sold as genuine. One in three said yes. That’s a large enough number to suggest that just about every regular online shopper knows someone affected.

The same survey also found that younger adults, people with higher household incomes, and those who shop more frequently were more likely to report having been scammed. That doesn’t mean they’re careless — it simply reflects more exposure. The more transactions you make, the more chances scammers have to find you.

Common Scam Tactics

Scammers adapt quickly, but most online shopping fraud falls into a few patterns:

  • Fake websites and lookalike stores. Scammers copy the design of a well-known retailer, often using a slightly misspelled URL or a .shop domain, then run ads on social media or search results.
  • Unfulfilled orders. You pay for an item that never ships. The seller disappears after a few weeks.
  • Counterfeit goods. You receive something that looks nothing like the listing, often of poor quality.
  • Phishing emails and text messages. A message claiming to be from Amazon, PayPal, or a shipping carrier asks you to click a link to “confirm a delivery” or “resolve a payment issue.” The link steals your credentials.
  • Social media marketplace fraud. On platforms like Facebook Marketplace or Instagram, scammers pose as legitimate sellers, collect payment via Venmo or Cash App, and then stop responding.

A recent example tied to Mother’s Day involves fake florist websites that take orders and never deliver — a reminder that scammers follow the calendar.

Spotting Red Flags

Not every scam is obvious, but common warning signs include:

  • Prices that are significantly lower than elsewhere.
  • A website that looks professional but has odd English or no contact phone number.
  • Payment requested only through peer-to-peer apps or wire transfer (not credit cards or PayPal Goods and Services).
  • Urgent pressure to “act now” or “limited stock.”
  • No clear return or privacy policy.

Steps to Stay Safe

You don’t need to stop shopping online, but a few habits make a real difference.

Use a credit card when possible. Credit cards offer stronger fraud protections than debit cards or payment apps. Under U.S. law, you’re generally not liable for unauthorized charges if you report them promptly.

Stick to known retailers or verify unknown ones. Before buying from a new site, do a quick search for the store name plus the word “scam” or “review.” Check the Better Business Bureau and look for a physical address.

Watch the URL. Scammers often register domains that look like the real thing — for example, “amzon-deals.shop” instead of “amazon.com.” If in doubt, go directly to the official website by typing the address into your browser rather than clicking a link.

Be skeptical of social media ads. Many scammers buy cheap ads on Facebook and Instagram. If an ad for a luxury item at a deep discount looks too good to be true, it probably is.

Use a single-use virtual card number. Some credit card issuers and services like PayPal Key let you generate a temporary card number for a single transaction. That limits your exposure.

Enable two-factor authentication on your shopping accounts, especially Amazon and PayPal. This makes it harder for scammers to take over your account even if they steal your password.

If You’ve Been Scammed

Act quickly.

  1. Contact your bank or credit card issuer immediately to dispute the charge. They can often reverse it, especially if you report within a few days.
  2. Change the passwords on any accounts you used to make the purchase.
  3. File a report with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. The FTC shares data with law enforcement.
  4. If you paid through a service like PayPal, open a dispute through their resolution center.
  5. Monitor your bank and credit card statements for the next few months. Scammers sometimes sell your information to other fraudsters.

If the scam involved a phishing email, forward it to the Anti-Phishing Working Group at [email protected] and then delete it.

The Bottom Line

The Pew data confirms that online shopping scams are not rare. They affect a large portion of the population, and they’re especially common around major shopping events. That doesn’t mean you should stop shopping online — it means you should approach it with the same caution you’d use when handing over cash to a stranger at a flea market.

Slow down, verify the seller, and protect your payment method. Those few extra seconds can save you weeks of hassle later.

Sources: Pew Research Center survey, “About 1 in 3 Americans say they experienced an online shopping scam,” November 2025; FTC fraud data; additional reporting from Tri-City Herald and Fingerlakes1.com on seasonal scam trends.