How to Avoid Online Shopping Scams: What the Data Shows and What You Can Do
If you shop online, you are not alone in worrying about getting scammed. A recent survey from the Pew Research Center, published in November 2025, found that roughly one in three Americans say they have experienced an online shopping scam firsthand. That figure is worth pausing over, especially as the holiday shopping season ramps up and scam artists become more active.
This article covers what the Pew data tells us, why these scams are so common, and what concrete steps you can take to protect yourself. The goal is not to scare you away from online shopping, but to help you recognize the risks and shop more safely.
What Happened
Pew Research Center surveyed U.S. adults on their exposure to online scams and fraud. The headline finding: 34% of Americans say they have personally been the victim of an online shopping scam. This includes everything from paying for goods that never arrived, to receiving counterfeit items, to having payment information stolen on fake websites.
The study also found that younger adults and those who shop frequently on social media platforms are particularly likely to report being scammed. Social media marketplaces—where it is often difficult to verify seller identities—appear to be a major risk area. Additionally, the use of peer-to-peer payment apps such as Venmo, Cash App, and Zelle has introduced new vulnerabilities, because many of these services lack the buyer protection that credit cards provide.
It is worth noting that the Pew data is self-reported, so the actual number of people affected could be even higher. Many scams go unreported either because people are embarrassed or because the losses are small enough that they do not file a complaint.
Why It Matters
Online shopping scams are not a niche problem. One in three adults means tens of millions of Americans have lost money or sensitive data while trying to buy something online. And the problem is getting worse. Scammers are becoming more sophisticated, using realistic-looking websites, fake social media ads, and phishing emails that appear to come from well-known retailers.
The timing of the Pew report is significant. With the holiday season approaching, online sales surge, and so does scam activity. Scammers know that people are under time pressure and looking for deals, making them more likely to click without double-checking. The consequences can range from a minor financial loss to full identity theft, which can take months to resolve.
Understanding how these scams work is the first step in avoiding them.
What Readers Can Do
Below are practical, actionable steps to reduce your risk of being scammed while shopping online.
1. Recognize Common Scam Types
- Fake websites and lookalike domains: scammers register addresses that are one letter off from a real store (e.g., amazzon-shop.com). Always double-check the URL before entering payment information.
- Social media marketplace fraud: sellers on Facebook Marketplace, Instagram, or TikTok may ask you to pay via a payment app before shipping an item. Once you send the money, the item never arrives.
- Phishing emails and texts: messages that appear to be from retailers like Amazon or UPS, asking you to click a link to confirm a delivery or claim a refund. These links lead to fake login pages that steal your credentials.
- Too-good-to-be-true deals: extreme discounts on in-demand products (e.g., the latest gaming console for half price). If it seems too good to be true, it almost always is.
2. Learn the Red Flags
- The seller asks you to pay via wire transfer, gift card, or a payment app instead of a credit card.
- The website has poor grammar, missing contact information, or no physical address.
- Urgent language like “limited supply” or “only two left” that pressures you to act immediately.
- The domain name includes extra words or misspellings.
- Reviews are overwhelmingly positive but all written in a similar style (possible fake reviews).
3. Practice Safe Shopping Habits
- Use a credit card for online purchases whenever possible. Credit cards offer stronger fraud protection than debit cards, and many issuers have zero-liability policies. Payment apps like Venmo and Cash App generally do not provide buyer protection if you mark a payment as “friends and family.”
- Shop directly from retailer websites or trusted marketplaces like Amazon, Walmart, or eBay. Even then, be cautious about third-party sellers on those platforms.
- Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on your accounts, especially for payment services and email. This adds a layer of security beyond just your password.
- Keep your devices and browsers updated so you have the latest security patches.
- Use a password manager to generate and store unique passwords for each account. Reusing passwords across sites makes it easier for scammers to access multiple accounts if one is compromised.
4. What to Do if You Are Scammed
If you suspect you have fallen for a scam, act quickly:
- Contact your bank or credit card issuer immediately to report the transaction and request a chargeback if possible.
- Change the passwords on the affected accounts and any other accounts that use the same password.
- Report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Your report helps law enforcement track down scammers.
- If you used a payment app, report the transaction to the app’s support team. While they may not reverse the payment, they can flag the scammer’s account.
- Monitor your credit for signs of identity theft. You can get a free credit report at AnnualCreditReport.com.
Even if the amount lost is small, reporting it matters. Scammers often rely on victims not coming forward.
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).
- Federal Trade Commission, “How to Avoid a Scam” and “ReportFraud.ftc.gov”.