How to Spot and Avoid Online Shopping Scams: Practical Tips from the VA

Online shopping offers convenience, but it also gives scammers a steady stream of opportunities. Fake websites, phishing emails, and too-good-to-be-true deals pop up constantly, and even careful shoppers can be caught off guard. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs recently published guidance on this topic, and their advice is worth reviewing whether you’re a veteran, a military family member, or just someone who buys things online.

What happened

In January 2026, VA News released an article titled “Watch out for scams and stay safe while online shopping,” laying out common scams and clear red flags. The piece draws on long-standing patterns reported by the Federal Trade Commission and other consumer protection agencies. Similar guidance has appeared in other VA News articles, including a piece on holiday shopping risks and one titled “Shopping for the real deal,” which focuses on counterfeit goods and fraudulent sellers.

The scams themselves aren’t new, but they keep adapting. Common ones include:

  • Fake websites that mimic legitimate retailers, often with domain names slightly misspelled (e.g., “amaz0n.com” instead of “amazon.com”).
  • Phishing emails or texts claiming there’s a problem with an order, asking you to click a link and log in to a fake account page.
  • Social media ads for luxury goods or electronics at absurdly low prices. The seller takes your money and disappears.
  • Impersonation scams where someone poses as a customer service agent from a well-known company, asking for payment or personal details to resolve a fake issue.

Red flags include poor grammar or odd formatting, pressure to pay via gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency, and website addresses that don’t match the company name.

Why it matters

Online shopping fraud cost Americans more than $10 billion in 2023, according to FTC data, and those numbers have only grown. Victims lose money, but they also risk having their credit card numbers, bank accounts, or even Social Security numbers stolen.

Veterans and military families are frequent targets because scammers know they may have steady benefits or a sense of trust in military-affiliated language. Scammers may claim to represent the VA, a military relief society, or a well-known charity. But anyone who shops online is vulnerable. A single click on a malicious link can compromise your device and your identity.

The good news: most scams rely on the same few tricks. Once you know what to look for, you can shut them down before they cost you anything.

What readers can do

Here are practical steps, adapted from VA News and other .gov sources, to help you shop safely.

Before you buy

  • Stick to trusted retailers. If you know the brand, type the URL directly into your browser instead of clicking a link from an email or ad.
  • Verify the seller. Look for a physical address, customer service phone number, and a privacy policy. Search for reviews outside the seller’s own website. If reviews are all five stars and written in broken English, be suspicious.
  • Check the URL. Legitimate sites use HTTPS (the padlock icon), though that alone isn’t a guarantee. Watch for odd domain endings like “.shop” or “.xyz” unless you’re sure the seller is reputable.
  • Be skeptical of deals that seem too good. A brand-new smartphone for $50 is almost certainly a scam. Luxury goods at 90% off are counterfeit or stolen.

During checkout

  • Use a credit card, not a debit card. Credit cards offer stronger fraud protection under federal law. Debit cards may leave your bank account drained while you dispute the charges.
  • Avoid gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency. Legitimate businesses rarely ask for these payment methods. Scammers love them because they’re nearly impossible to reverse.
  • Enable two-factor authentication on your shopping accounts, your email, and your payment services. It’s an extra step, but it blocks many account takeovers.

After you buy

  • Keep records. Save order confirmations, receipts, and tracking numbers. If something goes wrong, you have proof.
  • Monitor your accounts. Check your bank and credit card statements regularly. Report unauthorized charges immediately.

If you think you’ve been scammed

  • Contact your bank or credit card issuer right away. They can freeze the transaction and issue a chargeback.
  • Report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. The FTC shares data with law enforcement and may help others avoid the same scam.
  • Change your passwords on any accounts you used during the purchase, especially if you used the same password elsewhere.
  • Watch for follow-up scams. Scammers sometimes contact victims again, pretending to be recovery agents offering to get your money back for a fee. That is almost always another scam.

A final note: The VA encourages veterans and their families to report suspicious activity to the VA’s Office of Inspector General at 1-800-488-8244 if the scam involves someone pretending to represent the VA.

Sources

  • VA News: “Watch out for scams and stay safe while online shopping” (January 2026)
  • VA News: “Navigating holiday shopping risks when shopping online” (November 2024)
  • VA News: “Shopping for the real deal” (December 2024)
  • Federal Trade Commission: ReportFraud.ftc.gov and consumer alerts on online shopping scams