How to Spot Online Shopping Scams (and Stay Safe When Buying Online)

Online shopping scams affect millions of consumers each year, and the risks tend to rise during peak shopping periods like the holidays. Fake websites, phishing emails, and fraudulent ads can cost you money and expose your personal data. Government agencies, including the Department of Veterans Affairs, have issued repeated warnings about these threats. While the advice often targets benefit recipients, the same principles apply to anyone shopping online.

What’s happening

Scammers use several common tactics to trick shoppers:

  • Fake websites that mimic legitimate retailers or government portals. These sites may look nearly identical to the real thing but are designed to steal payment information or login credentials.
  • Phishing emails and text messages that appear to come from known companies or agencies. They often contain links to fake login pages or ask you to confirm personal details.
  • Social media ads and sponsored posts promoting “too good to be true” deals. Clicking the ad may lead to a fraudulent checkout page or install malware.
  • Payment fraud where scammers pressure you to pay via wire transfer, gift cards, or cryptocurrency instead of using a credit card or trusted payment service.

VA News has published multiple alerts over the past few years covering these scams, including “Watch out for scams and stay safe while online shopping” (January 2026) and “Shopping for the real deal” (December 2024). The pattern is consistent: scammers target anyone who makes purchases online, especially during seasonal spikes.

Why it matters

Falling for an online shopping scam can lead to financial loss that may be difficult to recover. If scammers gain access to your email or benefit account, they can steal sensitive data or redirect payments. Beyond the immediate loss, identity theft can cause long-term problems—fraudulent accounts opened in your name, damaged credit, and time spent resolving disputes.

For individuals who use government benefit portals (such as VA or Social Security), the stakes are higher. If scammers obtain your login credentials through a fake site or phishing email, they could potentially access your benefit information or change your direct deposit details. The VA itself notes that scammers often impersonate government officials to target veterans specifically.

What you can do

The following steps are based on guidance from federal authorities and consumer protection agencies. They aren’t foolproof, but they reduce your risk significantly.

Before you buy:

  • Check the website URL carefully. Look for misspellings, extra characters, or a domain like “example-xyz.com” instead of “example.com.” Secure sites should start with “https://” (though this alone is not a guarantee).
  • Research the seller. Search for the company name plus “scam” or “review.” If you can’t find a real street address or phone number, be cautious.
  • Be skeptical of huge discounts. If a deal seems too good to be true, it likely is. Scammers often lure shoppers with prices far below market value.
  • Avoid unusual payment methods. Legitimate retailers accept credit cards, PayPal, or other traceable payment systems. Wire transfers, gift cards, and cryptocurrency are favorite tools of scammers because they are hard to reverse.
  • Don’t click links in unsolicited emails or texts. Instead, go directly to the retailer’s website by typing the URL into your browser. This is especially important for benefit-related messages—if you receive an email claiming to be from the VA, log into your account via the official portal.

While you shop:

  • Use a credit card when possible. Credit cards offer stronger fraud protection than debit cards. If a fraudulent charge appears, you can dispute it and the card issuer may hold you harmless.
  • Enable two-factor authentication on your online accounts, especially for email, bank, and benefit portals. This adds an extra step for scammers even if they steal your password.
  • Shop on secure networks. Avoid making purchases over public Wi-Fi (like at coffee shops or airports) without a VPN. If you must use public Wi-Fi, consider using your phone’s mobile data instead.
  • Keep your devices and software updated. Security patches help close vulnerabilities that scammers could exploit.

If you think you’ve been scammed:

  1. Contact your bank or credit card issuer immediately. They can stop or reverse the payment and issue a new card if needed.
  2. Change your passwords for the affected accounts and any other accounts where you use the same password.
  3. Report the scam. In the United States, file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If it involves a government benefit program, you can also report to the appropriate agency (for veterans, the VA Office of Inspector General). Your local police department may also take a report.
  4. Monitor your accounts for unusual activity in the weeks after the incident. Consider placing a fraud alert or credit freeze if sensitive personal information was compromised.

Sources

The advice in this article draws from multiple consumer alerts published by VA News—a government source for veterans and the public. Relevant articles include:

  • “Watch out for scams and stay safe while online shopping” (VA News, January 2026)
  • “Shopping for the real deal” (VA News, December 2024)
  • “Navigating holiday shopping risks when shopping online” (VA News, November 2024)
  • “Online safety measures for the Veteran community” (VA News, December 2024)
  • “Protect your benefits from scammers during the holiday season” (VA News, December 2023)
  • “Protecting your benefits data from fraudsters” (VA News, January 2025)

No single set of tips can guarantee you won’t encounter a scam, but staying alert and following these basic practices will make you a much harder target. The next time you head to checkout online, take an extra second to verify the site and the payment method—it’s worth the time.