Nearly 1 in 3 Americans Have Been Hit by an Online Shopping Scam: What to Watch For
If you’ve ever bought something online that never arrived, or clicked a link in an email that looked like it came from a store you trust, you’re not alone. A recent study from the Pew Research Center found that roughly one in three U.S. adults say they have experienced an online shopping scam. That figure, published in November 2025, puts the problem on a scale that most of us would rather ignore, especially as holiday shopping ramps up.
The study asked about “an online shopping scam” broadly, so it covers everything from a fake website that takes payment and disappears, to a phishing email that tries to steal your credit card info, to a social media ad for a product that never ships. The exact number Pew reported is about 33% of adults. That’s tens of millions of people.
What happened
Pew’s research is part of a larger project on online scams and attacks in America. For the shopping scam question, they surveyed a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults in summer 2025. The results were published in November, just before the holiday shopping season, which is a time when scam activity tends to spike. The full report, “Online Scams and Attacks in America Today,” is available on Pew’s website.
The key finding: of all the scam types Pew asked about—including phishing, tech support scams, and romance scams—online shopping scams were the most commonly reported. That means more people have been hit by a fake sale than by a fake IRS call.
Why it matters
Shopping scams are not just a nuisance; they can cost real money and expose your personal information. A typical scenario works like this: you see an ad on social media or a search result for a product at an unbelievably low price. The website looks legitimate, maybe it even uses a logo from a well-known brand. You enter your credit card and shipping details. The payment goes through, but the merchandise never shows up. If the site was fake, the scammer now has your card number and address.
Other variations include “phishing” emails that appear to be from Amazon, Walmart, or your bank, asking you to click a link to confirm a purchase or update your account. That link leads to a copycat site that steals your login credentials.
The scale of the problem means that even cautious shoppers can be fooled. Scammers are getting better at mimicking real sites and using real-looking customer reviews (often fake). The Pew data simply confirms that this is not a rare occurrence—it’s something that has happened to a large fraction of the population.
What readers can do
There are concrete steps you can take to reduce your risk, and they don’t require being a cybersecurity expert.
1. Check the website before you buy.
Look at the URL carefully. Scammers often use addresses that are close to the real one but with a misspelling or an extra word (e.g., “amaz0n-deals.com” instead of “amazon.com”). Also check for a padlock icon in the address bar—though that’s not a guarantee, as fake sites can get SSL certificates too. A better test: search for the store name plus “scam” or “review.” If many people have reported problems, you’ll see it.
2. Be skeptical of deals that seem too good.
If a new iPhone is listed for $150, that’s a huge red flag. Scammers rely on urgency and low prices to bypass your judgment. Compare prices across known retailers. If only one site has a crazy deal, skip it.
3. Use a credit card, not a debit card or payment app.
Credit cards offer stronger fraud protection under federal law. If a charge is fraudulent, you can dispute it and usually get your money back while the card company investigates. Debit cards have weaker protections, and payment apps like Venmo or Zelle are not designed for purchases from strangers—once you send money, it’s often gone for good.
4. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on your shopping accounts.
Especially for stores where you save your payment info. 2FA adds a second step—usually a code sent to your phone—so even if a scammer gets your password, they can’t log in.
5. Keep your devices and browser updated.
Software updates often include security fixes for vulnerabilities that scammers might exploit. Set your phone, computer, and browser to update automatically.
6. If you do get scammed, act fast.
Contact your bank or credit card issuer immediately to report the charge and request a chargeback. File a report with the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov. Also report the scam to the platform where you saw the ad (social media site, search engine) so they can take down the fake store. Monitor your accounts for any unauthorized activity for the next few months.
A final note
No one is immune to online shopping scams. The Pew data shows that even careful shoppers have been caught. The best defense is a combination of skepticism and good habits. Take an extra minute to verify a site before you enter payment details. Use a credit card when possible. And if something feels off, trust that feeling.
For more details, you can read the full Pew Research Center report: “About a third of Americans say they’ve had an online shopping scam happen to them” (November 2025) at pewresearch.org.