Nearly 1 in 3 Americans Report an Online Shopping Scam: How to Stay Safe

Online shopping has become second nature for most of us, but with convenience comes risk. According to a 2025 Pew Research Center survey, roughly one in three U.S. adults say they have personally experienced an online shopping scam. That number is a reminder that fraud is not an edge case — it’s a common part of the digital marketplace.

What Happened

Pew’s survey on online scams and attacks in America found that about a third of respondents reported being the victim of an online shopping scam specifically. The study did not break out exact scam types in that single question, but other Pew research and consumer protection data point to the usual suspects: fake websites designed to look like legitimate stores, phishing emails that mimic order confirmations or shipping notices, and non-delivery scams where payment is made but goods never arrive. Social media marketplace scams and fraudulent payment links also appear frequently.

The survey underscores something many shoppers already suspect: scams are widespread and affect people across age groups, income levels, and regions.

Why It Matters

The holiday shopping season intensifies the threat. More people are browsing for deals, clicking links in emails, and buying from unfamiliar sellers. Scammers exploit that urgency by offering too-good-to-be-true prices or creating fake storefronts that disappear after collecting payments. Payment apps like Venmo and Cash App add another layer of risk — Pew reported in 2022 that some users have security concerns about these services, and transaction disputes are harder to resolve when you send money to someone directly rather than through a credit card with chargeback protections.

If one in three shoppers has been hit, it means millions of people are losing money and personal information. Even if you haven’t been scammed yet, the odds suggest you will be if you haven’t already.

What Readers Can Do

You don’t have to give up online shopping. A few basic precautions can cut your risk considerably.

Stick with credit cards for online purchases. Credit cards offer stronger fraud protection than debit cards, gift cards, or payment apps. Under federal law, your liability for unauthorized charges is capped at $50 — and many banks offer zero-liability policies. Debit cards have weaker protections, and money sent via Cash App or Venmo is often gone for good if you don’t receive the item.

Verify the seller before you buy. For unfamiliar websites, check reviews from independent sources, not just testimonials on the site itself. Look for contact information, a physical address, and return policies. Search the store’s name plus “scam” to see if others have reported problems. Be cautious of new sellers with few reviews on platforms like Amazon, eBay, or Etsy.

Inspect URLs carefully. Scammers often register domain names that look like the real brand but contain a typo or a different extension (e.g., “amaz0n.com” or “bestbuy-deals.net”). Before entering payment details, double-check that the URL is exactly the store’s official address and that the site uses HTTPS (the padlock icon in the address bar).

Ignore unsolicited offers. Phishing emails that say “Your order has shipped” or “Confirm your payment” can appear legitimate, especially if they include a logo you recognize. Instead of clicking the link, open a new browser tab and go directly to the retailer’s website. The same applies to unsolicited messages on social media or text.

Use strong, unique passwords. If a shopping site is compromised, scammers will try your email and password combination on other sites. A password manager makes it easy to generate and store a different password for every account.

Avoid paying by wire transfer, cryptocurrency, or gift cards. These payment methods are virtually impossible to trace or recover. If a seller insists on one of these, consider it a red flag.

What to Do If You Are Scammed

Even careful shoppers can be tricked. If you fall victim:

  • Contact your bank or credit card issuer immediately to report the unauthorized charge and request a chargeback or transaction reversal.
  • Change the password for the account you used and any other accounts that share that same password.
  • Report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Your report helps authorities track patterns and shut down repeat offenders.
  • File a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) if the scam involved significant money or identity theft.

The quicker you act, the better your chances of recovering funds and protecting your personal data.

Staying Vigilant

Online shopping scams are not going away. As Pew’s data shows, they are now a regular part of the consumer experience. But you don’t need to live in fear. By using credit cards, verifying sellers, and treating unsolicited messages with skepticism, you can drastically lower your risk. The few extra seconds it takes to check a URL or research a seller are well worth avoiding the headache of a scam.

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. “ReportFraud.ftc.gov.”