One in Three Americans Has Been Hit by an Online Shopping Scam — Here’s How to Avoid It

Intro

With the holiday shopping season in full swing and online spending at record levels, a new survey from the Pew Research Center delivers a sobering statistic: about a third of Americans say they’ve had an online shopping scam happen to them. The data, collected in July 2025, underscores how widespread these schemes have become and why it’s worth taking a few minutes to review your own shopping habits before clicking “buy.”

What happened

Pew’s survey asked U.S. adults about their experiences with various types of online fraud. Roughly 33% of respondents reported that they had personally fallen victim to an online shopping scam—a figure that includes everything from paying for goods that never arrived to receiving counterfeit items or being tricked by fake websites designed to steal payment information.

The report also highlighted common scam tactics: fraudulent online stores that mimic legitimate retailers, phishing emails or text messages that appear to be from well-known brands, and social media ads offering deals that seem too good to be true. In many cases, the scam is completed only after the buyer has already shared credit card details or clicked a malicious link.

Why it matters

One in three is a high number, and it means that even if you haven’t been scammed yourself, you almost certainly know someone who has. The financial damage can range from a few dollars lost on a low-cost item to major credit card fraud or identity theft. Recovering money from online scams is difficult, especially when payment was made through peer-to-peer apps or wire transfers, which offer fewer consumer protections than credit cards.

The problem tends to spike during high-volume shopping periods like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the weeks leading up to Christmas. Scammers know people are looking for bargains and may be less cautious than usual.

What readers can do

Fortunately, the same Pew research shows that many common scams can be avoided with a few straightforward practices. Here’s what you can do to reduce your risk:

  • Research the seller before you buy. A quick search for the store name plus words like “scam” or “review” can reveal complaints. Legitimate businesses usually have a long track record and verifiable contact information.
  • Use a credit card for online purchases. Credit cards offer the strongest fraud protection and the ability to dispute charges. Debit cards, prepaid cards, and payment apps like Venmo or Cash App are much harder to reverse a transaction on.
  • Watch for too-good-to-be-true deals. An 80% discount on a popular brand-new item from a website you’ve never heard of is a major red flag.
  • Verify website security. Look for a padlock icon in the address bar and make sure the URL starts with “https.” Even that isn’t foolproof, but it’s a basic sign the site encrypts your data.
  • Don’t click links in unsolicited messages. If you get an email or text about a package delivery issue or a limited-time sale, open a new browser tab and go directly to the retailer’s official website instead of clicking.
  • Check your bank and credit card statements regularly. The earlier you spot an unauthorized charge, the easier it is to dispute.

If you do fall victim, act quickly: contact your financial institution to report the fraud, change any passwords that may have been compromised, and file a report with the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. While there’s no guarantee you’ll get your money back, these steps improve your chances.

Sources

  • Pew Research Center. “About a third of Americans say they’ve had an online shopping scam happen to them.” July 2025.
  • Associated research from Pew on online scams and payment app security (2022–2025).