One in Three Americans Hit by Online Shopping Scams – Here’s How to Avoid Them

If you’ve ever been taken in by a too-good-to-be-true online deal, you’re not alone. According to recent data from the Pew Research Center, about a third of U.S. adults say they have experienced an online shopping scam. That’s a striking number, and it lines up with Federal Trade Commission reports showing that online shopping fraud was the second most reported scam category in 2024. While e‑commerce is convenient, the same tools that let you buy anything from a phone also give scammers a direct line to your wallet. This article breaks down what’s happening, why it matters, and what you can actually do about it.

The Scope of the Problem

Pew’s 2025 survey found that roughly one in three Americans have personally fallen victim to a scam that started with an online purchase or an offer to buy something. These scams take many forms:

  • Fake online stores that look legitimate but never ship the product.
  • Phishing emails or texts pretending to be from Amazon, PayPal, or a shipping carrier, asking you to “verify your account” or “pay a small fee” to release a package.
  • Social media ads for heavily discounted items that redirect to fraudulent checkout pages.
  • Payment app fraud where sellers ask for money via Venmo, Cash App, or Zelle, often with no buyer protection.

The common thread is that scammers exploit trust and urgency. They mimic real brands, use official-looking logos, and push you to act quickly before a “deal” expires.

Why This Affects Everyone

Beyond the obvious financial loss – which can range from a few dollars to hundreds or thousands – being scammed has ripple effects. It can expose your credit card number, home address, and even your Social Security number if you entered personal data on a fake site. Once stolen, your information can be sold on dark web markets, leading to identity theft, unauthorized accounts, and more scams targeting you directly.

Moreover, the emotional cost is real. People often feel embarrassed or ashamed, which leads them to not report the incident. That silence lets scammers keep operating. According to the FTC, only about one in ten fraud victims reports the crime, meaning the true number is likely much higher.

Steps to Protect Yourself

You don’t need to be a cybersecurity expert to shop safely. The following practices will catch the vast majority of scams.

1. Verify the seller and site before paying.
Check the URL carefully. Scammers often use misspellings like “amaz0n.com” or “paypa1.com.” Look for “https://” and a padlock icon, though note that a padlock alone isn’t a guarantee – it only means the connection is encrypted, not that the site is legitimate. Search for reviews of the store outside the site itself. If you can’t find any, or if every review is suspiciously positive and generic, walk away.

2. Be skeptical of prices that are significantly lower than elsewhere.
If a brand‑new gadget is listed at 80% off, it’s probably a scam. Scammers prey on the desire for a bargain. Ask yourself: Is this offer realistic? Compare prices across two or three well‑known retailers.

3. Use a credit card, not a debit card or payment app.
Credit cards offer the strongest fraud protection under federal law. If you don’t receive the item or it’s not as described, you can dispute the charge. Debit cards have far weaker protections, and payment apps like Venmo or Zelle are designed for friends and family – not for buying from strangers. The Pew Research Center has previously noted that users of payment apps often don’t realize how limited their protections are.

4. Enable two‑factor authentication (2FA) on your payment accounts.
This adds a second step – like a code sent to your phone – that makes it much harder for scammers to access your account even if they get your password. Use an authenticator app rather than SMS if possible.

5. Don’t click links in unsolicited emails or texts.
Instead of clicking, go directly to the retailer’s website by typing the URL into your browser. This is the single most effective way to avoid phishing.

What to Do If You’ve Been Scammed

If you realize you’ve been taken, act quickly:

  • Contact your bank or credit card issuer immediately to report the fraud and reverse the charge. Time matters – many issuers have a 60‑day window for disputes.
  • Freeze your credit with the three major bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) to prevent new accounts from being opened in your name. It’s free and can be done online.
  • File a report with the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Your report helps authorities track trends and sometimes leads to prosecutions.
  • Change your passwords on any accounts you used during the transaction. If you reused that password elsewhere, change it there too.

Sources

  • Pew Research Center (2025). “About a third of Americans say they’ve had an online shopping scam happen to them.”
  • Federal Trade Commission (2024). Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book.
  • Pew Research Center (2022). “Payment apps like Venmo and Cash App bring convenience – and security concerns – to some users.”