About a Third of Americans Say They’ve Had an Online Shopping Scam Happen to Them – How to Avoid Becoming a Statistic

If you’ve ever clicked “Buy Now” on a deal that seemed too good to be true, you’re not alone. A new survey from the Pew Research Center, published in November 2025, found that about a third of Americans say they’ve had an online shopping scam happen to them. That’s roughly 33 percent of U.S. adults – a number that should give any online shopper pause. As holiday shopping and seasonal sales create more opportunities for fraud, understanding how these scams work and how to protect yourself is more important than ever.

What Happened

Pew’s survey, conducted in the fall of 2025, asked U.S. adults about their experiences with various online scams. The most common type was a “non-delivery scam,” where a person pays for an item but never receives it. Others reported encountering fake websites that mimicked legitimate retailers, or receiving fraudulent payment links that appeared to come from a seller. The study also noted that younger adults – especially those who shop frequently online – were more likely to report being scammed. While the data doesn’t break down dollar amounts for every case, the emotional and financial impact can be significant, ranging from a few dollars to hundreds or more.

Why It Matters

One in three is not a small minority. It means that if you shop online regularly, there’s a decent chance you or someone you know has been targeted. Scammers have become more sophisticated, using convincing email phishing, fake social media ads, and even impostor customer support numbers. During peak shopping seasons, the pressure to grab a “limited-time” offer can override our usual caution. And because many victims are afraid of embarrassment or assume they won’t get their money back, they don’t report the crime – making it harder to track the true scope of the problem.

Understanding the warning signs can help you avoid being the next statistic. Pew’s findings also align with general fraud trends: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) consistently receives hundreds of thousands of complaints about online shopping scams each year. The combination of convenience and anonymity online creates a low-risk environment for criminals.

What Readers Can Do

Here are practical steps to reduce your risk and respond if something goes wrong.

Spot the red flags before you buy.

  • If a deal is 70% off on a popular item from an unknown website, treat it with skepticism. Scammers often use unrealistic discounts to lure shoppers.
  • Look for misspelled domain names, sites ending in odd suffixes (like .shop or .buzz), or contact pages with only a form and no physical address or phone number.
  • Check for a secure connection: the URL should start with https:// and show a padlock icon. But note that a padlock alone is not a guarantee of legitimacy – it only means the connection is encrypted, not that the seller is trustworthy.
  • Read the fine print on return policies and shipping times. Vague or unrealistic policies are a red flag.

Use payment methods that offer fraud protection.

  • Paying with a credit card gives you the best legal protection under the Fair Credit Billing Act. You can dispute a charge for items you never received or that were not as described.
  • Debit cards have weaker protections; once the money is gone from your account, recovering it can be difficult.
  • Avoid wire transfers, cryptocurrency, and payment apps (like Venmo or Cash App) for purchases from people or businesses you don’t know personally. These methods lack the chargeback protections that credit cards offer.
  • If you must use a payment app, use its “goods and services” option (which often provides some protection) rather than sending money as friends and family.

Research the seller thoroughly.

  • Search the company name plus “scam” or “review” to see if other shoppers have reported problems.
  • Look up the business on the Better Business Bureau’s website.
  • For unfamiliar websites, use a tool like Whois to see when the domain was registered. A site that was created only a few weeks ago is riskier than one that has been around for years.

If you are scammed, act quickly.

  1. Contact your bank or credit card issuer immediately to report the fraudulent transaction. They may be able to reverse the charge or block further attempts.
  2. Change your passwords for any accounts you used during the purchase, especially if you reused the same password elsewhere.
  3. Report the scam to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Your report helps law enforcement track patterns.
  4. If you gave out personal information like your Social Security number or driver’s license, consider placing a fraud alert or credit freeze with the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion).
  5. File a complaint with your state consumer protection office or the local police department, especially if the amount lost is significant.

Stay guarded during high-traffic shopping periods.
Be extra cautious when sales events like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or Prime Day create a flood of emails and ads. Scammers thrive on urgency. Stick with retailers you know and trust, and if you receive an unsolicited email with a deal, visit the retailer’s website directly rather than clicking the link.

Sources

  • Pew Research Center. “About a third of Americans say they’ve had an online shopping scam happen to them.” Published November 19, 2025.
  • Federal Trade Commission. “What to know about online shopping scams.” ftc.gov.
  • Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. “Disputing credit card charges.” consumerfinance.gov.

Knowledge is the best defense. Share these tips with friends and family – especially those who may be less experienced with online shopping. If we all stay vigilant, we can make it harder for scammers to succeed.