Buyer Protection

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. ...

How to Spot Shopping Scams on Facebook and Instagram (Even as Authorities Scrutinize Meta) If you’ve ever bought something through Facebook Marketplace or clicked an Instagram ad for a too-good deal, you’re not alone. These platforms have become huge marketplaces, but they’ve also become hunting grounds for scammers. Recently, Dutch authorities made it clear they think Meta isn’t doing enough to stop online shopping fraud. While regulators push for change, the reality is that most of the responsibility still falls on shoppers themselves. ...

400 Scam Attempts in One Day? Here’s How to Outsmart Online Shopping Fraud If you shop online with any regularity, you’ve probably seen the usual warnings about sketchy sellers and phishing emails. But a recent report from Belarus puts the scale of the threat into sharp focus: on a single day in May 2026, over 400 shopping-related scam attempts were reported. That is not a slow month or a regional curiosity—it is a snapshot of how aggressive and well-organized online fraud has become. ...