Online shopping scams are getting smarter — here’s how to protect yourself Every time you type your credit card number into a shopping site or click a link in a “deal alert” email, you’re making a bet that the person on the other end is legitimate. Most of the time, that bet works out fine. But online shopping scams are becoming more sophisticated, and even cautious shoppers can get tripped up. ...
New GAO Report: How Privacy Tech Can Keep You Safe When Using AI If you’ve used a chatbot, an AI image generator, or even your phone’s autocorrect, you’ve traded some of your data for that convenience. How much, and where it ends up, isn’t always clear. A new report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) suggests that a set of privacy technologies could help tip the balance in favor of consumers—making it possible to use powerful AI without handing over the keys to your personal information. ...
How to spot and avoid online shopping scams: tips from VA.gov Online shopping has become part of daily life, but it has also opened the door for scammers looking to steal money and personal information. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) regularly publishes warnings and practical advice to help veterans and their families — and really, anyone — stay safe when shopping online. The guidance from VA News covers the most common tricks fraudsters use and how to avoid them. Because scammers constantly adjust their tactics, it’s worth reviewing the basics regularly. ...
Watch Out for These Online Shopping Scams — and How to Stay Safe Online shopping has become a routine part of life for most of us. It’s fast, convenient, and often the best way to find deals. But that same convenience also attracts scammers who are constantly looking for new ways to trick shoppers out of their money and personal information. Whether you’re a seasoned online buyer or just starting out, knowing how to spot a scam can save you time, money, and a lot of frustration. ...
How to Outsmart Online Shopping Scams This Season and All Year Online shopping has become second nature for most of us, but so have the risks that come with it. Scammers continuously refine their tactics, using fake websites, phishing emails, and too-good-to-be-true social media ads to trick shoppers out of money and personal data. Recent warnings from government agencies and news outlets underscore that these threats aren’t going away—and that a few simple habits can make a real difference. ...
New Report: These Privacy Tools Could Make AI Safer for Everyone If you’ve used a chatbot, image generator, or even a personalized shopping recommendation lately, you’ve probably wondered: What happens to my data? It’s a fair question. AI tools often need large amounts of information to learn and improve, but that doesn’t mean your private details have to be part of the deal. ...
1 in 3 Americans Has Been Scammed While Shopping Online. Here’s How to Stay Safe. A new report from the Pew Research Center, published in November 2025, finds that roughly a third of U.S. adults say they have personally experienced an online shopping scam. That figure is a reminder that fraud is not a rare or distant problem — it touches a large share of consumers, and the risk is only rising during peak shopping seasons. ...
Nearly 1 in 3 Americans Hit by an Online Shopping Scam – Here’s How to Protect Yourself If you’ve ever bought something online that never arrived, or clicked a link in an email that turned out to be a phishing trap, you’re not alone. According to a November 2025 survey from the Pew Research Center, about one in three U.S. adults say they’ve personally experienced an online shopping scam. That number climbs even higher among younger adults and people who shop online frequently. ...
One in Three Americans Has Faced an Online Shopping Scam: Here’s How to Protect Yourself Intro If you’ve ever clicked “buy now” on a suspiciously cheap item and later found the website vanished, you’re not alone. According to a November 2025 report from the Pew Research Center, about a third of Americans say they’ve had an online shopping scam happen to them. That’s roughly 33% of U.S. adults who have lost money, received counterfeit goods, or had their payment details stolen after someone posed as a legitimate seller. ...
1 in 3 Americans Has Faced an Online Shopping Scam: Here’s How to Protect Yourself The convenience of buying everything from groceries to electronics with a few clicks has made online shopping a daily habit for millions. But that convenience comes with a real risk. According to a Pew Research Center survey published in November 2025, about a third of Americans say they have experienced an online shopping scam. That is not a small fraction of unlucky people—it is a widespread problem that touches nearly every demographic. ...