Consumer Protection

1 in 3 Americans Hit by Online Shopping Scams: How to Protect Yourself This Black Friday A new study from Pew Research Center finds that roughly one in three U.S. adults have fallen victim to an online shopping scam. With Black Friday and Cyber Monday just days away, the timing of this research is a reminder that fraudsters are counting on holiday shoppers to let their guard down. Here’s what the data tells us and what you can do to shop safely. ...

How to Spot and Avoid the Latest Google Scam That Looks Authentic A new round of Google-branded phishing emails is making the rounds, and they’re harder to dismiss than the usual poorly spelled junk. These messages mimic real Google security alerts, account recovery notifications, or login prompts so closely that even careful users can be fooled. If you use Gmail, Google Drive, or any Google service, it’s worth knowing what to look for and what to do if you click something you shouldn’t. ...

1 in 3 Americans Hit by Online Shopping Scams: Here’s How to Avoid Being Next If you’ve ever clicked a too-good-to-be-true deal on social media and ended up with an empty package—or nothing at all—you’re far from alone. New research from Pew Research Center, released in November 2025, found that roughly one in three U.S. adults say they have experienced an online shopping scam. With the holiday shopping season now in full swing, that number might well climb unless we get better at spotting the traps before we fall in. ...

Nearly 1 in 3 Americans has been caught in an online shopping scam. Here’s how to avoid it. The numbers are sobering. According to a recent Pew Research Center survey, about one in three U.S. adults say they have experienced an online shopping scam. That figure comes from a nationally representative study published in November 2025, and it reinforces what many security researchers have been saying for years: online shopping fraud is not a rare event—it is a routine risk for anyone who buys things over the internet. ...

How to avoid online shopping scams: Practical tips to shop safely Online shopping has become part of daily life for most people, but it also attracts scammers looking to steal money and personal information. Government sources like the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) regularly issue reminders about staying safe while shopping online. The advice applies to anyone, not just veterans. This article covers the most common types of online shopping scams, why they continue to work, and what you can do to protect yourself. ...

Online Shopping Scams Affect 1 in 3 Americans — Here’s How to Avoid Them Buying things online is convenient, but it comes with risks that are easy to overlook. A November 2025 survey from the Pew Research Center found that about 1 in 3 Americans say they experienced an online shopping scam. The number is a reminder that fraudulent sellers, phishing emails, and fake deals are not rare events. With major shopping occasions like Mother’s Day and Black Friday approaching, the risk typically increases as scammers try to take advantage of people looking for gifts or bargains. ...

1 in 3 Americans Have Been Scammed Online Shopping: Here’s How to Protect Yourself A new report from the Pew Research Center, released in November 2025, confirms what many have suspected: online shopping scams are disturbingly common. Roughly one in three American adults say they have fallen victim to at least one online shopping scam. With holiday shopping already underway, this data is a timely reminder to slow down and check before you click. ...

Online Shopping Scams Are More Common Than You Think – and How to Avoid Them If you’ve ever clicked “buy” on a deal that seemed too good to be true, only to receive nothing or a cheap imitation, you’re far from alone. According to a November 2025 report from the Pew Research Center, about one in three Americans say they have experienced an online shopping scam. That figure covers a wide range of fraud – from fake websites that collect your payment info but never ship anything, to ads on social media that lead to counterfeit goods or outright theft. ...

Don’t Get Tricked: How to Spot Online Shopping Scams and Shop Safely Every year, scammers refine their tactics to separate shoppers from their money. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) regularly issues warnings to its community about these threats—advice that applies to anyone buying goods online. Whether you’re hunting for holiday deals or just restocking everyday items, understanding how fraudsters operate can save you time, money, and stress. ...

Your AI Assistant Is Watching: How to Protect Your Privacy If you use a voice assistant like Google Assistant or Siri, or chat with ChatGPT or an image generator like Midjourney, you’re giving those companies a steady stream of personal data. Most of the time it’s not obvious how much they keep, how long they store it, or what they do with it after you’ve finished your session. This article explains the main privacy risks in today’s popular AI tools and gives you concrete steps you can take to reduce your exposure without quitting AI altogether. ...