Consumer Safety

1 in 3 Americans Have Been Hit by an Online Shopping Scam: How to Protect Yourself If you shop online, the odds are not in your favor. According to a recent Pew Research Center study published in November 2025, roughly one-third of U.S. adults say they have personally experienced an online shopping scam. That’s not a niche problem—it’s a common part of modern consumer life. And the numbers are worth paying attention to, not because they’re alarming for their own sake, but because they point to patterns you can protect yourself against. ...

Online Shopping Scams: How to Spot Them and Shop Safely The convenience of ordering almost anything online has made scams more common—and more convincing. According to a recent warning from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, scammers are continuously refining their tactics, using fake websites, phishing emails, and social media ads to trick shoppers into handing over money and personal information. The FBI’s 2024 Internet Crime Report noted that losses from online shopping fraud reached hundreds of millions of dollars last year, and the numbers are climbing. ...

Nearly 1 in 3 Americans Have Experienced an Online Shopping Scam: What to Watch For Introduction If you’ve ever clicked a too-good-to-be-true deal on social media or received an email about a package you didn’t order, you’re far from alone. According to a recent survey from the Pew Research Center, about a third of U.S. adults say they’ve had an online shopping scam happen to them. That’s roughly 80 million people. With holiday shopping already underway and more purchases migrating to phones and apps, the risk isn’t going away. This article walks through what the data shows and what you can actually do to avoid becoming the next victim. ...

One in Three Americans Has Been Scammed While Shopping Online—Here’s How to Stay Safe If you shop online, you’ve probably seen the warnings: deals that seem too good to be true, unfamiliar websites with misspelled logos, ads on social media for products that never arrive. But it’s easy to assume it won’t happen to you. The data suggests otherwise. ...

Think Before You Click: How to Spot Online Shopping Scams Online shopping is convenient, but it’s also become a hunting ground for scammers. The latest FBI Internet Crime Report shows that consumers lost tens of millions of dollars to online shopping scams in 2024 alone. And according to a recent article from VA News, these scams are growing more sophisticated — targeting not just the elderly, but anyone browsing deals on social media, email, or even official-looking websites. ...

1 in 3 Americans Have Been Scammed While Shopping Online – Here’s How to Protect Yourself If you shop online regularly, you have likely come across a deal that seemed too good to be true, a seller with no track record, or a payment request that felt off. According to a November 2025 Pew Research Center survey, about a third of Americans say they’ve had an online shopping scam happen to them. That figure has stayed relevant through mid‑2026 as holiday shopping season nears. Understanding the most common tricks and knowing what to do before and after a purchase can help you avoid becoming part of that statistic. ...

How to Spot Online Shopping Scams: Tips from the VA and FTC Online shopping has become second nature for most of us, but it also comes with risks. Scammers are constantly refining their tactics, and government agencies like the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and the FBI regularly update their warnings. Whether you’re a veteran, a military family member, or just someone trying to buy a gift online, knowing how to recognize a scam can save you money and frustration. ...

One in Three Americans Hit by an Online Shopping Scam: What You Need to Know to Stay Safe If you shop online, you’ve probably wondered how many people actually fall for those too-good-to-be-true deals or fake storefronts. According to a November 2025 survey from the Pew Research Center, about a third of American adults say they’ve personally experienced an online shopping scam. That’s roughly 33 percent of U.S. adults—a number that should give any regular online buyer pause. ...

One in Three Americans Reports an Online Shopping Scam: What to Know and How to Protect Yourself If you’ve ever clicked on a too-good-to-be-true deal and ended up with nothing but an empty bank account, you’re not alone. According to a Pew Research Center study published in November 2025, 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 or had their personal information stolen while trying to buy something online. ...

New Pew Data: One in Three Americans Hit by Online Shopping Scams – How to Stay Safe If you shop online—and most of us do—there’s a better-than-average chance you’ve already brushed up against a scam. According to a November 2025 survey from the Pew Research Center, about a third of American adults say they’ve personally experienced an online shopping scam. That’s roughly 33 percent of the country, and the number has likely grown since the data was collected. ...