AI Chatbots Are Sending Shoppers to Scam Sites – Here’s How to Stay Safe Introduction If you’ve asked an AI chatbot for product recommendations lately, you’re not alone. More people now use tools like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, or Microsoft Copilot to decide what to buy. But recent warnings from consumer groups suggest those recommendations may sometimes lead to fraudulent websites instead of legitimate stores. ...
New Pew Data Shows 1 in 3 Americans Hit by Online Shopping Scams: Here’s How to Stay Safe If you shop online—and most of us do—you’ve probably wondered whether that too-good-to-be-true deal is legitimate. According to a November 2025 Pew Research Center study, about a third of American adults say they have personally experienced an online shopping scam. That’s not a small fringe problem; it’s a widespread risk that touches millions of households. ...
1 in 3 Americans Has Been Scammed Shopping Online – Here’s How to Protect Yourself Introduction If you shop online — and most of us do — you’ve probably seen deals that seem too good to be true, or sellers who ask you to pay outside the usual checkout process. New data from Pew Research Center confirms that this isn’t just a minor annoyance: about a third of Americans say they’ve had an online shopping scam happen to them. That number comes from a November 2025 survey, and it underscores how widespread these schemes have become. ...
How to Spot Online Shopping Scams: A Practical Guide The convenience of buying almost anything online has made shopping scams increasingly common. Fraudsters have grown more sophisticated, creating fake storefronts that look legitimate, sending convincing phishing emails, and using pressure tactics to rush you into a purchase. Recently, the Department of Veterans Affairs published an advisory reminding shoppers—especially veterans and military families—to stay alert. But the advice applies to anyone buying online. ...
How to Spot Online Shopping Scams and Stay Safe While Buying Online Online shopping has become a routine part of life for most people, but it has also become a hunting ground for scammers. According to a recent advisory from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA News), deceptive tactics—ranging from fake websites to phishing emails—are on the rise, and shoppers of all ages are losing money. The good news is that most of these scams follow predictable patterns, and with a little awareness, you can avoid them. This guide outlines the common threats, explains why they matter, and gives clear steps you can take to protect yourself. ...
1 in 3 Americans Has Been Hit by an Online Shopping Scam: How to Stay Safe If you have bought anything online in the past few years—and most of us have—there’s a decent chance you’ve run into trouble. According to a new Pew Research Center survey, about a third of Americans say they’ve had an online shopping scam happen to them. That’s 33% of U.S. adults, and the number is higher among younger shoppers and people who buy frequently from unfamiliar sites. ...
1 in 3 Americans Report Online Shopping Scams: Essential Safety Tips If you shop online—and most of us do—there’s a good chance you’ve encountered a scam. According to a November 2025 study from the Pew Research Center, about 33 percent of Americans say they have personally experienced an online shopping scam. That’s one in three people. The findings are a reminder that fraud is not a rare event; it’s a routine risk in digital commerce. ...
Fake Productivity Apps Can Now Bypass Security Warnings – Here’s How to Stay Safe If you download free tools like text editors, system cleaners, or messaging apps, there’s a new trick cybercriminals are using that makes their malware look trustworthy. It’s called TamperedChef, and it works by wrapping malicious code inside what appears to be a legitimate, signed application. This means your computer may not flag it as dangerous, even though it’s designed to steal your passwords or give attackers remote control of your machine. ...
Nearly 1 in 3 Americans Has Been Hit by an Online Shopping Scam – Here’s How to Stay Safe If you shop online, the odds are uncomfortably high that you’ve already been targeted. According to a November 2025 report from the Pew Research Center, about one in three U.S. adults say they have experienced an online shopping scam. That statistic alone should give anyone pause, but the real concern is that these scams are becoming more common and more convincing. ...
How to Spot and Avoid Online Shopping Scams: Advice from the VA Online shopping has become routine for most of us, but the convenience comes with a persistent risk: scams. Every year, fraudsters invent new ways to separate shoppers from their money and personal information. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has published several recent articles warning about these threats, focusing on how veterans and the general public can stay safe. This guide distills that advice into a straightforward set of practices you can use right now. ...