Fraud Prevention

1 in 3 Americans Have Been Scammed While Shopping Online: How to Avoid the Latest Tricks If you’ve been the victim of an online shopping scam, you’re far from alone. New data from Pew Research Center, released in November 2025, finds that about a third of Americans say they’ve had an online shopping scam happen to them. That’s roughly 33% of U.S. adults — a figure that should give any regular shopper pause. ...

Practical Tips to Avoid Online Shopping Scams Online shopping is convenient, but it also attracts fraudsters looking to steal payment information, login credentials, or even your identity. According to guidance from federal agencies including the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, common scams involve fake websites, phishing emails, and deals that are too good to be real. The good news is that a few straightforward habits can dramatically reduce your risk. ...

One in Three Shoppers Has Been Scammed Online: Here’s How to Avoid Being Next If you’ve ever bought something online and never received it, or clicked a promising deal only to find your credit card charged for something you didn’t order, you’re not alone. According to a recent Pew Research Center survey, roughly one in three Americans say they’ve had an online shopping scam happen to them. That figure is a stark reminder that fraudulent sellers and bogus offers are not rare edge cases — they’re a regular part of the modern shopping landscape. ...

How to Spot Online Shopping Scams: Practical Safety Tips The convenience of online shopping is hard to beat, but it also attracts scammers looking to separate you from your money and personal information. Government agencies such as the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation regularly issue warnings about common schemes, especially during sales events like Black Friday or the holiday season. While the advice is aimed at everyone, it’s especially relevant for those who may not be as familiar with digital safety. Here’s a rundown of what’s happening, why it matters, and what you can do to protect yourself. ...

1 in 3 Americans Have Been Hit by an Online Shopping Scam: How to Protect Yourself If you’ve ever bought something online that never arrived, or clicked a link in a too-good-to-be-true deal and ended up with a drained bank account, you are not alone. New data from the Pew Research Center, published in November 2025, shows that about a third of American adults say they have personally experienced an online shopping scam. That is roughly 85 million people—and the number is likely higher because many incidents go unreported. ...

1 in 3 Americans have fallen for an online shopping scam – here’s how to avoid being next If you’ve ever clicked a too-good-to-be-true deal on social media or received an email that looked like it came from a major retailer, you’re not alone. New research from the Pew Research Center shows that roughly one in three U.S. adults say they have experienced an online shopping scam. That number is a reminder that scammers are getting better at what they do—and that most of us are not as careful as we think. ...

1 in 3 Americans Hit by Online Shopping Scams—Protect Yourself Now If you shop online, you’ve probably seen too-good-to-be-true deals or received an email about a package you never ordered. According to a November 2025 survey by Pew Research Center, about a third of Americans say they’ve had an online shopping scam happen to them. That’s not a niche problem—it’s a widespread threat that affects people across age groups and income levels. This article explains what the data shows, why it matters, and what you can do to avoid becoming part of that statistic. ...

How to Spot and Avoid Online Shopping Scams (1 in 3 Americans Have Been Hit) A new survey from the Pew Research Center has put a number on something many shoppers have suspected: online shopping scams are distressingly common. According to the study, about a third of American adults say they have personally had an online shopping scam happen to them. That translates into tens of millions of people who have paid for goods that never arrived, clicked on fraudulent links, or handed over payment information to fake sellers. ...

How to Spot Online Shopping Scams: Practical Advice for Safer Buying Every time you click “buy now,” there’s a small chance you’re handing your money to a criminal instead of a legitimate seller. Online shopping scams are nothing new, but they keep evolving. Government agencies like the VA and FDIC regularly issue warnings because the schemes are persistent and often convincing. The advice they give isn’t just for veterans or military families—it applies to anyone who shops online. ...

How to Spot and Avoid Online Shopping Scams Online shopping is convenient, but it also attracts scammers who set up fake stores, send phishing emails, or advertise deals that are too good to be true. Government agencies like the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) regularly warn consumers to stay vigilant. This guide outlines what is happening, why it matters, and practical steps you can take to protect yourself. ...