Fraud Prevention

How to Spot Online Shopping Scams and Keep Your Money Safe Online shopping has become a daily habit for millions, but scammers have taken notice. Fraudsters are constantly refining their tactics to trick shoppers into handing over money and personal information. According to a recent alert from VA News (.gov), online shopping scams are surging, and the FBI’s latest Internet Crime Report confirms that reported losses from these scams reached record levels in 2025. Whether you’re a seasoned buyer or someone who rarely shops online, knowing how to identify and avoid these schemes is essential. ...

1 in 3 Americans Have Been Scammed Online Shopping: How to Protect Yourself If you shop online, you have probably seen deals that seem too good to pass up or received an email about an order you don’t remember placing. You are not alone in wondering whether these are scams. According to a 2025 Pew Research Center survey, roughly one in three Americans say they have personally experienced an online shopping scam. That number is high enough that it should give any regular online shopper pause. ...

Online Shopping Scams: How to Spot and Avoid Them (2026 Guide) Online shopping has become second nature for most of us, but the convenience also comes with a persistent risk: scams. Criminals are constantly refining their tactics, using fake websites, phishing messages, and fraudulent payment schemes to trick shoppers. A recent alert from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) — published January 28, 2026 — warns consumers to watch out for scams and stay safe while online shopping. Combined with data from the FBI’s 2024 Internet Crime Report, the message is clear: staying informed is the best defense. ...

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. ...

1 in 3 Americans Report Online Shopping Scams: What You Need to Know to Stay Safe Intro A new survey from the Pew Research Center finds that roughly one in three U.S. adults say they have personally experienced an online shopping scam. The figure, drawn from a nationally representative poll conducted in late 2025, underscores how widespread these incidents have become. While most online purchases go through without trouble, the sheer number of people affected suggests that scammers are getting better at reaching everyday shoppers. Understanding who is most vulnerable and which tactics are most common can help you avoid becoming the next target. ...

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. ...

How to Spot and Avoid Online Shopping Scams (1 in 3 Americans Hit) According to a November 2025 Pew Research Center survey, about a third of Americans say they have had an online shopping scam happen to them. That is not a niche problem. It affects a broad cross-section of consumers, though younger adults and frequent online shoppers report higher rates. ...

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. ...