1 in 3 Americans Hit by an Online Shopping Scam: How to Protect Yourself If you’ve bought something online that never arrived, or paid for a product that turned out to be counterfeit, you’re far from alone. According to new data from the Pew Research Center published in November 2025, about one in three U.S. adults say they have experienced an online shopping scam. ...
How to Spot and Avoid Online Shopping Scams: A Practical Guide Online shopping has become a routine part of life, but scammers are getting better at mimicking legitimate stores, emails, and payment portals. Government agencies—including the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)—have recently issued warnings about the growing number of online shopping scams. This guide distills the key red flags and practical steps you can take to protect yourself, based on official advice from these sources. ...
1 in 3 Americans Have Been Scammed While Shopping Online – Here’s How to Protect Yourself Online shopping has become routine for most of us, but it comes with real risks. A recent survey from the Pew Research Center found that about a third of Americans say they’ve had an online shopping scam happen to them. That’s roughly 33 percent of U.S. adults who have lost money or had personal information stolen while trying to buy something online. ...
How to Spot and Avoid Online Shopping Scams: Practical Tips from the VA Online shopping offers convenience, but it also gives scammers a steady stream of opportunities. Fake websites, phishing emails, and too-good-to-be-true deals pop up constantly, and even careful shoppers can be caught off guard. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs recently published guidance on this topic, and their advice is worth reviewing whether you’re a veteran, a military family member, or just someone who buys things online. ...
1 in 3 Americans Has Been Scammed While Shopping Online—Here’s How to Avoid It If you’ve ever bought something online that never arrived, or paid for a “deal” that turned out to be a fake store, you’re not alone. According to a recent Pew Research Center survey, about a third of U.S. adults say they’ve experienced an online shopping scam. That’s a striking number, and it suggests that fraudulent listings, fake websites, and payment scams have become a routine hazard of e-commerce. ...
How to Spot and Avoid Online Shopping Scams: Red Flags and Safety Tips Online shopping is convenient, but it also attracts scammers who try to steal your money or personal information. Government agencies, including the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), regularly issue warnings about these threats. This article compiles their advice into a practical guide for anyone who shops online, especially those who may be less familiar with digital safety practices. ...
1 in 3 Americans Has Been Hit by an Online Shopping Scam: Here’s What You Can Do Intro New data from Pew Research Center shows that online shopping scams are far from rare. According to a survey published in November 2025, about a third of Americans say they’ve had an online shopping scam happen to them. That statistic alone is worth pausing over—especially if you regularly buy things through social media ads, secondhand marketplaces, or payment apps. The good news is that most of these scams follow patterns you can learn to recognize. Below is a breakdown of what the study found, why it matters, and the concrete steps you can take to avoid becoming part of the next statistic. ...
1 in 3 Americans Hit by Online Shopping Scams: Here’s 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 worse, a knockoff—you’re far from alone. 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’s not a niche problem; it’s a widespread consumer risk that touches millions of households. ...
How to Outsmart Online Shopping Scams: A Practical Guide Online shopping has become a daily habit for many of us. But as convenience grows, so do the risks. The Department of Veterans Affairs recently published an article on its official news site reminding consumers to watch out for scams while shopping online. The advice applies to anyone buying goods or services over the internet, not just veterans. Here’s what you need to know and what you can do to stay safe. ...
1 in 3 Americans Has Experienced an Online Shopping Scam: What to Watch For If you’ve ever clicked “Buy Now” on a deal that seemed too good to be true, only to receive nothing—or something that looked nothing like the photo—you’re not alone. According to a November 2025 survey from the Pew Research Center, roughly one-third of U.S. adults say they have personally experienced an online shopping scam. That number is a reminder that scammers have gotten better at blending in. ...