Fraud Prevention

Don’t Get Tricked by Fake Summer Sales: How to Spot Scam Deals Before You Buy Summer is when retailers push big discounts – Amazon Prime Day, clearance events, back-to-school sales. Unfortunately, it’s also when scammers push fake versions of those deals. They create lookalike websites, send phishing emails that appear to come from major stores, and run ads on social media that lead to pages designed to steal your payment details or personal information. ...

Don’t Get Duped This Summer: How to Spot Fake Deals Before You Buy Summer sales season is here, and with it comes a familiar surge of deals, discounts, and limited-time offers. Unfortunately, it’s also prime time for scammers. Cybersecurity firm Bitdefender recently published an alert detailing how fraudsters are exploiting the shopping rush with fake ads, phishing emails, and counterfeit websites that look nearly identical to legitimate retailers. Whether you’re hunting for a new laptop or a backyard grill, knowing how to tell a real bargain from a trap can save you money and stress. ...

How to Spot Fake Summer Sale Deals Before You Buy Summer sales are here—Amazon Prime Day, Fourth of July discounts, and back-to-school promotions all promise big savings. But alongside legitimate deals, scammers are running sophisticated campaigns to steal your money and personal information. Recent reports from cybersecurity firm Bitdefender highlight several active scams, including fake Pinterest ads impersonating Amazon clearance sales, phishing emails with bogus QR codes, and fraudulent websites designed to look like major retailers. Knowing what to look for can keep you from becoming a victim. ...

How to Spot Summer Sale Scams Before You Buy Summer sales are in full swing. Retailers are offering discounts on everything from electronics to clothing, and shoppers are on the lookout for a good deal. Unfortunately, scammers are also active this time of year, taking advantage of the surge in online shopping to trick people into handing over their money and personal information. ...

Summer Sale Scams Are Everywhere – Here’s How to Spot Them Before You Buy Summer sales season is in full swing, and so are the scammers. Every year, as shoppers hunt for bargains on electronics, clothing, and travel deals, cybercriminals launch fake offers designed to steal money or personal information. A recent report from Bitdefender highlights the growing sophistication of these attacks, with phishing emails, lookalike websites, and social media ads impersonating major retailers like Amazon and travel booking services. The good news is that most of these scams share common warning signs. Learning to recognize them takes only a few minutes and can save you a great deal of trouble. ...

1 in 3 Americans Have Been Scammed While Shopping Online – Here’s How to Avoid It If you’ve ever bought something online that never arrived, or clicked a link that looked like a trusted store but turned out to be a fake, you’re far from alone. According to a November 2025 Pew Research Center survey, about one-third of U.S. adults say they have experienced an online shopping scam. That figure is striking, but not surprising to anyone who follows consumer fraud trends. ...

How to Spot Fake Summer Sale Deals Before You Get Scammed Summer is the season for clearance sales, travel deals, and big discounts on everything from electronics to clothing. Unfortunately, it’s also a peak period for scammers who know shoppers are hunting for bargains. According to a recent report from Bitdefender, fraudsters are using fake websites, phishing emails, and social media ads to steal money and personal data. Here is what you need to know to stay safe without missing legitimate savings. ...

1 in 3 Americans Has Experienced an Online Shopping Scam – Here’s How to Protect Yourself Introduction A new survey from the Pew Research Center brings a troubling number into focus: about one in three U.S. adults say they have been the victim of an online shopping scam. The finding, published in November 2025, lands at a time when holiday shopping is in full swing and scammers are especially active. If you shop online regularly—and most of us do—understanding the scope of the problem and knowing how to avoid it is worth your time. ...

Online Shopping Scams Are More Common Than You Think – Here’s How to Protect Yourself If you’ve ever bought something online that never arrived, or paid for a deal that turned out to be fake, you’re not alone. According to a 2025 Pew Research Center survey, about a third of Americans say they have experienced an online shopping scam. That’s a large share of the population, and the problem touches every age group and income level. ...

One in Three Americans Hit by an Online Shopping Scam: How to Protect Yourself If you’ve ever bought something online that never arrived, or landed on a website that looked legitimate but turned out to be fake, you’re not alone. New data from the Pew Research Center shows that about a third of Americans say they have experienced an online shopping scam. That statistic is a useful reminder that these scams are not rare exceptions—they are a regular risk for anyone who shops online. ...