Fraud Prevention

How to Spot and Avoid Online Shopping Scams This Season Online shopping is convenient, but every holiday season brings a surge in scams. According to the Federal Trade Commission, Americans lost $8.8 billion to fraud in 2022, and many of those losses came from shopping-related schemes. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation have recently issued alerts about fake websites, phishing emails, and too‑good‑to‑be‑true deals that target shoppers — especially veterans and seniors. This article draws on guidance from VA News (.gov) to help you watch out for scams and stay safe while online shopping. ...

One in Three Americans Has Been Scammed While Shopping Online – What to Know If you’ve ever clicked on a too-good-to-be-true deal and ended up losing money or having your card stolen, you’re not alone. According to new research from the Pew Research Center, about a third of Americans say they’ve had an online shopping scam happen to them. The data, released in late 2025, shows that 34% of U.S. adults have personally experienced this type of fraud. ...

1 in 3 Americans Have Experienced an Online Shopping Scam: What to Watch For A new survey from Pew Research Center shows that roughly one in three U.S. adults say they have personally been the victim of an online shopping scam. That figure is a reminder that fraudulent sellers and fake storefronts are not rare anomalies – they are a routine hazard for anyone buying goods or services over the internet. The risk is especially high during busy shopping periods, when people are browsing quickly and may let their guard down. ...

How to Spot Online Shopping Scams (and What to Do If You Get Tricked) Online shopping has become second nature for most of us. But the convenience also attracts scammers looking to steal payment details, personal information, or even your entire purchase. Government agencies like the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) regularly issue reminders that these threats are not going away. The good news is that most scams follow predictable patterns, and knowing what to look for can keep your money and data safe. ...

How to Spot a Fake Prom Dress Website Before You Get Scammed Prom season comes with enough stress—finding the right dress, coordinating with friends, staying within budget. The last thing anyone needs is to lose money to a scam site that looks legitimate at first glance. The Better Business Bureau recently issued an alert for the Hudson Valley area warning shoppers about fake prom dress websites that steal both payment information and personal data. While the warning originated in New York, these scams are active nationwide, and they tend to spike as proms approach. ...

Nearly One in Three Americans Has Been Hit by an Online Shopping Scam — Here’s What to Watch For If you shop online — and most of us do — there’s a decent chance you’ve run into a scam without realizing it. According to a recent Pew Research Center study, about a third of Americans say they’ve had an online shopping scam happen to them. That’s a striking number, and it suggests that even cautious shoppers are getting caught off guard. ...

One in Three Americans Has Been Hit by an Online Shopping Scam – Here’s How to Stay Safe Intro If you shop online, you’ve probably heard warnings about scams. But a new study from the Pew Research Center puts a number on just how common these frauds have become. According to data released in late 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 — meaning if you haven’t been targeted yourself, someone you know likely has. ...

Prom Dress Scams Are Everywhere – Here’s How to Avoid Getting Duped Prom season is a high-stakes mix of excitement and pressure. Between finding the perfect dress, coordinating with friends, and staying within budget, the last thing you need is to lose money to a fake website. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what scammers are counting on. With the Better Business Bureau issuing a regional alert earlier this month, it’s worth taking a few minutes to understand the pattern and protect yourself. ...

One in Three Americans Has 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 an email that turned out to be a fake storefront, you’re not alone. According to a Pew Research Center survey published in November 2025, about a third of Americans say they’ve had an online shopping scam happen to them. That’s 33 percent of U.S. adults—a figure that should give any regular online shopper pause. ...

How to Spot Fake Prom Dress Websites: What the BBB’s Latest Warning Means for Shoppers The Better Business Bureau has issued a fresh alert for shoppers in the Hudson Valley, warning that fraudulent websites selling prom dresses are popping up just as the season gets underway. While the warning was initially aimed at local residents, the pattern is nationwide. Parents, teens, and anyone buying formalwear online should know the warning signs before they hand over their credit card details. ...