Identity Theft

How to Spot and Avoid Online Shopping Scams: Tips to Stay Safe Online shopping scams are not new, but they become more frequent and sophisticated during seasonal sales and holidays. Government agencies, including the VA News and the FDIC, have issued repeated warnings in recent years. In January 2026, VA News published an alert titled “Watch out for scams and stay safe while online shopping,” reinforcing a message that remains relevant year-round. Consumers lose billions of dollars annually to fraudulent websites, phishing offers, and payment scams. Understanding the common tactics and knowing how to verify a seller can make the difference between a good deal and a costly mistake. ...

How to Spot Online Shopping Scams and Protect Your Wallet Online shopping saves time and often money, but it also opens the door to scammers who set up fake stores, send phishing messages, or sell counterfeit goods. Recent alerts from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA News), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) remind us that these threats are persistent and evolve with seasonal trends. Knowing what to look for and how to respond can make the difference between a good deal and a costly mistake. ...

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: 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 Spot Online Shopping Scams Before You Lose Money Online shopping has made buying almost anything more convenient, but it has also opened the door for scammers to trick shoppers out of their money. Reports from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and consumer protection agencies show that complaints about fake websites, phishing emails, and payment fraud have increased in recent years, and the tactics keep evolving. ...

1 in 3 Americans Report Online Shopping Scams: How to Protect Yourself If you’ve been the victim of an online shopping scam, you’re far from alone. According to the Pew Research Center, about one in three U.S. adults say they have experienced an online shopping scam. That statistic comes from a larger report on online scams and attacks, updated with shopping-specific data in November 2025. The numbers are a reminder that online fraud is not a rare edge case—it touches millions of ordinary people. ...

1 in 3 Americans Hit by Online Shopping Scams: How to Protect Yourself A new survey from the Pew Research Center, published in November 2025, found that roughly one in three American adults (32%) say they have experienced an online shopping scam. That figure covers a wide range of incidents—from paying for goods that never arrived to clicking links that led to stolen credit card numbers. With online retail continuing to grow, these scams are not going away. Here’s what you need to know and how to reduce your risk. ...