Identity Theft

How to Spot and Avoid Online Shopping Scams: A Third of Americans Have Been Hit If you’ve ever bought something online that never arrived, or paid for a product that turned out to be a cheap counterfeit, you’re not 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 tens of millions of people who have lost money or personal information to fraudulent sellers, fake websites, or deceptive ads. ...

One in Three Americans Report Online Shopping Scams: How to Protect Yourself According to a new Pew Research Center survey released in November 2025, about a third of U.S. adults say they have personally experienced an online shopping scam. That’s a striking figure, one that cuts across age, income, and tech comfort levels. If you shop online—and most of us do—it’s worth understanding what these scams look like and how to keep your money and personal information safe. ...

How to Spot and Avoid Online Shopping Scams: Practical Tips for Safer Buying Online shopping has become a routine part of everyday life for most people. But along with the convenience comes a steady stream of scams designed to separate you from your money or personal information. According to the FBI’s 2024 Internet Crime Report, Americans lost more than $300 million to online shopping fraud in 2023 alone. That number has been rising year after year, and the methods scammers use keep evolving. Whether you are a seasoned online buyer or someone who shops only occasionally, understanding the warning signs and taking a few preventive steps can make a real difference. ...

Nearly 1 in 3 Americans Have Been Hit by an Online Shopping Scam: What to Watch For If you’ve ever bought something online that never arrived, or clicked a link in an email that looked like it came from a store you trust, you’re not alone. A recent study from the Pew Research Center found that roughly one in three U.S. adults say they have experienced an online shopping scam. That figure, published in November 2025, puts the problem on a scale that most of us would rather ignore, especially as holiday shopping ramps up. ...

Online Shopping Scams: What to Watch For and How to Stay Safe Online shopping is convenient, but it also opens the door to scams. The FBI’s 2024 Internet Crime Report noted that online shopping fraud remains one of the most common complaints, with losses running into hundreds of millions of dollars each year. Government agencies like the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Veterans Affairs regularly issue alerts to help consumers recognize and avoid these threats. ...

How to Spot Online Shopping Scams Before You Lose Money Every shopping season brings deals, but it also brings scammers. The FBI’s 2024 Internet Crime Report recorded billions of dollars lost to online shopping fraud, and government agencies like the Department of Veterans Affairs continue to warn consumers about new tactics. Whether you’re buying gifts, household items, or electronics, it pays to know what to look for. Here’s a plain‑language guide to recognizing common scams and protecting your money. ...

How to Recognize and Avoid Online Shopping Scams Online shopping has never been more convenient, but it has also become a hunting ground for scammers. According to the FBI’s 2024 Internet Crime Report, Americans lost over $12.5 billion to cybercrime last year, with online shopping fraud among the top categories reported. In a recent alert, the Department of Veterans Affairs echoed this warning, urging shoppers to watch out for scams and stay safe while online shopping. The advice applies to everyone, not just veterans. ...

How to Outsmart Online Shopping Scams – Tips You Can Use Today Online shopping is convenient, but it also attracts fraud. According to the FBI’s 2024 Internet Crime Report, Americans lost billions of dollars to online shopping scams last year. These scams are especially active around major sales events like Prime Day and Black Friday, but they happen all year. The good news is that most scams can be avoided with a few simple checks. Here’s what you need to know. ...

How to Protect Your Data Privacy from AI-Powered Cyber Attacks A recent report from the World Economic Forum (WEF) titled “Cutting cyber risk in an AI era – and data privacy’s role” underscores a shift that many consumers are starting to feel: artificial intelligence is making cyber attacks more convincing and more frequent. The report argues that while AI tools bring benefits, they also lower the bar for attackers. For the average person, this means that protecting personal data is no longer just good practice—it is a direct line of defense against AI-driven scams and identity theft. Below is a breakdown of what the report found and, more importantly, what you can do about it today. ...

How to Protect Your Data Privacy in the Age of AI: Cyber Risks and What You Can Do Intro Every time you type a question into a chatbot or upload a photo to an image generator, you are handing over a piece of your personal data. In the rush to try new AI tools, it is easy to forget that those interactions are often stored, analysed, and sometimes reused. The World Economic Forum (WEF) recently released a report on cutting cyber risk in an AI era, and a key insight is that data privacy sits at the centre of the problem. As AI systems become more powerful, the same capabilities that make them useful also make them attractive targets – and users are the first line of defence. ...