Online Shopping Scams

1 in 3 Americans Hit by Online Shopping Scams — Here’s How to Protect Yourself If you shop online, the odds that you or someone you know has been caught by a scam are higher than you might expect. According to a November 2025 survey from Pew Research Center, about one-third of Americans say they’ve had an online shopping scam happen to them. That’s a large number, and with the holiday shopping season ramping up, it’s worth understanding what these scams look like and how to avoid them. ...

One in Three Americans Has Been Scammed While Shopping Online – Here’s How to Avoid It If you’ve ever clicked a too‑good‑to‑be‑true deal, only to receive nothing or a counterfeit, you’re far from alone. New research from Pew Research Center, released in November 2025, found that about a third of Americans say they’ve had an online shopping scam happen to them. That works out to roughly 33% of U.S. adults – a number that has grown as e‑commerce and social media shopping have become routine. Understanding how these scams work and how to spot them is the best defense, especially as holiday shopping ramps up. ...

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. ...

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 Spot Online Shopping Scams Before You Lose Money Intro Every year, millions of people buy something online without a second thought. Most transactions go smoothly. But scammers have gotten better at making fake stores, phishing messages, and fraudulent payment requests look real. The FBI’s 2025 Internet Crime Report noted that Americans lost over $10 billion to cybercrime, and online shopping scams accounted for a large share of those losses. The good news: most of these scams follow predictable patterns, and you can learn to spot them before you hand over your money. ...

How to Spot Online Shopping Scams and Protect Your Wallet Online shopping is convenient, but it also attracts scammers. According to the FBI’s 2024 Internet Crime Report, Americans lost more than $12.5 billion to cybercrime last year. A significant chunk of that comes from shopping scams—fake websites, phishing texts, and too-good-to-be-true deals that cost you money and expose your personal data. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has also issued repeated warnings about scams targeting veterans and military families, especially around the holidays. ...

How to Spot Online Shopping Scams and Stay Safe This Season Online shopping has become a routine part of life, but the convenience comes with risks that change every year. Scammers are getting better at impersonating trusted retailers, banks, and even government agencies. Recent warnings from the VA, FTC, and FBI show that shopping fraud is not limited to the holidays — it happens year-round, and it targets everyone, including veterans and military families. ...

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. ...