Nearly 1 in 3 Americans Have Been Scammed While Shopping Online – Here’s How to Stay Safe

Nearly 1 in 3 Americans Have Been Scammed While Shopping Online – Here’s How to Stay Safe If you shop online frequently, you may have wondered how common scams really are. A new study from the Pew Research Center provides a clear answer: about a third of U.S. adults say they have personally experienced an online shopping scam. That figure, released in November 2025, underscores a threat that touches millions of households. The good news is that most of these scams follow predictable patterns, and once you know what to look for, you can avoid them. ...

May 20, 2026 · 4 min · BriefArc Desk

1 in 3 Americans Have Been Hit by an Online Shopping Scam – How to Avoid Being Next

Avoiding Online Shopping Scams: What the New Pew Data Means for You If you shop online, the numbers are sobering. According to the Pew Research Center, roughly one in three U.S. adults say they have experienced an online shopping scam. That statistic comes from a survey published in late 2025, and it aligns with a broader trend: as online shopping grows, so do the tactics used to defraud buyers. With the holiday season in full swing, it’s worth understanding the scale of the problem and taking a few practical steps to protect yourself. ...

May 12, 2026 · 4 min · BriefArc Desk

Nearly 1 in 3 Americans Hit by an Online Shopping Scam – How to Protect Yourself

Nearly 1 in 3 Americans Hit by an Online Shopping Scam – How to Protect Yourself If you’ve ever clicked “buy” and later realized the website was fake, or paid for something that never arrived, you’re far from alone. According to a November 2025 study from the Pew Research Center, about one in three Americans say they have personally experienced an online shopping scam. That figure is a stark reminder that fraud is not a rare edge case—it’s a regular risk for anyone who shops online. ...

May 5, 2026 · 3 min · BriefArc Desk

How to Spot and Stop Scams on Digital Payment Apps

Protecting Your Money on Venmo, Cash App, and PayPal A Practical Guide to Avoiding Common Digital Payment Scams The convenience of digital payment apps like Venmo, Cash App, and PayPal is undeniable. Splitting a dinner bill or paying a friend back is now instantaneous. However, as their use has surged, so have the scams targeting their users. Recently, the New York Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection issued an alert highlighting this growing threat. Criminals are exploiting the speed and perceived informality of these transactions to trick people out of their money, often with little recourse for recovery. ...

April 20, 2026 · 5 min · BriefArc Desk