Payment Security

Nearly 1 in 3 Americans Have Been Scammed While Shopping Online – How to Protect Yourself A new report from the Pew Research Center, published in November 2025, found that about a third of American adults say they have personally experienced an online shopping scam. The statistic is a reminder that fraudulent purchases, fake websites, and phishing attempts are not rare events — they are part of the normal landscape of e-commerce today. Whether you shop on Amazon, Instagram, eBay, or a small boutique website, the risk exists. Knowing what these scams look like and how to avoid them can save you money and frustration. ...

1 in 3 Americans Have Been Scammed While Shopping Online – Here’s How to Protect Yourself The convenience of ordering from your couch comes with a real risk: according to a recent Pew Research Center report, roughly one in three U.S. adults say they have personally experienced an online shopping scam. That’s not a fringe problem — it’s a mainstream hazard that touches millions of households. ...

Warning: Facebook ‘Aldi meat box’ scam steals your payment info – here’s how to stay safe A new phishing scam is making the rounds on Facebook, targeting anyone looking for a deal on groceries. According to a report published by Security Boulevard on May 19, 2026, scammers are running fake ads that promise steep discounts on Aldi meat box bundles. Clicking the ad leads to a convincing-looking phishing site, where victims are asked to enter their credit card details—only to have that information stolen and used for fraudulent charges. ...

1 in 3 Americans have been scammed while shopping online. Are you next? If you’ve ever bought something online and never received it, or clicked a link in a text about a package delivery and later saw strange charges on your card, you are not alone. New data from the Pew Research Center, published in November 2025, shows that roughly one in three American adults say they have experienced an online shopping scam. That number is high enough that it’s worth understanding what these scams look like and how to avoid becoming part of the statistic. ...

Online shopping scams hit 1 in 3 Americans: Here’s how to spot and avoid them If you’ve bought something online that never arrived, or clicked a link that led to a fake checkout page, you are far from alone. According to a new survey from the Pew Research Center, roughly one in three U.S. adults say they have personally experienced an online shopping scam. That number is a reminder that fraudulent listings, phony storefronts, and payment app tricks are no longer rare — they’ve become a standard risk of digital commerce. ...

How to Spot and Avoid Online Shopping Scams Each year, online shopping scams cost consumers hundreds of millions of dollars. The schemes grow more convincing, and recent alerts from government agencies confirm that fraudsters are finding new ways to target shoppers. Understanding how these scams work and what to do if you encounter one is the best way to protect yourself. ...

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 and Protect Yourself Online shopping has become a routine part of life, but it also attracts scammers looking to steal your money or personal information. Government agencies like the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation have issued warnings about evolving tactics. For example, a January 2026 VA News alert reminded veterans to watch out for scams while shopping online, and an FDIC consumer article from August 2024 described fake banks that appear legitimate but are merely fronts for fraud. ...

1 in 3 Americans Have Been Scammed Shopping Online – Here’s How to Stay Safe According to a November 2025 report from the Pew Research Center, about one in three U.S. adults say they have personally experienced an online shopping scam. That figure is a reminder that as convenient as digital shopping is, it also carries real risks – especially during peak seasons when scammers become more active. ...