Stay Safe While Shopping Online: Practical Tips from Government Agencies Online shopping has become a routine part of life for many people. It’s fast, convenient, and often cheaper than going to a store. But that same convenience attracts scammers. Fake websites, phishing emails, and fraudulent ads can cost you money—and sometimes your personal information. ...
How to Avoid Online Shopping Scams This Holiday Season: Advice from the FTC The holiday shopping season is a busy time for consumers—and for scammers. According to the Federal Trade Commission, Americans reported losing a record $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024, and many of those losses happen during the final months of the year. Fake websites, phishing emails, and deals that look too good to be true are especially common as people rush to buy gifts. ...
How to Spot and Avoid Online Shopping Scams This Holiday Season The holiday shopping season is prime time for scammers. According to the Federal Trade Commission, consumers reported losing $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024 — a significant jump from previous years. As more people hunt for deals online, scammers are busy setting up fake stores, sending phishing emails, and pushing too-good-to-be-true offers on social media. This guide lays out practical steps, based on official FTC advice, to help you shop safely and avoid becoming another statistic. ...
Online Shopping Scams Are Everywhere — Here’s How to Protect Yourself Online shopping is convenient, but it also attracts scammers who know how to make fraudulent offers look legitimate. Government agencies like the VA and the FDIC have issued repeated warnings: fake websites, phishing emails, and payment scams are on the rise. The good news is that most of these scams follow predictable patterns. Once you know what to look for, you can spot them before losing money or personal data. ...
One in Three Americans Has Been Scammed While Shopping Online: How to Protect Yourself If you shop online, you’ve probably seen the warnings. But a new study from the Pew Research Center puts the threat in numbers: about a third of Americans say they’ve had an online shopping scam happen to them. That’s roughly 33% of U.S. adults—and the figure likely undercounts those who didn’t realize they were scammed or didn’t report it. ...
1 in 3 Americans Have Faced an Online Shopping Scam: How to Protect Yourself If you’ve ever clicked “Buy Now” on a site that looked a little off, or sent money via a payment app for an item that never arrived, you’re far from alone. A new study from the Pew Research Center, released in late 2025, found that about a third of U.S. adults say they have personally experienced an online shopping scam. With holiday shopping reaching its peak, that number is likely to climb. Here’s what the data shows and, more importantly, what you can do to keep your money safe. ...
Online Shopping Scams Are on the Rise: How to Protect Yourself In May 2026, Belarusian authorities reported that citizens logged roughly 400 online shopping scam attempts in a single day. That number is striking, but it’s not an isolated case—similar spikes have been recorded in other countries over the past year. Whether you live in Minsk, Manchester, or Manila, the tactics used by fraudsters are increasingly similar, and the risk for ordinary shoppers is real. ...
Online Shopping Scams Are Surging—Here’s How to Protect Yourself If you’ve been shopping online more lately, you’re not alone. But neither are the scammers. A recent report from Belarus documented 400 attempted online shopping frauds in a single day, a sharp spike that signals a broader trend. For anyone buying goods through websites, social media ads, or peer-to-peer marketplaces, the risk is real—and growing. ...
One in Three Americans Hit by Online Shopping Scams: How to Stay Safe According to a 2025 Pew Research Center survey, roughly one in three U.S. adults say they have been the victim of an online shopping scam. That number may sound high, but anyone who regularly shops online—especially through social media or unfamiliar websites—knows how easy it is to get burned. As holiday shopping ramps up and social commerce continues to grow, understanding the landscape of these scams and knowing how to defend against them is more important than ever. ...
Online Shopping Scams Are Surging—Here’s How to Spot and Avoid Them Last week, Belarusian authorities reported that consumers logged roughly 400 online shopping scam attempts in a single day. The figure, published by Belsat.eu, is striking—not because the number itself is massive on a national scale, but because it suggests a concentrated burst of fraud targeting ordinary people who were simply trying to buy something online. ...