Online Shopping Scams Are Surging: How to Protect Yourself

Online Shopping Scams Are Surging: How to Protect Yourself A recent report from Belarus recorded 400 scam attempts in a single day, a striking example of how online shopping fraud continues to grow worldwide. While that figure comes from one country, it reflects a pattern that consumers everywhere are facing. According to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, losses from online shopping fraud exceeded $5 billion in 2025. Scammers are becoming more sophisticated, and peak shopping seasons only increase the risk. Here’s what you need to know to shop safely. ...

May 14, 2026 · 4 min · BriefArc Desk

1 in 3 Americans Have Been Scammed While Shopping Online: How to Avoid Being Next

1 in 3 Americans Have Been Scammed While Shopping Online: How to Avoid Being Next If you’ve ever bought something online that never arrived, or paid for a product that turned out to be counterfeit, you’re not alone. According to a November 2025 survey from the Pew Research Center, roughly one in three U.S. adults say they have experienced an online shopping scam. That’s a large enough number to suggest that virtually everyone who shops on the internet either knows someone affected or has been hit themselves. The question is: what can you do to avoid becoming part of that statistic? ...

May 13, 2026 · 5 min · BriefArc Desk

400 scam attempts in a single day: What online shoppers need to know to stay safe

400 scam attempts in a single day: What online shoppers need to know to stay safe Intro A recent report out of Belarus paints a stark picture of the current online shopping landscape: in just one day, security systems recorded 400 separate scam attempts targeting consumers. While the number comes from a single country, the pattern is global and accelerating. Fraudsters are getting more aggressive, and everyday shoppers are the ones paying the price. ...

May 13, 2026 · 5 min · BriefArc Desk

1 in 3 Americans Has Been Hit by an Online Shopping Scam: How to Stay Safe

1 in 3 Americans Has Been Hit by an Online Shopping Scam: How to Stay Safe If you’ve ever clicked a too-good-to-be-true deal on social media, only to receive nothing—or a cheap knockoff—you’re far from alone. According to a 2025 survey from the Pew Research Center, about a third of Americans say they’ve had an online shopping scam happen to them. That’s roughly 33% of U.S. adults who have personally experienced a fraudulent purchase, fake website, or phishing attempt while shopping online. ...

May 13, 2026 · 5 min · BriefArc Desk

How to Avoid Online Shopping Scams: What the Data Shows and What You Can Do

How to Avoid Online Shopping Scams: What the Data Shows and What You Can Do If you shop online, you are not alone in worrying about getting scammed. A recent survey from the Pew Research Center, published in November 2025, found that roughly one in three Americans say they have experienced an online shopping scam firsthand. That figure is worth pausing over, especially as the holiday shopping season ramps up and scam artists become more active. ...

May 12, 2026 · 5 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

400 Scam Attempts in One Day? Here’s How to Outsmart Online Shopping Fraud

400 Scam Attempts in One Day? Here’s How to Outsmart Online Shopping Fraud If you shop online with any regularity, you’ve probably seen the usual warnings about sketchy sellers and phishing emails. But a recent report from Belarus puts the scale of the threat into sharp focus: on a single day in May 2026, over 400 shopping-related scam attempts were reported. That is not a slow month or a regional curiosity—it is a snapshot of how aggressive and well-organized online fraud has become. ...

May 12, 2026 · 4 min · BriefArc Desk

1 in 3 Americans Have Been Hit by an Online Shopping Scam: How to Protect Yourself

1 in 3 Americans Have Been Hit by an Online Shopping Scam: How to Protect Yourself If you’ve ever bought something online that never arrived, or clicked a link in a too-good-to-be-true deal and ended up with a drained bank account, you are not alone. New data from the Pew Research Center, published in November 2025, shows that about a third of American adults say they have personally experienced an online shopping scam. That is roughly 85 million people—and the number is likely higher because many incidents go unreported. ...

May 12, 2026 · 4 min · BriefArc Desk

1 in 3 Americans have fallen for an online shopping scam – here’s how to avoid being next

1 in 3 Americans have fallen for an online shopping scam – here’s how to avoid being next If you’ve ever clicked a too-good-to-be-true deal on social media or received an email that looked like it came from a major retailer, you’re not alone. New research from the Pew Research Center shows that roughly one in three U.S. adults say they have experienced an online shopping scam. That number is a reminder that scammers are getting better at what they do—and that most of us are not as careful as we think. ...

May 12, 2026 · 5 min · BriefArc Desk

How to Spot Online Shopping Scams: Tips for Safer Buying

How to Spot Online Shopping Scams: Practical Advice for Safer Buying Every time you click “buy now,” there’s a small chance you’re handing your money to a criminal instead of a legitimate seller. Online shopping scams are nothing new, but they keep evolving. Government agencies like the VA and FDIC regularly issue warnings because the schemes are persistent and often convincing. The advice they give isn’t just for veterans or military families—it applies to anyone who shops online. ...

May 12, 2026 · 4 min · BriefArc Desk