1 in 3 Americans Hit by Online Shopping Scams: How to Stay Safe Shopping online has never been more convenient — or more risky. According to a November 2025 Pew Research Center survey, roughly one in three U.S. adults say they have personally experienced an online shopping scam. With holiday spending in full swing, that statistic is a reminder that a few basic precautions can save you money and stress. ...
Online Shopping Scams Are Still Common: What to Watch For Every year, millions of Americans shop online for everything from groceries to gifts. The convenience is real, but so are the risks. Scammers have become skilled at impersonating legitimate stores, payment portals, and even government agencies. Recent warnings from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) remind us that these threats aren’t going away. Whether you’re a frequent online shopper or just browsing occasionally, knowing how to spot a scam is the best way to protect your money and personal data. ...
How to Spot Online Shopping Scams Before They Steal Your Money Online shopping has become routine for most of us, but the convenience comes with a growing risk. Scammers are constantly refining their tactics, and government agencies such as the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation have issued repeated warnings. Whether you’re a seasoned online buyer or someone who only shops occasionally, understanding the common signs of a scam can save you money and stress. ...
How to Shop Online Without Getting Scammed: A Practical Guide Online shopping is convenient, but it also attracts scammers. According to a January 2026 article from VA News, fraudulent websites, phishing emails, and too-good-to-be-true deals are becoming more common year-round. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and USA Today have also reported on fake bank schemes and text-message scams targeting consumers. This guide explains what is happening, why you should care, and what you can do to protect yourself. ...
Nearly One in Three Americans Has Experienced an Online Shopping Scam If you’ve ever bought something online that never arrived—or received a knockoff that looked nothing like the photo—you’re far from alone. A new survey from the Pew Research Center, published in November 2025, found that about a third of U.S. adults say they have personally experienced an online shopping scam. ...
How to Spot Online Shopping Scams and Protect Your Wallet Online shopping saves time and often money, but it also opens the door to scammers who set up fake stores, send phishing messages, or sell counterfeit goods. Recent alerts from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA News), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) remind us that these threats are persistent and evolve with seasonal trends. Knowing what to look for and how to respond can make the difference between a good deal and a costly mistake. ...
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 Report Online Shopping Scams: How to Protect Yourself If you’ve been the victim of an online shopping scam, you’re far from alone. According to the Pew Research Center, about one in three U.S. adults say they have experienced an online shopping scam. That statistic comes from a larger report on online scams and attacks, updated with shopping-specific data in November 2025. The numbers are a reminder that online fraud is not a rare edge case—it touches millions of ordinary people. ...
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 ad on social media, bought something from a seller with no reviews, or received a shipping notification for an order you never placed, you’re not alone. According to a 2025 Pew Research Center report, about a third of Americans say they’ve had an online shopping scam happen to them. That’s roughly one in three adults — a number that has grown as more of our shopping moves to phones, apps, and auction sites. ...
Nearly 1 in 3 Americans Hit by Online Shopping Scams – How to Protect Yourself Online shopping has never been more convenient, but it also carries a risk that many people underestimate. According to a recent Pew Research Center survey, about one in three Americans say they have experienced an online shopping scam. That’s a striking number, and it underscores the need for consumers to recognize scams before they cost them money—or their personal information. ...