Statistics · Updated Oct 14, 2026 · Next update Mar 1, 2027 (the FTC's next annual Consumer Sentinel Data Book)
Online Shopping Scam Statistics (2026)
What Americans report losing to fraud, how much of it starts with online shopping and social media, and how shoppers can check a store. FTC data.
in fraud losses reported to the FTC in 2025, up from $12.5 billion in 2024.
lost to online shopping fraud in 2025; median loss $117
Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Sentinel dashboards · 2025, data as of June 30, 2026
most-reported complaint category in 2025: online shopping, 424,464 reports
Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Sentinel dashboards · 2025, data as of June 30, 2026
lost to scams that started on social media in 2025, 8× the 2020 level
of people who lost money to a social media scam said it began with something they ordered from an ad
Using these figures
Free to use. A mention of Sauron and a link back is appreciated.
Source: Sauron analysis of Federal Trade Commission data, https://sauron.so/research/online-shopping-scam-statistics
Laurence Tuchin, founder
press@sauron.so
Need figures for your state or a different cut? Email us.
Reported fraud losses
Reported fraud losses rose from $12.5 billion to $15.9 billion in a year, even with no reports collected during the 2025 shutdown.
| Year | All reported fraud losses | Online shopping fraud losses | Online shopping reports |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $12.5 billion | $432 million | 384,946 |
| 2025 | $15.9 billion | $449.2 million | 424,464 |
These are losses people reported to the FTC. Most fraud is never reported, so the real totals are higher. The FTC didn't collect reports during the 2025 government shutdown, so the 2025 figures have a gap and the rise from 2024 is understated.
Online shopping was the 4th most-reported category in both years. The median online shopping fraud loss was $117 in 2025 and $130 in 2024, and 78% of people who reported online shopping fraud in 2025 said they lost money. The 2025 figures come from the FTC's online dashboards (data as of June 30, 2026), because the FTC hasn't published a 2025 Data Book yet.
Where shopping scams start
Nearly 3 in 10 people who lost money to fraud said it started on social media.
In 2025, 28% of people who reported losing money to fraud (nearly 3 in 10) said it started on social media. A website or app was the most common starting point, at 31%. Shopping scams, often an ad for a product that never arrives, were the most-reported kind of scam on social media. People reported losing more money to scams that started on Facebook than on any other platform.
How shoppers can check a store
- Search the store's name with “scam” or “complaint” before you buy.
- Check that the store has a real address, a returns policy and a way to contact a person.
- Pay by credit card, which gives you more protection than a bank transfer, gift card or payment app.
- Be careful with prices far below every other store's.
- Report scams at ReportFraud.ftc.gov (opens in a new tab).
Why this matters for honest small stores
Scam sites make shoppers wary of stores they haven't heard of, so a small store has to look trustworthy at the moment someone finds it. A Google listing with a clear, accurate description is often the first thing a shopper sees. Sauron's Shopify SEO app writes those listings for each page of a store.
How we check figures
These figures are from the FTC's Consumer Sentinel Network, which counts reports made to the FTC and partner agencies.
Using these figures
Free to use. If you cite these figures, a mention of Sauron and a link back to this page is appreciated.
Suggested credit
Source: Sauron analysis of Federal Trade Commission data, https://sauron.so/research/online-shopping-scam-statistics
Full method
- These figures are from the FTC's Consumer Sentinel Network, which counts reports made to the FTC and partner agencies.
- The 2024 figures are from the FTC's 2024 Data Book. No 2025 Data Book has been published yet, so the 2025 online shopping figures come from the FTC's official Consumer Sentinel dashboards (published July 28, 2026, data as of June 30, 2026), and the totals from the FTC's March 2026 testimony and April 2026 Data Spotlight.
- The FTC did not collect reports during the 2025 government shutdown, so 2025 counts are lower than they would otherwise be.
- We update this page when the FTC publishes its next annual Data Book.
Sources
Questions (3)
How much money did Americans lose to scams in 2025?
$15.9 billion in reported fraud losses, up from $12.5 billion in 2024, according to the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC collected no reports during the 2025 government shutdown, so the rise is understated.
How much do people lose to online shopping scams?
Americans reported losing $449.2 million to online shopping fraud in 2025. The median loss was $117 (FTC Consumer Sentinel dashboards, data as of June 30, 2026).
Where do online shopping scams start?
Often on social media or a website or app. Shopping scams were the most-reported kind of scam on social media in 2025, and more than 40% of people who lost money to a social media scam said it started when they ordered something they'd seen in an ad (FTC).