• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, August 6, 2025

Americans are being barraged with email and other types of scams. And most think the government isn’t doing enough to stop them, according to a study released last week by Pew Research Center: Online Scams and Attacks in America Today.

Of the 9,397 U.S. consumers surveyed, 73% have experienced at least one of these scams or attacks: 

• Online hackers stole credit/debit card info and made fraudulent charges—48% 
• Bought an item online that was counterfeit or never arrived and wasn’t refunded—36%
• A personal online account was taken over/accessed without permission—29%
• A scam email, text message or call led them to give away personal info—24%
• Ransomware blocked use of their computer until they paid money—10% 
• Gave money online to a fake investment opportunity—7%

Black, Hispanic and lower-income consumers were more likely to have been faced with three online scams. 

How are potential victims being contacted? Of those polled, 28% receive daily scam emails and 35% get them at least weekly. 

Phone calls are more widespread—31% get them daily and 37% weekly. Text messages target 20% daily and 41% weekly. Fewer are hit with scams delivered by social media.  

These channels are seen as creating a major problem:

• Text messages and phone calls—68% 
• Emails—65%
• Social media—62%
• Shopping sites/apps—50%
• Banking sites/apps—46%
• Payment sites/apps—48%
• Dating sites/apps—38%
• Cryptocurrency sites/apps—41% 

What’s the damage? The study shows that 21% of consumers have lost money to an online scam. The most vulnerable age group is not the boomers, as you might suspect, but those in the 18-29 year-old cohort. 

White and upper income consumers are way more likely to have evaded financial loss. 

Overall, 30% of those who have lost money say it was for a great or fair amount, and 27% report there was some loss. 

Most people think the government and tech companies are doing a poor job of curbing online scams, with Democrats more likely to say so. 

Moreover, 68% believe AI will make these attacks more common.  

Pew performed the survey April 14-20, 2025.