Holiday Scam Statistics 2025: Keep Your Information Safe This Holiday Season

From gift giving to ordering food for holiday feasts, the convenience of shopping online can be a lifesaver during the holidays. However, online scams are always present even if you’re savvy at spotting scam attempts.

We’ll look at some key holiday scam statistics to see how thieves target their victims during the holidays and to help you and your loved ones stay safe while shopping online.

Key findings

• Each year, Thanksgiving Day is the most popular day for fraud attempts in the U.S.
• Consumers reported losing more than $12.5 billion to scams in 2024, an increase of $2.5 billion compared to 2023.
• More than a third of people (35%) have received charity donation requests from organizations that seemed fake to them.
• 33% of people have either given or received a gift card with a zero balance.

1. Thanksgiving Day was the most popular day for fraud attempts last year

In a 2024 analysis of e-commerce transactions, TransUnion found that the most popular day for attempted online fraud was Thanksgiving Day, November 28. Thanksgiving was the top day for fraud attempts in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Though the latter two countries don’t celebrate Thanksgiving at the same time as the U.S., they do participate in Black Friday deals around that time.

Nearly two-thirds of consumers in the United States (64%) say they’re afraid of being victimized by online fraud this holiday season. More than half of people in Canada (59%) and the United Kingdom (56%) are afraid of becoming victims this year.

Source: TransUnion Digital Holiday Fraud in 2024

2. Nearly half of consumers will give out personal information for a discount while shopping online

According to 2025 findings by Norton, 47% of people say they are willing to share personal information, such as their phone number or home address, if it means they will receive a discount while shopping. In general, more than a quarter of people (27%) say that they tend to take more risks while shopping online during the holiday season compared to the rest of the year.

Norton also found that more than 2-in-5 people (41%) have fallen victim to online shopping scams this year. Among those who have been victims of such scams during previous holiday seasons, 40% say they were scammed via social media rather than through more traditional online shopping outlets.

Source: Gen Digital/Norton 2025 Cyber Safety Insights Report

3. The majority of consumers have experienced fraud

The number of U.S. adults over 18 who have experienced some form of fraud has consistently risen in recent years, with AARP reporting that nearly 9 in 10 (89%) say they have been targeted as of 2025. That number stood at “just” 75% in 2021, less than five Christmases ago.

Some common scams and forms of fraud can be particularly effective during the holiday season because they relate to common activities many people undertake this time of year. 55% of AARP’s survey respondents say they have received a fake notification relating to a package or shipment issue, 39% have encountered fraud while buying a product through an online ad, and nearly one-third of people (30%) have had a package stolen in 2025.

Fraudsters are also proving frustratingly adept at exploiting good intentions. More than a third of people (35%) say they have received a donation request from a charity that felt fake or fraudulent this year, while 33% of respondents have either given or received a gift card with no funds on it.

Source: AARP 2025 Survey

4. Consumers of all ages experienced higher rates of fraud while shopping online this year

In 2024, 35% of people reported encountering fraud while shopping online, a figure that increased to 39% in 2025. Shoppers of nearly all ages experienced an uptick. Adults aged 45–64 were the only group whose online shopping fraud rate did not rise, remaining steady at 37% in both years.

The most significant increase came among 35-44 year olds, with 42% of respondents in that age group saying they encountered fraud while shopping online this year, a 12-point increase compared to 2024 (30%). Fraud rates rose from 36% to 41% year-over-year among 18-34 year olds, and from 35% to 38% for consumers aged 65 and older.

Source: AARP 2025 Survey

5. 55% of consumers know that using a credit card keeps you safer online

AARP’s 2025 study found that a majority (55%) of U.S. adults surveyed knew that using a credit card rather than a debit card was safer when making online purchases. However, that number is a slight decrease from 2024 (56%). 69% of respondents said they planned to use a credit card to make purchases, a notable increase from 64% in 2024. 70% said they planned to use cash (down from 75% in 2024), while 72% planned to use a debit card (up from 70% in 2024).

Finally, 41% of people plan to use peer-to-peer payment apps or electronic wallets while shopping this holiday season, a significant increase from 31% in 2024.

According to the FBI, credit card fraud accounted for $199 million in losses in 2024, and non-payment and non-delivery scams cost an additional $785 million that year. Those totals are marked increases compared to 2023, when credit card fraud cost consumers $174 million and non-payment scams accounted for $310 million in losses.

Source: AARP 2025 Survey, Federal Bureau of Investigation

6. Two-thirds of people wish they could better protect themselves and their loved ones from holiday scams

According to data gathered by Norton in 2024, more than two-thirds (67%) of people wish they knew how to protect themselves better from scams during the holiday season. This underlines just how common and omnipresent the threat of fraud and scams has become. The same percentage of respondents expressed concern that their older loved ones may fall victim to suspicious emails or texts while shopping online for the holidays.

While these concerns are widespread, they haven’t stopped many people from revealing more than they probably should online. 43% of people admit they may have “overshared” on social media in previous holiday seasons. Oversharing can include posting pictures of expensive gifts, tagging their exact location, or sharing travel plans online, which can make users targets for scammers while also giving criminals information they can use to craft more convincing lies. This behavior is most common among young adults, as 65% of Gen Z admit to oversharing online.

Source: Gen Digital/Norton 2025 Cyber Safety Insights Report

7. Gift cards are popular but risky holiday purchases

The National Retail Federation says that 50% of holiday shoppers would like to receive a gift card in 2025, and AARP reports that 72% of Americans plan to buy gift cards this holiday season. This year, 45% of respondents said they planned to buy the same number of gift cards as last year, 14% intended to buy more, and 13% said they would buy fewer.

Interestingly, 15% of respondents said they had received a gift card with no funds, the same rate as in 2024. 9% of people in 2025 said they had given a card that turned out to be empty, and another 9% said they had both given and received a gift card with no funds.

According to the most recent version of the Federal Trade Commission’s Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book, gift card fraud cost consumers $212 million in 2024.

Source: National Retail Federation, AARP 2025 Survey, Federal Trade Commission 2024 Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book

8. Black Friday and Cyber Monday are popular days for shoppers and scammers alike

Norton found that exactly half of consumers plan to do the majority of their holiday shopping on Black Friday or Cyber Monday, days when retailers traditionally offer a wide range of discounts on popular gift items. Unfortunately, scammers and fraudsters target these days with the same intensity as the most dedicated deal hunters.

According to the fraud prevention platform SEON, fraudulent transactions were approximately five times higher than baseline levels on Black Friday and four times higher on Cyber Monday in 2024. All told, the number of transactions identified as fraud by the platform rose by 418% on Black Friday and 356% on Cyber Monday.

While these days are prime targets for fraud, most consumers are aware of the potential danger they face while looking for holiday deals, as 61% of respondents to the Norton survey say they are concerned about being scammed while shopping on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Source: Gen Digital/Norton 2025 Cyber Safety Insights Report, SEON 2025 Black Friday/Cyber Monday Report

9. Holiday charitable giving is a prime target for scammers

AARP’s 2025 data shows that more than half of people, 57%, donated money to charity in the last year. Additionally, more than one-third of respondents (35%) say they received a donation request in the last 12 months that seemed likely to be fraudulent or a scam. Despite that, 59% of respondents say they don’t “always” research an organization or cause before donating.

Credit and debit cards are the most common payment methods for charitable donations, with 50% of donors last year using them. While that can be a quick and convenient way to donate money to a legitimate charity, giving a scammer access to that kind of information can be disastrous. A less risky donation method is cash, which is what 38% of those who gave money to charity in 2024 used.

Source: AARP 2025 Survey

10. Nearly a third of consumers have had packages stolen from their front porch

Porch piracy, or the theft of packages after delivery, is a problem that has grown as online shopping has become increasingly common.

According to AARP, nearly one-third of people (30%) have had a package stolen this year. That is tied with 2023 for the highest rate in the last five years.

According to Security.org, 9 million adults have had a package stolen in the last three months alone. Over the full course of the past year, thieves have stolen an estimated 37 million packages worth $8.2 billion, averaging $222 per package.

Source: AARP 2025 Survey, Security.org

11. Social media and investment scams rose in 2024

According to data from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), $1.9 billion was lost to scammers through social media scams in 2024, up from $1.5 billion the prior year. Investment fraud had the highest reported losses, climbing to $5.7 billion in 2024, an increase of more than $1 billion from 2023.

Overall, $12.8 billion was lost to scammers in 2024 compared to $10 billion in 2023. This continues an unfortunate trend that has seen the total amount of money lost to fraud nearly quadruple since 2020, when consumers reported $3.3 billion in losses to the FTC.

According to the FBI, in 2024, the amount of money lost to investment scams was more than twice that of any other category. The amount of money lost to investment scams rose by more than 40% last year, going from $4.57 billion in losses in 2023 to $6.57 billion in 2024.

Source: Federal Trade Commission, Federal Bureau of Investigation

12. The majority of U.S. consumers show susceptibility to online scammers

According to a 2025 AARP survey, most consumers in the United States failed a 10-question safe shopping quiz, which is a sign that they may be vulnerable to online fraud and scams. Only 27% of respondents passed the quiz, showing that the majority of shoppers aren’t as well-versed in staying safe while shopping online as they think.

Additionally, two-thirds of respondents (66%) incorrectly think that online stores and retailers will request their login data before providing customer support.

Source: AARP 2025 Survey

13. Travel fraud and toll scams on the rise

Travel is a major part of the holidays for many people, as they journey across the country to be with friends and family. Unfortunately, travel is not immune to scams and fraud, as 14% of U.S. adults say they have paid for something related to travel (such as a plane ticket, rental car, or lodging) only to find out the purchase was fraudulent. Among that group, nearly two-thirds (62%) say that fraud occurred in the last 12 months.

A newer phenomenon in the world of scams is travel-related, as toll scams have become increasingly common in the last year or two. According to AARP, more than half of adults (58%) have received a scam text about an unpaid toll in the last year. Thankfully, most people know to ignore these messages, as only 7% report paying the fake tolls as directed.

Source: AARP 2025 Survey

How to stay safe while holiday shopping

Avoiding scams during holiday shopping can be tricky, especially if you’re in a rush. To help you stay safe online while you hunt for the perfect holiday gifts, consider the following cybersecurity tips.

Practice good security hygiene

Phishing attacks can occur via email, social media, or websites, and they can be hard to spot if you don’t look carefully. Be sure to stop and think before you click on any links and be cautious about clicking ads you see on social media. Instead of clicking, try googling the product in a new window to see if it's legitimate.

Avoid requests to update your password or billing information

Many phishing attempts will ask you to update your password or billing information, even if you haven’t placed a recent order with a specific company. If you didn’t request a password reset link, delete the email immediately without clicking any links. If you recently placed an online order but think something looks suspicious, find the company’s phone number online and call them directly to verify.

Research who you’re buying from or selling to

If you’re purchasing from a company for the first time, be sure to do your research and read reviews. If you’re using an online marketplace, check the buyer or seller's feedback rating and avoid doing business with people with low ratings. Don’t send anyone money or products without verifying their credentials.

Use a credit card

Using a credit card online is an excellent way to help protect yourself from fraud. Most credit card companies offer a level of fraud protection and generally won't hold you liable for unauthorized charges as long as it’s reported promptly. If you see odd charges on your account, freeze the card as soon as possible and contact the card issuer to report the fraud and get the charges reversed.

Follow tracking information

Always check the tracking provided and follow the delivery process. To prevent porch piracy, consider holding your holiday packages at the post office or a UPS or FedEx retail location for safe pickup. Otherwise, try to be home to receive deliveries and create a secure spot on your porch for package drop off, preferably out of sight of the street and potential thieves.

Consider identity theft protection

If you discover fraudulent activity on your credit card or believe your identity was stolen, consider using a service to help monitor your information. Research the best identity theft protection services to help you make sure your information is safe while you shop online.

Bottom line

Thinking about scams and identity theft might steal some holiday cheer, but being smart now can help you avoid becoming a victim. Remember to use good security hygiene, don’t click on suspicious links, and use a credit card to help limit financial damage if thieves access your information.

Sources

1. AARP: Preparing for the Holiday Scam Season
2. Gen Digital/Norton 2025 Cyber Safety Insights Report
3. FBI - Holiday Scams
4. FBI - 2024 Internet Crime Report
5. Federal Trade Commission - Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book 2024
6. TransUnion Digital Holiday Fraud in 2024 Report
7. SEON - Black Friday & Cyber Monday: A Data-Driven Report for eCommerce
8. Consumers to Spend Second-Highest Amount on Record, According to NRF Holiday Survey
9. Security.org - 2025 Package Theft Annual Report and Statistics