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Nearly half of U.S. consumers—48%—said they were targeted by a scam while holiday shopping online, according to Norton’s 2024 Cyber Safety Insights Report: Holiday. That is a survey finding about reported targeting in the 2024 holiday-shopping season, not a finding that 48% lost money, completed a fraudulent purchase, or had payment details stolen.
What Norton’s 48% finding does—and does not—say
Norton attributed the figure to its October 29, 2024 announcement of the 2024 Cyber Safety Insights Report: Holiday. The finding is limited to U.S. consumers and holiday online shopping in that report. It should not be read as a current 2026 estimate, an annual rate for all online shopping, or a measure of how many people became victims.
The release does not provide enough survey-method information to establish the sample size, field dates, weighting, or exact question wording. The safest interpretation is the one Norton reports: respondents said they had been targeted. “Targeted” does not establish that a scam succeeded or caused a financial loss.
How the finding compares with FTC reports
Federal Trade Commission data describe reports received by the agency, a different measure from a consumer survey. The FTC’s 2024 Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book recorded 383,441 reports in the combined “Online Shopping and Negative Reviews” category, $432 million in reported losses, and a $130 median reported loss for that category.
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- PRIMARY & SPARE KEYS: Just like having a spare house key, we recommend buying two YubiKeys - one for daily use and one as a spare. That way you’ll never get locked out of your accounts
Those figures are not a count of every shopping scam: they cover reports received, and incidents that were never reported are not reflected. Nor can they be combined with Norton’s 48% to infer a victimization rate; the sources measure different things.
The FTC separately said consumers reported more than $3 billion in losses to scams that started online in 2024, compared with about $1.9 billion to scams begun through traditional contact methods. That is a broader online-scam measure, not a shopping-scam total, and it likewise reflects reported losses rather than every scam. See the FTC’s 2024 scam data summary.
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How to reduce the risk before you buy
Check an unfamiliar seller
Before entering payment or personal information, search the seller’s name alongside words such as “review,” “complaint,” or “scam.” The FTC recommends this check as a way to look for reports about a seller; it cannot guarantee that a seller is legitimate or that search results are complete.
Choose a payment method with recourse
The FTC recommends paying by credit card when possible. Keep the order confirmation and payment records so you can explain the transaction if there is a dispute. A credit card does not guarantee a refund or chargeback, and the outcome depends on the circumstances and the card issuer’s process.
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- Check FIDO2 compatibility before purchase - Known limitations: ID Austria is not supported (requires FIDO2 Level 2). Windows Hello login only works with Windows Enterprise editions that support Entra ID. NFC is supported only through mobile authentication, Not MacOS/windows.
Use security tools as one layer, not a guarantee
Norton describes Norton Genie as a free AI-powered scam-detection app for checking messages, social posts, email, and websites. That is the vendor’s description of its product; it does not establish that the tool prevents shopping scams or validate its effectiveness independently. No security app can substitute for evaluating the seller and transaction carefully.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What to do if a shopping transaction looks fraudulent
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Contact the seller through contact details you independently verify, and keep copies of messages, order details, and receipts.
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Thetis Nano-C for Business - USB C FIDO2 Security Key L1 MFA & Passkey Access for School ERP, Employee Online Account, Compatible with Coinbase Google Workspace Apple ID Window Salesfore - 2 Pack- FIDO2 & Passkey Ready: Business-ready and FIDO2 L1 certified. This key is supported by major management suites and is ideal for both individual and enterprise deployment. Works seamlessly with Gmail, Facebook, GitHub, Dropbox, Coinbase, and more.
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- Check FIDO2 compatibility before purchase - Known limitations: ID Austria is not supported (requires FIDO2 Level 2). Windows Hello login only works with Windows Enterprise editions that support Entra ID. NFC functionality is not supported.
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If you paid by card, contact the card issuer promptly using the number on the card or its official website and ask what dispute or fraud-reporting options apply.
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If the seller or payment provider does not resolve the problem, report suspected fraud to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Reporting helps the agency collect complaint information; it does not itself guarantee recovery of money.
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Norton spokesperson Leyla Bilge offered this general advice in the 2024 announcement: “Stick to sites you trust, stay educated on common scams, update passwords, set fraud alerts and always think twice before sharing your personal information.”
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