Holiday Shopping Scams Cost Buyers About $920 Million In 2025 And Gift Card Payments Are The Big Red Flag

The holidays are when we all hunt for that perfect find: the retro toy a grandson has been asking about, the collectible for the shelf, the gift that makes someone say wow. Scammers know it. They are counting on you to be in a hurry and in a good mood.

The Santa Clarita Valley Signal laid out the damage in a November 2026 report built on figures from the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, known as IC3, and the Federal Trade Commission.

Holiday Shopping Scams Cost Buyers About $920 Million In 2025

According to the report, the FTC counted about $920 million in holiday shopping fraud in 2025. That is a staggering sum for what most of us think of as a season of cheer.

It also means the problem is not rare. Behind that number are real people who thought they were buying a gift and got nothing.

More Than $503 Million Lost To Never-Delivered Orders

The FBI’s IC3 reported that non-payment and non-delivery scams topped $503 million in 2025. In plain English, that means people paid for something and it never showed up.

For collectors and gift buyers, this is the scam to watch. A rare record, a vintage doll or a hard-to-find toy is exactly the type of item a fake seller can dangle on a website or social media page.

Gift Cards Cost Americans $217 Million In 2024

Gift cards deserve their own warning. The report says $217 million was lost to gift-card scams in 2024, across more than 41,000 reports.

Think about that for a moment. Tens of thousands of people were talked into buying gift cards and handing over the numbers, and they never got their money back.

Why Gift Card Payments Are The Big Red Flag

Gift cards are cash with no safety net. Once a scammer has the number on the back, the money can be spent in minutes, and there is no easy way to pull it back.

A real store or a real seller does not insist you pay by gift card for a purchase. If someone does, that alone is reason enough to stop and walk away.

The same goes for a caller or online “seller” who says there is an emergency, a tax bill or a prize and the only way to settle it is with gift cards. A genuine business or government office does not work that way.

How The Fake Seller Gets You To Hurry

Scammers love a deadline. A countdown timer, a message that only a few items are left or a price far lower than anywhere else all push you to click before you think.

A price that looks too good for a hard-to-find collectible is often just bait. If the same rare item is listed everywhere else for far more, ask yourself why this one is a bargain.

Safer Ways To Pay When You Shop For Gifts And Collectibles

You can enjoy online shopping and still protect yourself. A handful of habits does most of the work.

Pay with a credit card when you can. Card issuers generally give you a way to dispute a charge, which is harder with cash, wire transfers or gift cards.
Never pay a stranger with gift cards, wire transfers or cryptocurrency.
Read the web address carefully. Fake shops often copy a well-known name with a small change in spelling.
Look for a real phone number, a street address and a return policy before you hand over a card number.
Check seller reviews on more than one site, and be wary of a brand-new shop with a flashy ad.

What To Do If You Think You Have Been Scammed

Act fast. Call your credit card company or bank and tell them what happened, because quick reports give you the best shot at stopping or reversing a charge.

Then report it to the FBI’s IC3 at ic3.gov and to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. Reports help investigators spot patterns, and they may help the next person avoid the same trap.

Buying Vintage And Collectibles Online Takes Extra Care

Collectibles are tricky because every piece is different. A seller can post a photo borrowed from somewhere else, and the buyer has no way to inspect the real thing.

Ask for extra photos that show today’s date or a handwritten note next to the item. A genuine seller will usually be glad to send them, and a scammer tends to vanish.

If you can, buy from sellers with a long history and use marketplaces that hold your payment until the item arrives. A little patience beats a fast mistake.

Talk To The Family Before The Shopping Starts

Scams hit older relatives and younger ones alike. Take a minute at the holiday table to share what you have learned, especially the gift card rule.

Make a simple pact in your house: nobody pays with gift cards for anything but a gift, and anyone who gets a surprise call or message asks the others first.

A Little Caution Keeps The Season Merry

None of this means you should stop shopping online or giving gifts. It means treating the holidays like any busy parking lot: stay alert, lock the doors and do not leave your wallet in plain view.

When a deal feels too good, or a seller wants gift cards, take that as your cue to stop. A moment of doubt costs nothing, and it may save you hundreds of dollars and a very sad Christmas morning.

Vinyl and Velvet