The COVID-19 outbreak saw a surge in e-commerce, but it also exposed a darker side. In 2020, over 38 percent of all scams worldwide were attributed to online purchases. However, as the pandemic waned, incidents of online shopping scams decreased, accounting for three in ten e-commerce transactions between January and June 2022. In 2023, the figure increased again to 41.9 percent.
Online purchases as percentage of total scams reported worldwide from 2015 to 2023
The study is based on two sets of data:
- An analysis of more than 300,000 reports submitted to BBB Scam Tracker between 2015 and 2023.
- A survey conducted in 2023 with almost 6,947 people who reported a scam.
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BBB. (April 2, 2024). Online purchases as percentage of total scams reported worldwide from 2015 to 2023 [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved October 10, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1273277/online-purchase-share-total-scams-worldwide/
BBB. "Online purchases as percentage of total scams reported worldwide from 2015 to 2023." Chart. April 2, 2024. Statista. Accessed October 10, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1273277/online-purchase-share-total-scams-worldwide/
BBB. (2024). Online purchases as percentage of total scams reported worldwide from 2015 to 2023. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: October 10, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1273277/online-purchase-share-total-scams-worldwide/
BBB. "Online Purchases as Percentage of Total Scams Reported Worldwide from 2015 to 2023." Statista, Statista Inc., 2 Apr 2024, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1273277/online-purchase-share-total-scams-worldwide/
BBB, Online purchases as percentage of total scams reported worldwide from 2015 to 2023 Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1273277/online-purchase-share-total-scams-worldwide/ (last visited October 10, 2024)
Online purchases as percentage of total scams reported worldwide from 2015 to 2023 [Graph], BBB, April 2, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1273277/online-purchase-share-total-scams-worldwide/