McAfee

Email scams in retail increased by approximately 50% and in tech by approximately 85% as the holidays approached in 2025.

96% of consumers plan to shop online during the holiday season.

37% of consumers indicated they may buy from brands they do not recognize.

Technology URL scams rose by nearly 50% and consumer URL scams increased by approximately 5%.

46% of Americans encountered fake celebrity or influencer endorsements.

91% of consumers reported seeing ads from unfamiliar retailers.

10% of Americans lost money after clicking on fake celebrity or influencer endorsements in 2025, with average losses of $525.

72% of Americans have seen fake celebrity or influencer endorsements in 2025.

39% of Americans have clicked on fake celebrity or influencer endorsements in 2025.

Taylor Swift ranks #1 as the most impersonated and exploited celebrity.

Only 29% of Americans feel very confident about spotting deepfakes in 2025.

Scammers are pushing free giveaways (36%), weight-loss products (30%), skincare (27%), crypto schemes (26%), and tech gadgets (25%) in 2025.

44% of Americans have seen fake or AI-generated influencer endorsements in 2025.

21% of Americans have low confidence in spotting deepfakes in 2025.