Life News

Summer of scams: Gallup puts US losses at $68bn as fake air con deals hit UK shoppers

Two reports this week looked at the same household risk from different sides of the Atlantic. Al Jazeera covered a new Gallup poll which found that 6% of US adults were personally scammed in 2025 and a further 4% lived in a household where someone was. Gallup estimated the total financial toll at $68bn, an average of $186m stolen each day. In more than half of the cases people lost $500 or less, but the average loss per scam was $5,578.

The poll found the damage was not only financial: 73% of those affected said the scam hurt their mental health or wellbeing, and one in five said it caused severe financial hardship, with households earning under $80,000 hit harder. Gallup surveyed 5,173 adults in January and February.

In Britain, The Guardian described a heatwave version of the problem. With air conditioners selling out, criminals have built copies of retailer websites, including a fake Aldi site found by the cybersecurity firm Kaspersky, offering units at a third of the normal price and warning that only a few are left.

“Stay calm and double‑check everything, especially the website’s URL and design.” — Olga Altukhova, Kaspersky, via The Guardian

How each outlet framed it

• Al Jazeera — the national picture: who gets scammed, how much is lost and the emotional cost.
• The Guardian — a practical warning: how fake shops exploit a sudden rush for cooling, with red flags to watch for.

What we don't know yet: Gallup's figures cover 2025 in the US only, and the Guardian piece does not say how many UK shoppers paid fake sites. Both stress the same tips: be wary of huge discounts and countdown timers, and contact your bank quickly if you hand over card details.