Handbags, designer clothing, high-tech trend products and brand-name watches: In addition to a wide range of products, online stores also offer convenient ordering options for everyone. However, online retailers can also conceal fraudsters who want to rip off online shoppers with so-called fake stores (fake internet sales platforms). We show you ways to recognize such scammers.
Rip-offs online: How do I recognize fake stores on the internet?
Fake stores are difficult to recognize at first glance. Some of them are copies of real websites, they appear reputable at first glance and therefore rarely leave the buyer in doubt as to their authenticity. With well-copied product images and information from the Internet as well as a professional appearance, fake stores gain the trust of online shoppers and thus entice them to make a purchase. Another lure is the seemingly particularly low price of the product they are looking for.
After an advance payment has been made, it is not uncommon for inferior goods to be sent at an inflated price, and sometimes the product is not delivered at all. Retailers often even feign delivery problems and put off those affected in order to prevent them from taking further action.
To avoid falling for a fake store, pay attention to the following points:
If an actually known address shows inconsistencies, this can be a warning sign. This could be an extension of the address to include other domain extensions where there should actually only be a ".de" - such as .de.com. Of course, this can only be recognized if you know the correct address.
You should also be skeptical if the address does not match the content of the page at all - for example, if a URL for plants suddenly offers shoes.
Customers are often offered several payment methods up to the final order step. However, when the actual order is placed, only prepayment is required, e.g. in the form of a bank transfer. However, it should be the other way around: first the goods, then the money. It is better not to order anything without a customer-friendly payment method.
More information on secure online payment
Not every particularly cheap store is a fake store, and not every fake store necessarily has to be extremely cheap. However, if a store is offering conspicuously low prices, you should at least take a closer look - because quite a few rip-off artists use this lure method.
Fake stores like to adorn themselves with fictitious seals of approval that have no real validity. Or they use genuine seals of approval such as "Trusted Shops" without having this certificate. By clicking on the seal, you can check whether the seal is linked to a certificate from the seal operator. Because without a corresponding link, it is likely to be a fake.
More information on seals of approval for online shops
In general, when shopping online, it makes sense for customers not to rely solely on reviews within a store. However, if the praise piles up, this can be an additional indication of a fake store - especially if other reviews differ greatly and increasingly point to fraudulent activities.
Fake stores can have fictitious terms and conditions or terms and conditions copied from other sites. However, this is not always easy to recognize. A clear sign of fake T&Cs is when they come from a translation program in poor German. If this is the case or if the terms and conditions are missing altogether, you should not place an order.
A non-existent legal notice is always a no-go! But not all fake stores make it that easy. If an imprint can be found, it must include the address, an authorized representative and an email address. There must also be a reference to the commercial register with the corresponding number. If in doubt, the latter can be checked in more detail.
More information on the information obligations of internet providers
What victims of a fake store can do:
- If you have already transferred money, you should immediately ask your bank to reverse the payment. This is usually still possible a few hours after placing an online order. With other payment methods such as direct debit, the payment can be reversed up to eight weeks after collection. You must also contact your bank for this.
All receipts for the online order should be collected and saved. This includes the purchase contract, order confirmation, emails and a screenshot of the offer.From a legal point of view, this is fraud. Those affected can have the printed documents checked by the closest advice center of their consumer advice center and file a complaint with the police. This is also possible online.