Recognize a fake shop

Signs that this could be a fake shop:

  • Payment only by prepayment with a transfer to a foreign bank account.

  • Missing or incorrect imprint (compulsory content: address, authorised representative, e-mail, entry in the commercial register)

  • Missing contact options or only abroad or only by e-mail

  • Missing or faulty general terms and conditions


In the case of offers via the large mail order companies such as Amazon or E-Bay:

  • Request to be contacted before ordering

  • Conspicuously low-priced offers in all product areas

  • The provider's user account is fairly new


Further tips:

  • Look for reviews for the shop in question

  • Every shop must provide a VAT ID; you can enter this in a search engine and see if it has not been copied from another shop.

  • The validity of the VAT ID can also be checked online.

  • Check the encryption certificate of the website for security/validity. To do this, click on the lock in front of the website address in the browser and call up further information).

  • If a seal of approval such as "Trusted Shops" is available, check whether the seal is linked to the provider of the seal.