Online Scams & Fraud in Germany

Germany has made it illegal to scam people with penalties that include fines and jail time of up to 10 years. However, this has not deterred scammers from continuing with their acts with Germans losing over 3.1 billion to scammers.

The government has responded by having  Internet Wache (Internet Watch) which can be found in most states. Additionally, there are consumer protection centers found throughout the country that help consumers deal with scams. 

Read on to find out everything you need to know about scams, including how much money was lost to scammers and where you can report a scam in Germany.

Scam Statistics in Germany

The key statistics on online fraud in Germany, according to the Global Anti Scam Alliance.

The figures in the table will differ strongly per year as various sources have been used, pending availability.

Where Can I Report a Scam in Germany?

Below are some of the places where people can report scams in Germany:

• Police: You can report online scams to your local police station as police jurisdiction is left to federal states.
• Internet Wache: This is mostly run by states and consumers can report scams here.
• Consumer Protection Authorities: Contact your local Verbraucherzentrale (consumer protection office) or the Bundesverband der Verbraucherzentralen und Verbraucherverbände (vzbv) to report scams related to consumer rights.
• Internet Crime Offices (Zentralen Ansprechstellen Cybercrime - ZAC): Germany has several Internet Crime Offices that handle cybercrime, including online scams. You can report incidents to the relevant office based on your location.
• German Data Protection Authority (BfDI - Bundesbeauftragte für den Datenschutz und die Informationsfreiheit): If the scam involves a breach of personal data, you can report it to the BfDI.

How to Report a Scam in Germany

Reporting a scam is crucial. At the moment, only 7% of all scams are reported. As a result, only 0.05% of all cybercriminals are caught. Reporting online fraud is not only essential if you want to try and get your money back. It is also needed to help law enforcement fight scammers better.

• Gather info: Collect all information about the suspected fraud including the name, telephone, key web pages, emails, IP address, and any other information relevant. This is needed to file a complete report.
• Report the incident: Always report to your local law enforcement and note the file number they might provide for your fraud report for future reference.
• Stop the Money: Report the incident to the financial institution that transferred the money such as your bank, Paypal, credit card company, or the Internet payment service provider.
• Protect yourself: Scammers often contact you again. Sometimes with the same scam. Sometimes to help you “recover your money”. Consider changing your email address/phone number. Also, install the ScamAdviser browser extension to warn you of scams. 

Our article “How and Where to Report a Scam” gives you more detail and tips on how you can best report online fraud.

Scam Victim Support in Germany

You also have access to a wide variety of non-governmental victim/survivor support organizations. These services are provided without charge and in complete trust. They can also suggest specialized attorneys or therapists for you. Here are some of them;

• Opferhilfe Berlin e.V.- As the Victim aid Berlin, e.V., they offer free & confidential services for victims of fraud including scams.
• Weißer Ring e.V.- online counseling or nationwide person on-site and can be reached through phone call at 116 006.

How to Check for a Scam in Germany

Of course, you can always check for scams on ScamAdviser.com. However, there are several other sources where you can check if a website is registered as a company and if it can offer financial, gambling, or other regulated services as well. They include;

• Verbraucherschutz.com- They not only offer advice for scams, but you can also visit them to check for scams.
• German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK)- You can visit them to check for business-related scams.

Anti-Scam Organizations & Consumer Authorities

• Bundeskriminalamt (BKA) -This is owned by the Federal Ministry of Internal Affairs and coordinates efforts to suppress cybercrime at both local and international levels.
• Zentrale Ansprechstelle Cybercrime (ZAC)- This is the nerve center of contact for cybercrime with each state having its own ZAC.
• The German Federal Office for Information Security- This office offers advice and counsel to consumers as well as digital recommendations. 

Popular Scams in Germany

Rental Scams Affecting Hundreds of People

In recent months, many newcomers in Berlin have lost money after a popular accommodation provider went under. Co-living Service GmbH & Co. KG, popularly known as Co-liCo, seems to have gone under, leaving hundreds of would-be tenants stranded and staring at substantial financial losses.

Co-liCo was listed as  “trusted” and “verified” on the popular HousingAnywhere platform. Even though HousingAnywhere promised to refund payments made through its platforms, customers still lost huge amounts of money on deposits that were paid through Co-liCo’s Commerzbank account.

Rental scams are common in major cities throughout Germany, with scammers frequently claiming that landlords are unavailable to show you the apartment because they are out of town. Others impersonate popular listings on trustworthy platforms, but the payments are made to different platforms.

The best way to avoid rental scams in Germany is to pay for apartments you can see and verify. Before paying, ensure the keys actually work and other amenities are actually working.

Scam News From Germany

• ‘Europol ploy’: mass phone scam defrauds Germans of millions of euros
• Wirecard trial of executives opens in the German fraud scandal

Contributors

• Joachim Feist, CEO Mindup

Image source: unsplash.com