While fake stores are becoming increasingly professional, only very few victims report the fraud. According to the , only one in three people contact the police. There is a great deal of uncertainty when it comes to recognizing such online traps. The 5 most important findings from the consumer survey:

• Only 52 percent, around half of fakeshop victims, talk to others at all about their personal case or seek support. Only 36 percent, or just over a third, file a complaint with the police.
• 49% of respondents who fell for a fake store had no suspicion at all during the ordering process. Even though 40 percent of the victims found the offer unusual, they did not suspect fraud. Only 8 percent stated that they had ordered despite a concrete suspicion.
• The most common reasons cited by those affected are the trustworthy appearance of the website design (35%) and the fact that they have never had any problems with online shopping (31%). Many of those affected also admit that they have not sufficiently checked the reliability of the store (30 percent).
  
• Knowledge about fake stores is generally low. Only one in two (51 percent) are confident that they can reliably recognize a fraudulent store. 37 percent feel rather unsure, 12 percent not sure at all.
• Only 49 percent of respondents are aware of official warning lists from the police and consumer advice centers. Only 5 percent use them regularly. Many consumers are unclear as to whether they can report fake stores. 40 percent do not know, 53 percent assume that it is possible to report them, while 7 percent believe that it is not possible.

Crime on the Internet is widespread and causes considerable financial damage to consumers. The SCHUFA survey on online fraud shows: One in four consumers in Germany has been a victim of online fraud. And which scams have people fallen for most often? These are the top 5:

1. fake stores

According to the , 37 percent of fraud victims have fallen victim to fake stores. are fake online stores where, for example, no goods or only inferior goods are delivered. Fraudsters usually want to steal money or sensitive data such as payment information or access data. Fake stores often only offer comparatively insecure payment methods such as bank transfer, prepayment or credit card payment. For 34 percent of people who fell victim to fake stores, the loss was between 100 and 1,000 euros. According to the SCHUFA consumer survey, 2 percent of victims of fake stores suffered losses of more than 10,000 euros.

2. scamming

25 percent of fraud victims have scams. This involves pretending to be someone else in order to trick a victim into transferring money or disclosing personal data. The fraudsters often pretend to be trustworthy people: They use fake information, emotional manipulation or pressure tactics to persuade their victims to take certain actions. There are various methods of scamming, such as love scamming, which involves pretending to be in a romantic relationship in order to obtain financial help. There is also job scamming. This involves advertising false job vacancies in order to obtain the personal details of the victims of fraud.

3. identity fraud

22 percent of fraud victims were victims of , according to the SCHUFA consumer survey. Identity fraud involves the theft of personal data, for example to use the victim's account for criminal purposes. The theft can take place through phishing, data leaks or hacking into the victim's account. The SCHUFA consumer survey shows that 11 percent of respondents who were victims of identity fraud suffered a financial loss of more than 10,000 euros.

4. subscription traps

According to the SCHUFA consumer survey, 19 percent of fraud victims were victims of subscription traps. Subscription traps are hidden offers that unintentionally lead to a paid subscription. They are often hidden behind free trial subscriptions or competitions. In most cases, only the small print reveals the agreement to a contract and the real costs. If a subscription has been taken out unnoticed and the first direct debit is made after a while, the deadline for revocation has usually passed and the subscription is difficult to cancel.

5. phishing

17 percent of fraud victims were victims of , according to the SCHUFA consumer survey. Fraudsters send fake e-mails that often contain links or file attachments. The reasons in the e-mails are often renewed identifications or updates of payment data and usually exert time pressure. If readers open the links, they are usually asked to enter access data, payment data or other personal data. In addition, malware can be installed by opening links or attachments, giving criminals full access to the end device used.

Tip 1: Check imprint

Check whether there is an imprint on the website. If you cannot find an imprint, this can be a strong indication of a fake store. If there is an imprint on the website, it must contain details of the provider's address, an authorized representative and an email address. If available, you can also check whether a commercial register number is given. "The by comparing it with the corresponding register entry," recommends the consumer advice center. "Please note: If a website misuses the name and data of other, real companies, this cannot of course be determined in this way."

Tip 2: Secure connection

Take a close look at the URL . You should look for a secure connection at the beginning of the address line. This should begin with https:// and contain a padlock symbol at the beginning of the address line. Spelling mistakes in the URL and extensions in the web address to include other domain extensions or the use of inappropriate terms can also be a warning sign of possible fake stores.

Tip 3: Check the seal of approval

Do the seal check. Another indication of a fake store can be a fake seal of approval. Clicking on the seal should take you to the seal issuer if the certificate is genuine.

Tip 4: Pay attention to ratings

Pay attention to ratings, prices and payment methods. In addition to fake seals, customer reviews are also often faked. It is best to look for other customer reviews on rating portals. Unrealistic low price offers for products that are new on the market can be conspicuous.

Tip 5: Check payment methods

Also pay attention to the payment methods when checking out. If you only have the option of paying in advance, be careful!

Tip 6: Look for spelling mistakes

Look for spelling mistakes. If an online store has a lot of unusual wording or spelling mistakes, it is more likely to be a fake store.