FAQ: Fake Shops

If you are not familiar with an online shop, you should play it safe and take a closer look at it yourself. Fraudulent online shops sometimes appear reputable at first glance, but deliver only low-quality goods or none at all. The money you paid in advance cannot be returned, your data could be misused and complaints are difficult or impossible.

There are different types of fraudulent online shops on the internet. These include fake shops, brand counterfeiters and cheap suppliers from outside Europe - also called dubious dropshippers. Here you will find an explanation of what is meant by these terms.

Fake Shops

Fake shops are online shops that do not exist in reality. Consumers who place an order via the website of a fake shop usually have to pay in advance by bank transfer. However, they never receive the goods and the money is irrevocably lost. More information on fake shops can be found at Watchlist Internet.

Markenfälscher

Brand counterfeiters are online shops that sell imitations of well-known brand products. The goods shipped are usually of poor quality or do not correspond to the order at all. The Internet Ombuds Office offers further information and tips on brand counterfeiters.

Cheap and dubious dropshippers

Online orders from non-European countries, especially from China, are frequent. However, it is often not obvious to consumers that the goods are being sent to them from outside Europe. The goods are often offered at unbeatably low prices. Many online shops also offer good customer service at first glance. Basically, however, caution is advised when buying from this type of online shop.

There are many dubious low-cost providers offering very cheap goods, and it is not obvious at first glance that the company behind the online shop is based in China, for example. Often there is no imprint on the website, or the information about which company operates the online shop is well hidden in long texts of the general terms and conditions. It is also often difficult to distinguish whether a website is a legitimate online shop or a fraudulent fake shop.

Problems that can occur when ordering from low-cost sellers:

• Low quality goods and counterfeit brands.
• Customs, taxes and shipping costs, without any prior indication of this during the ordering process.
• In principle, you have the same consumer rights as with other orders, but there are often practical problems in enforcing your rights.
• In many cases, returns are practically impossible or very expensive.

Many of these dubious online shops are on the Watchlist Internet's list of problematic online shops. In the Fake-Shop Detector, these shops are marked with a yellow question mark and a note to check the shop carefully.

More and detailed information on this topic can be found at the Internet Ombuds Office.