Affected – what now?
You ordered and paid at a suspected fake shop but received no goods or counterfeit goods? Act now – every hour counts. This page guides you step by step through stopping the payment, securing evidence, filing a report and protecting your accounts.
6 sources▼
- Verbraucherzentrale – Internet fraud: how to try to reclaim your money
- Verbraucherzentrale Hamburg – Beware the nasty PayPal trick in fake shops
- Watchlist Internet – What to do if you ordered from a fake shop
- Polizeiliche Kriminalprävention – Fake shops
- Police online station (central portal)
- PayPal – Buyer Protection (terms)
This text provides general, editorially prepared guidance and not legal advice. Deadlines, prospects of success and responsibilities depend on the individual case, the payment method and the terms of your bank or payment service provider. For a binding assessment, contact a consumer advice centre, a lawyer or the police. All information without guarantee.
The essentials at a glance
- 1Act immediately – every hour counts. Contact your bank or payment provider right away. With an ordinary bank transfer, a recall is only possible as long as the bank has not yet executed the order.
- 2Secure evidence before the shop goes offline (screenshots, order confirmation, payment receipt, correspondence).
- 3Reclaim your money – the route depends on the payment method (direct debit reversal, credit card chargeback, PayPal Buyer Protection).
- 4File a criminal complaint – online via the police online station of your federal state or at any police station.
- 5Secure your accounts and passwords if you created a customer account.
- 6Report the fake shop to warn others.
Immediate measures – stop the payment and get it back
Act as quickly as possible. The chance of getting your money back falls with every hour. The right approach depends on your payment method.
Bank transfer (advance payment / SEPA transfer)
- Call your own bank immediately and ask whether the transfer can still be stopped.
- A transfer you made yourself can no longer be reversed once the bank has executed the order. Only while it has not yet been executed is there a (slim) chance of recovery.
- With instant transfers the money is gone within seconds – recovery is practically impossible. Inform your bank and report the suspected fraud anyway.
SEPA direct debit
- You can have an authorised direct debit reversed by your bank within eight weeks of the debit date, without giving any reason.
- If the direct debit was not authorised, the deadline is up to 13 months.
- Request the reversal via online banking, by form or by phone.
Credit card (chargeback)
- Through the chargeback procedure the payment can be reversed by the card-issuing bank.
- Contact your bank or card provider and report the suspected fraud or "goods not received".
- Submit evidence (order, payment receipt, attempts to contact the shop). A processing fee may apply.
PayPal Buyer Protection
- Only the "Goods and Services" payment type is covered by PayPal Buyer Protection.
- Common trap: in fake shops the PayPal payment link is often preset to "Send money to friends and family" – which is excluded from Buyer Protection.
- Open a case in the Resolution Centre of your PayPal account. A problem must be reported within 180 days of the payment date.
"Sofortüberweisung", Klarna, purchase on account
- "Sofortüberweisung" is ultimately a bank transfer – recovery is only possible to a limited extent. Inform the provider nonetheless.
- For purchase on account or Klarna: do not pay yet or stop the pending payment, and report the suspected fraud to the payment provider.
Cash transfer (Western Union, MoneyGram) & prepaid cards
- Call the provider's fraud hotline immediately. Recovery is only possible as long as the money has not yet been collected at the branch.
- Payments via Paysafecard and the like are practically impossible to recover – secure the codes/receipts and file a complaint anyway.
Contact first your bank/payment service (time is critical!) and at the same time the police. Many services require proof that you contacted the shop without success – document this attempt.
Secure evidence (before the shop disappears)
Fake shops are often taken offline at short notice. So secure all records immediately – ideally as a screenshot and as a printout/PDF (e.g. via the print function “Save as PDF”, which includes the URL, date and time).
- The shop URL/domain and – if available – the imprint (full-page screenshot including the address bar in the browser).
- Order confirmation and invoice (email and attachments).
- Payment receipt / bank statement showing the recipient, IBAN/account details, amount, date and reference.
- Screenshots of the product page, the price and the ordering process.
- All correspondence with the shop (emails, chat, contact-form confirmations).
- Any account/login details you created at the shop (for your own records only).
File a report with the police
Online fraud is a criminal offence. A report matters – even if the perpetrators are often based abroad – because it enables investigations and can help get the shop taken down. If the scene of the crime is in Germany, choose the federal state of that location; if it is abroad, online or unknown (typical for fake shops), choose the federal state where you live.
Have ready: your personal details, the facts (what, when, where, how), any known details of the other party (shop name, URL, recipient IBAN, email) and your evidence as a file upload.
Contact your bank or payment service (details)
Even if you have already filed a report: keep following up with your bank/payment service.
- 1Report by phone immediately (time is critical), then follow up in writing (email/form) with evidence.
- 2Clearly state the suspected fraud and the payment method.
- 3Explicitly request the appropriate measure: reversal (direct debit), chargeback (credit card), a Buyer Protection case (PayPal) or a recall (bank/cash transfer).
- 4Attach evidence and document your unsuccessful attempt to contact the shop – many services require this.
- 5Keep the deadlines in mind: direct debit 8 weeks (or 13 months if unauthorised), PayPal 180 days from payment, credit card chargeback depending on the provider.
- 6If you gave your account details to the shop: discuss with your bank whether the card/IBAN should be blocked or monitored.
Secure accounts and passwords
If you created a customer account at the fake shop or entered any data:
- Change the password of your shop account immediately – and of every other account where you use the same or a similar password.
- Use unique passwords for important accounts and enable two-factor authentication (2FA) where possible; a password manager helps.
- Stay alert to follow-up fraud: expect phishing emails/calls referring to your order. Do not disclose any further data and do not click links in suspicious messages.
- If you disclosed payment data (card/account details): monitor your account activity closely and, if in doubt, have the card blocked.
Report the fake shop and the incident
Reporting protects others and supports the investigation:
Report the fake shop to us
Report the shop here – after review it is added to our public warning list and warns other shoppers.
File an online complaint with the police
File a complaint free of charge via the police online station of your federal state – important for investigations and refunds.
View the Fakeshop AI warning list
Check whether the shop is already listed and see the latest findings from our AI.
Frequently asked questions
Will I definitely get my money back?
No. The chances of success depend heavily on the payment method and how quickly you react. Credit card, direct debit and PayPal (Goods & Services) offer the best chances; with an executed bank transfer, instant transfer, cash transfer or "Friends & Family" it is usually very difficult.
Is it worth filing a complaint if the perpetrators are based abroad?
Yes. It enables investigations, can help get the shop taken down and is often a prerequisite for refund procedures.
Do I have to contact the shop even though it is a fake?
Often yes – many payment services require a documented (unsuccessful) attempt to make contact as proof. Document it, but do not disclose any further data.
Which federal state do I choose for the online complaint?
If the scene of the crime is in Germany, choose the federal state where it occurred. If the crime took place abroad, online or is unknown (typical for fake shops), choose the federal state where you live.