With practically every reported fake shop the same pattern appears: at the end of the ordering process the tempting payment methods have suddenly vanished – all that remains is advance payment by bank transfer. That is exactly what the fraudsters are counting on.
This is no coincidence, but calculation. A classic bank transfer is the safest way for fraudsters to get at your money: unlike a card payment or a PayPal payment with buyer protection, an executed transfer can as a rule no longer be recalled once the money has been credited to the recipient account. Anyone who transfers money in advance thereby pays first – and bears the full risk.
Why fraudsters deliberately push for advance payment
Reputable shops almost always offer several payment methods, including at least one with protection for buyers. Fake shops often work with a trick: on the product page, PayPal, credit card, Klarna or purchase on account are advertised as logos. If you select these options during the ordering process, an error message appears – or the selection silently jumps back to advance payment. Sometimes it is claimed that the payment method is currently technically unavailable, or that there is an extra discount for advance payment.
The consumer advice centre therefore calls advance payment a central warning sign and expressly advises scepticism if, during the payment process, suddenly only the bank transfer remains.
Be suspicious if you are asked to pay in advance – this is one of the most common signs of a fraudulent shop.
What happens if the money has already been transferred
If you have already transferred the money and the suspicion only arises afterwards, every minute counts. A SEPA transfer is usually executed within a few hours. As long as the money has not yet been credited to the recipient account, your bank may still be able to stop the process – which is why you should call immediately. With an instant transfer, however, the money is gone practically at once.
If the credit has already been made, only the so-called transfer recall remains: your bank asks the recipient bank to return the money. But it may only do so with the recipient's consent – with a fraudster, experience shows this is hopeless. There is no guarantee of repayment. In any case, file a report with the police and report the suspected fraud to your bank with the file number of the report.
Safe alternatives to advance payment
The good news: for almost every purchase there are payment methods where you do not have to pay first without protection. You should always prefer these options to a bank transfer.
- PayPal “Goods and Services”. Offers buyer protection in the event of non-delivery or significantly different goods. Important: you must report a problem within 180 days of payment. Protection only applies to the “Goods and Services” option – not to the free payment to “Friends and Family”, which fraudsters therefore like to demand.
- Purchase on account. The safest option: you only pay after the goods have arrived and been checked. If nothing arrives, you have not paid anything either. That is why fake shops practically never seriously offer this option.
- Credit card with chargeback. In the event of fraud or non-delivery, you can initiate a chargeback through your bank. This is not a statutory entitlement but a procedure of the card networks with a tight deadline – often around 120 days from the transaction date. Collect the order confirmation, emails and screenshots as evidence.
- SEPA direct debit. A direct debit you have granted can as a rule be reversed within eight weeks of the debit without giving reasons. However, this only protects you if the shop actually debits by direct debit – with advance payment this route does not apply.
These rights you have regardless of the payment service
Buyer protection and chargeback are voluntary services of the providers – they do not replace your statutory rights. Under German law, in a consumer purchase the retailer bears the transport and loss risk: if the goods do not arrive, the seller must prove that they reached you. In that case you are entitled to delivery or a refund. The only problem with fake shops is a practical one: behind the “retailer” there is often no reachable company, but a throwaway domain. Being legally in the right is of little use if no one can be held liable – which is why prevention is decisive.
How to act in an advance-payment scam
- Call the bank immediately. Ask for the transfer to be stopped or recalled before the money is credited. The faster, the better.
- File a report with the police. Online or at the station. You need the file number for the transfer recall and possible further steps.
- Document everything. Secure the order confirmation, payment receipt, shop address, emails and screenshots of the imprint – evidence can disappear later.
- Inform the payment service. With a credit card or PayPal, apply for buyer protection or chargeback within the deadline.
- Warn others. Report the shop to the consumer advice centre so that more people do not fall into the trap as well.
Advance payment is not automatically fraud
To be fair: small, reputable retailers or some foreign shops legitimately offer only advance payment. On its own, that is not yet proof of fraud. It becomes dangerous only in combination with other warning signs – such as a very young domain, a missing or incomplete imprint, unrealistically low prices on branded goods, or trust seals that cannot be clicked. Then enforced advance payment is a strong indication.
If you are unsure, you do not have to check these signals one by one by hand: the Fakeshop AI check automatically evaluates payment methods, domain age, imprint and other features and delivers a comprehensible score with a justification – before you transfer the money.
