Fake shops by product category
Fake shops follow demand: electronics and toys before Christmas, fuel in the heating season, tools in spring, furniture and fashion all year round. For each product group you see what is typically offered, what the prices look like and what is faked.
The warning signs that apply to every shop are shown with examples in Spot a fake shop
- Surge
- all year
What our records contain
Listed means: a warning list carries the shop, or our check arrived at the assessment Danger. Here you see how the listed shops are spread across product groups, where we could identify the group, and which domains were added most recently. Every domain has a check report with reasons.
Seven product groups
Choose a group for scams, warning signs, price patterns and season.
Electronics & Tech
Smartphones, headphones, consoles and graphics cards: goods with well-known market prices and high demand.
SeasonNovember and December
Furniture & Home
Designer furniture, sofas and home furnishings. Long delivery times are normal here, so missing goods are noticed late.
Seasonall year, more in spring and autumn
Shoes & Fashion
Sneakers, branded clothing and accessories. Fake shops advertise them as a sale, stock clearance or remainder stock.
Seasonend-of-season sales, Black Friday, Christmas
Tools & DIY
Branded tools from well-known manufacturers: heavily discounted and with no traceable warranty.
Seasonspring and before Christmas
Heating & Fuel
Heating oil, wood pellets and firewood: large advance payments for whole deliveries, especially in the heating season.
Seasonautumn and winter
Toys
Sought-after LEGO sets and consoles before Christmas. The shops show as available what is sold out in regular retail.
SeasonOctober to December
Jewellery & Watches
Branded watches and jewellery with a supposed certificate of authenticity. Often no verification body stands behind the certificate.
SeasonChristmas, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day
Why fake shops cluster by category and season
Fraudsters choose product groups with high demand and well-known brands. There a reduced price barely stands out, because many people are looking for a deal anyway. Seasonal peaks such as Christmas or the heating season shift where fake shops appear. In the heating season, for example, the Verbraucherzentrale explicitly warns about fake shops for heating oil.
Check a specific shop
The shop check runs 40 check modules regardless of the product group and explains every finding. No sign-up, no cost.
Frequently asked questions
Why do scams differ by product group?
Because fake shops follow demand. With electronics the known market price matters, with furniture the usual long delivery time, with toys the scarcity before Christmas, with fuel the large delivery volume. Each group therefore has its own price pattern and its own excuse.
Where do the listed shops come from?
From our records. A shop is included if an evaluated warning list carries it, if our automated check arrives at the assessment Danger, or if we reviewed it by hand after a report. The check report says which case applies and names the source. Operators who consider a classification wrong can request a correction.
Is it enough to look at the price?
No. Some fake shops sit just below the market, and with toys availability rather than price is often the bait. Payment methods, legal notice and trust seals tell you more.