Transferred money to a fake shop? Here is what you can do now
That is a shock – and you are not alone in this. Take a deep breath, then act deliberately: the following four steps are ordered so you have the greatest impact fastest. Most importantly: do not lose any time now.
This text provides general, editorially prepared guidance and not legal advice. Prospects of success depend on the individual case, the payment method and the timing. For a binding assessment, contact your bank, the consumer advice centre/consumer protection agency or the police.
Why is getting the money back often difficult?
Honestly: not always good – but that is not your fault. Three reasons explain why.
Accounts of go-betweens ("money mules")
Fraudsters often do not have the money sent to their own account, but to the account of a recruited or hacked go-between. From there it is usually forwarded or withdrawn straight away – after which your bank can no longer retrieve it.
IBANs change constantly
The account details listed in the imprint or the payment request are frequently changed after a short time, or are already blocked by the time your bank reacts. This makes tracing the money even harder.
Instant transfers are gone immediately
With a classic bank transfer there is a small chance of a recall as long as it has not yet been executed. An instant transfer, on the other hand, reaches the recipient within seconds – after that a recall is practically impossible.
Act in four steps
Contact your bank or payment service immediately
Every minute counts. Call them – don’t just send an email – and describe your suspicion of fraud.
Ask the bank to check whether the payment order can still be stopped. With a normal transfer this is only possible as long as it has not yet been executed.
Request a chargeback: report "goods not received"/suspected fraud to your card-issuing bank.
Buyer protection only applies to "Goods & Services" – open a case in the Resolution Center (deadline: 180 days from payment).
File a report with the police
Filing a report matters regardless of the odds of recovering the money: it enables investigations and is often a prerequisite for refund procedures with your bank or payment service.
Central portal that forwards you to the online police station of your federal state.
Secure evidence before the shop goes offline
Fake shops are often taken down at short notice. Secure everything now, ideally as a screenshot and as a PDF printout (which includes the URL, date and time).
Product page, price, order confirmation, the shop’s imprint.
Bank statement showing the recipient’s IBAN, amount, date and reference.
All emails and chat histories with the shop.
Seek free advice
Consumer protection bodies know the process, document cases and give independent advice on which steps still make sense in your situation.
Free consumer advice on online purchases and fraud cases.
Next steps
Done with the immediate measures? Then continue here.
Frequently asked questions
Will I get my transferred money back?
There is no blanket promise. With a normal bank transfer, recovery is only possible as long as the bank has not yet executed the order. With an instant transfer the money reaches the recipient within seconds – recovery is then practically impossible. Report the incident to your bank and the police immediately anyway: only then is there any chance at all.
Why can’t my bank simply cancel the transfer?
Legally, a bank transfer is a payment order made by you. Once the bank has executed it and the money has been credited to the recipient, it can no longer reverse it unilaterally. At most it can ask the recipient’s bank for a voluntary return of the money – but there is no guarantee.
Is it worth filing a report even though the money is probably gone?
Yes. A report enables criminal investigations, can help get the recipient account blocked and the shop taken down, and is required by some payment service providers as proof for a refund procedure.
I’m in Austria or Switzerland – where do I report it?
Use the reporting body responsible for your country (see the country selector above). In Austria the Bundeskriminalamt and Watchlist Internet are responsible, in Switzerland the NCSC/BACS reporting portal or cybercrimepolice.ch.