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Checklist before buying online

Don’t know the shop? Tick off the points before you pay. You also see which payment method leaves you a way back and which scams are in season, and get ready-made texts for shop, bank and seal issuer.

Why a point matters and what it looks like in a real shop is shown with examples in Spot a fake shop

13 points to tick off

Go through the points in order. Look at every open point again.

0 of 13 ticked

Nothing ticked yet. The order follows your purchase: research first, then the legal notice, then the checkout.

Only your browser stores the ticks, so they are still there next time. None of it is sent to our server. An open point proves no fraud. If the checkout offers no protected payment method, that alone can be a reason not to order.

Before you put anything in the basket0 of 4

price comparison site with the model number · Why?

on independent review platforms as well as on the shop itself

lookup.icann.org, for .de the Internet Archive · Why?

read findings, sources and data gaps · To the shop check

In the legal notice and legal texts0 of 4

Why?

handelsregister.de, VAT ID via VIES · Why?

open the withdrawal policy · Why?

call or write once before a larger order

At checkout0 of 3

invoice, direct debit, PayPal Goods and Services, credit card · Why?

Why?

not even by email or messenger after the order

Right after ordering0 of 2

screenshots or PDF, in case the shop goes offline

grace periods and recovery routes run from this date · Deadlines per payment method

The printout shows the items with your ticks, without the page header and footer.

Payment methods compared

The short version is sorted by the protection you have with a fake shop. Protection, deadline and source for each payment method are on the page comparing payment methods.

  • Protection by law or process
    • Purchase on invoiceno recovery deadline needed
    • SEPA direct debit8 weeks, 13 months without mandate
  • Protection with conditions
    • PayPal Buyer Protection180 days, then 20 days
    • Credit card (chargeback)Ask your bank
    • Klarna buyer protection120 days
  • No way back
    • Bank transfer and instant transferImmediately; recall needs consent
    • PayPal “Friends and Family”no buyer protection
    • Gift cards, cash transfer, cryptocurrencyno way back

The classification is editorial and not legal advice. Your bank’s and payment provider’s terms are authoritative. Deadlines reflect German law.

All payment methods with protection, deadline and source

Seasonal scams

Fake shops follow demand. The overview shows which offers stand out in which season.

  • October to February
    Heating oil, pellets, firewood

    In the heating season, fake shops lure with fuel prices far below the market and demand advance payment for the whole delivery.

    More on this product groupSource: Verbraucherzentrale
  • November
    Black Friday and Cyber Week

    Discount weeks are a convenient pretext for bait offers and countdowns. Check unfamiliar shops calmly anyway.

    More on this product groupSource: Saxony police
  • November and December
    Gifts: toys, electronics, jewellery

    Sought-after gifts that are sold out elsewhere appear in fake shops as “in stock”.

    More on this product group
  • March to May
    Garden, tools, furniture

    At the start of the garden and renovation season, branded tools and garden furniture are offered at steep discounts.

    More on this product group
  • all year
    Parcel messages about customs or extra postage

    Fake texts and emails around orders harvest payment details. Open tracking directly with the carrier.

Templates to copy

Copy, replace the placeholders in square brackets, send. The letters are formal because they go to companies.

Grace period for the shopThe delivery date has passed and the shop gives evasive answers.

Withdrawal after a grace period is governed by § 323 of the German Civil Code (BGB). Choose a reasonable period and send the message in a way you can prove. § 323 BGB

Subject: Grace period for delivery, order [order number] of [date]

Dear Sir or Madam,

On [date] I ordered [item] from you and paid [amount] by [payment method]. The promised delivery date [date] has passed and I have not received the goods.

I hereby set you a deadline for delivery until [date]. If this deadline passes without delivery, I will withdraw from the purchase contract and request a refund of the amount paid.

Kind regards
[Your name]
Request to your bank or payment providerYou have paid and the shop does not deliver or can no longer be reached.

For a bank transfer, also call immediately. The deadline for your payment method is on the “Money back” page. To the deadlines per payment method

Subject: Chargeback due to suspected fraud, order [order number]

Dear Sir or Madam,

On [date] I placed an order with [shop address] and paid by [payment method]. The shop is suspected of being a fake shop. The ordered goods have not been delivered to date.

I ask you to review the payment and, if applicable, to initiate a chargeback. I am happy to provide supporting documents.

Kind regards
[Your name]
Notice to the seal issuerA shop displays a seal that cannot be confirmed with the issuer.

The issuers’ contact routes are listed on each seal page. To the trust seals

Subject: Possible misuse of your seal on [domain]

Dear Sir or Madam,

The online shop [domain] displays your seal [name of the seal]. Clicking it opens [no certificate / an unrelated page], and I cannot find the shop in your list of certified shops.

A screenshot from [date] is attached. Please review this use.

Kind regards
[Your name]

Already paid?

Detailed help is on separate pages. Here are the first three steps.

  1. Contact your bank or payment provider immediately

    The route depends on how you paid: return the direct debit, request a chargeback, ask for a transfer recall, open a PayPal dispute.

  2. Secure evidence

    Offer, order confirmation, emails and payment receipt as screenshots or PDF.

  3. Report it to the police

    Online via your state’s internet police station or in person. The case number helps with your bank and payment provider.

Help for victimsMoney back: deadlines per methodReport a fake shop

Frequently asked questions

Which payment method protects me best?

Purchase on invoice, because you only pay after receiving the goods. Next come direct debit (statutory return within eight weeks) and PayPal Goods and Services, credit card and Klarna with contractual protection under conditions. A bank transfer cannot be reversed on your own once executed.

Do I need to tick every item on the checklist?

No. The list is a framework. A single open point proves no fraud, but a serious one such as a checkout without a protected payment method can be reason enough not to order. Nothing is stored; the ticks disappear when you reload.

How do I check the age of a domain?

Via lookup.icann.org. For .de domains DENIC shows no registration date; the Internet Archive (web.archive.org) helps there.

Are trust seals reliable proof?

Only if the issuer holds a valid certificate for this domain. A logo without a link is an image and nothing more. The verification route per seal is in the trust seal guide.

What do I do if I have already paid?

Contact your bank or payment provider early, secure evidence and report it to the police. The route and deadline for your payment method are on the “Money back” page.

Dennis Bölling, Founder · QAD SoftUpdated

Sources