Spot fake online stores: How to shop safely online

Why Fake Shops Work So Well

Fake shops often look strikingly authentic: professional photos, trust seals, customer reviews. They appear through ads and search results and lure you with prices that are far below the market. After you pay, the goods never arrive – or you get a cheap knock‑off.

Key Warning Signs

• The price is dramatically lower than everywhere else, especially for brand items, electronics and sneakers.
• The only payment options at checkout are pre‑payment or bank transfer, even though other methods were shown earlier.
• The imprint (Impressum) is missing, incomplete, or lists a company located in a far‑away country.
• The website address doesn’t match the shop name or uses an unusual domain extension.
• The copy reads like a clumsy translation, the terms and conditions or cancellation policy are missing or appear copied.
• Trust seals can’t be clicked or don’t lead to the seal issuer’s website.
• Reviews exist only on the shop’s own page and nowhere else online.

How to Check a Shop in Two Minutes

• Search the shop name together with words like “reviews” or “scam”.
• Inspect the imprint: full address, phone number, commercial register entry?
• Click a trust seal – real seals link to the certificate on the provider’s site.
• Verify the shop’s address with our link‑check for typical tricks.

Pay Safely

Choose payment methods that offer buyer protection or the ability to reverse the transaction, such as invoice purchase, direct debit or credit card. A bank transfer to an unknown party is virtually impossible to recover. Enter card details only on sites whose URLs you have personally verified.

Already Paid? Here's What to Do Next

• Contact your bank immediately: a bank transfer can sometimes still be stopped, and you can request refunds for direct debits and card payments.
• Secure evidence: screenshots of the shop, the order, the confirmation email and the payment receipt.
• File a police report – many countries also allow you to do this online.
• If you created a customer account, change the password everywhere you reuse it.

What About the VPN?

A VPN protects your connection, especially when you’re shopping on public Wi‑Fi. It won’t shield you from a fake shop itself – that’s where spotting the warning signs comes in. Our First‑Aid page walks you through the exact steps to take after a fraud incident.