Berlin wants to better protect consumers from fake shops

The state of Berlin wants to better protect consumers from fraudulent online stores and is lobbying the federal government for legal changes.

Consumer protection senator Felor Badenberg sees a growing problem in "fake stores", which are increasingly operating professionally. "They cause economic damage to consumers and also damage trust in digital commerce," the CDU politician told the German Press Agency.

Making intermediary services more accountable

At the conference of state consumer protection ministers currently taking place in Berlin, the topic is one of her priorities as chairwoman. Badenberg announced a motion for the consultations. The aim is to provide better protection for consumers by eliminating regulatory loopholes. "Intermediary services, whether online search engines, comparison portals or online marketplaces, are only liable in exceptional cases," explained the Senator. "The aim of our proposed resolution is therefore to make these intermediary services more liable and to strengthen official law enforcement to shut down fake store websites."

1,600 new "fake stores" per month

According to Badenberg, figures from consumer protection centers show that 1,600 new "fake stores" emerged every month in 2024. Customers receive faulty goods after ordering - or no shipment at all. Buyer data is often stolen or misused, Badenberg explained. According to a recent survey by credit agency Schufa, one in four of those affected suffered losses of between 1,000 and 10,000 euros.