Fraud in Germany: Common Schemes and How to Protect Yourself

Germany is considered a safe country, but that doesn’t mean there is no crime. Scammers often target those who have recently moved: people who aren’t yet confident in the language, aren’t familiar with local procedures, and are afraid of missing an important letter or breaking a rule. Below are real examples of scams that you should be aware of in advance.

The Golden Rule

If you’re being rushed, asked to transfer money urgently, install a program, sign a contract, send a copy of your passport, or accept a package for someone else, take a moment to think. In Germany, legitimate companies, banks, government agencies, and landlords usually don’t require an immediate decision over the phone or via messaging apps.

1. Transfers Through Your Account and the Risk of Money Laundering

One dangerous scheme involves using someone as a “Finanzagent,” or money transfer agent. The scenarios vary:

• An unexpected amount of money is deposited into your account, after which a stranger asks you to transfer it to someone else;
• They offer a side job: accepting payments and transferring them to other accounts;
• They promise a commission for “simple financial assistance”;
• They ask you to open an account or use your IBAN for transactions on behalf of others.

The problem is that the money may be linked to a crime. Even if a person didn’t fully understand the scheme, the bank and the police will look at their actual involvement in the money transfers.

How to Protect Yourself

• Do not transfer other people’s money through your account.
• Do not accept a job where the main task is to receive and transfer payments.
• If you receive a confusing transfer, do not send money at the request of a stranger. Contact your bank and proceed through official channels.
• Keep a record of all correspondence, phone numbers, email addresses, and payment details.
• If you suspect a crime, contact the police.

2. Door-to-Door Contracts and Pushed Services

Scammers or aggressive salespeople may pose as employees of an internet service provider, an energy company, a property management firm, a charity, or a service company. Their goal is to obtain your signature, bank details, or payment on the spot.

Sometimes it’s not a classic criminal scam, but rather a contract forced upon you with unfavorable terms. People sign papers without understanding the term, price, Kündigungsfrist, or additional services.

How to Protect Yourself

• Do not let strangers into your apartment unless you invited them yourself.
• Do not sign documents on a stairwell landing or under pressure.
• Do not pay in cash for an “urgent check” without an official reason.
• Ask for a business card, the company name, and some time to verify the information.
• If you’ve already signed a contract at your doorstep, over the phone, or online, check your Widerrufsrecht: in many cases, consumers have 14 days to cancel, but the start of the cancellation period and any exceptions depend on the type of contract and whether you were properly informed of your right to cancel.

3. Remote Access to Your Computer and Online Banking

Remote access scams aren’t limited to office workers. The caller may claim to be from a bank, Microsoft, DHL, Telekom, an employer, an IT service, or a security service. They’ll try to convince you to install a program for remote maintenance, log into online banking, confirm a TAN, or give them your codes.

After that, the attacker can gain access to files, passwords, banking transactions, and payment information.

How to Protect Yourself

• Do not install software at the request of someone who called or messaged you.
• Do not disclose your PIN, TAN, passwords, or codes from text messages or apps.
• If you receive a call supposedly from a bank, end the call and call back using the number listed on the official website or on your card.
• If access has already been granted, disconnect the device from the internet, change your passwords from another device, and contact your bank immediately.
• If you suffer financial loss, file a report with the police and preserve the evidence.

4. Skimming, cash trapping, and credit card data theft

At ATMs, scammers may use skimmers on the card reader, hidden cameras, fake keypads, or devices that delay cash dispensing. Sometimes card data is stolen not only at ATMs but also through phishing websites, fake bank messages, or insecure payment forms.

How to Protect Yourself

• Cover the keyboard with your hand when entering your PIN.
• Do not enter your PIN to access a building with an ATM: the bank does not require a PIN for door access.
• Inspect the card slot and keypad: if any parts are loose or look unusual, don’t use the ATM.
• It’s best to withdraw money at a bank branch or in a well-lit area.
• If you suspect anything, immediately block your card through your bank or by calling the Sperr-Notruf at 116 116, if your bank supports this service.

Do not transfer money for housing directly to the landlord until you have inspected the apartment, signed a clear lease agreement, and verified the landlord’s contact information.

5. Fake Apartment Rentals

When searching for an apartment on or rental portals like, you’ll come across listings with attractive photos, low prices, and immediate move-in dates. The “owner” might claim to be abroad, unable to show the apartment in person, but willing to send the keys after the security deposit is transferred.

Another tactic is to demand a security deposit after a supposedly successful property viewing, before signing the lease or moving in. Once the money is transferred to the scammer’s account, it’s difficult to get it back.

How to Protect Yourself

• Do not pay for an apartment that you have not seen in person or through a properly arranged viewing.
• Do not pay the Kaution until you have a clear Mietvertrag and have verified the landlord.
• Do not leave the portal’s official chat to use messaging apps just because “it’s cheaper.”
• Compare the price with the Mietspiegel or similar listings in the area.
• Check for inconsistencies: photos, address, floor, floor plan, owner’s name, bank account.
• Do not send copies of documents without understanding who needs them and why.

6. Investment Offers and Trading Scams

Scammers offer investments in cryptocurrency, gold, stocks, CFDs, “risk-free” accounts, or private platforms. They may appear professional: a website with charts, a personal account manager, a dashboard showing projected profits, reviews, and even videos featuring well-known people.

Red flags:

• They promise high returns with no risk;
• They demand that you make the first payment quickly;
• They ask you to install an app or grant remote access;
• Payments are only available after additional fees, taxes, or deposits are paid;
• The company is not listed in the registries of regulated financial institutions.

How to Protect Yourself

• Do not invest after receiving a cold call, seeing an ad on social media, or being pressured via a messaging app.
• Check the company against official registries and BaFin warnings.
• Do not send copies of your ID to an unknown platform.
• Do not transfer money to private individuals’ accounts or foreign bank accounts without verifying them first.
• If you’ve already invested money and are asked to pay an additional fee to withdraw your funds, stop and document the evidence.

7. Unnecessary and Expensive Insurance Policies

An insurance agent may offer a “discount package” that includes auto insurance, legal protection insurance (Rechtsschutzversicherung), dental coverage, liability insurance (Haftpflicht), disability insurance (Berufsunfähigkeitsversicherung), and a private pension all at once. Not every such sale is a scam, but there’s a high risk of overpaying if you sign up for everything during a single conversation.

How to Protect Yourself

• Distinguish between what is mandatory, what is helpful, and what is optional.
• Do not sign up for multiple insurance policies at once without taking the time to compare them first.
• Check the term (Laufzeit), cancellation period (Kündigungsfrist), deductible (Selbstbeteiligung), exclusions (Ausschlüsse), and the total annual cost.
• Compare offers from several companies and clarify whether the intermediary receives a commission.
• If a contract is concluded remotely or outside an office, check whether you have the right to revoke it and the applicable deadlines.

Do not agree to accept or forward packages for people you do not know and cannot verify.

8. Packages, Warenagenten, and Order Fraud

A request to accept a package and forward it may seem harmless: the store doesn’t ship to another country, a friend finds it inconvenient to receive the package, or the buyer offers to pay for shipping. But the item may have been ordered under someone else’s name, with a stolen card, or on account without payment.

Ultimately, letters and payment demands arrive at the recipient’s address, while the person who asked to have the goods forwarded disappears.

How to Protect Yourself

• Do not accept or forward packages for strangers.
• Don’t sign up to be a “Paketagent” or “Warenagent” in response to an ad for an easy side job.
• If a package arrives and seems suspicious, take a photo of the label and do not hand it over to third parties until you’ve investigated it.
• If you suspect Bestellbetrug, contact the seller, the delivery service, or the police.

What to Do If You’ve Already Encountered a Scam

1. Stop any further action: do not transfer any more money and do not send any documents.
2. Contact your bank if your card, account, online banking, or a money transfer is affected.
3. Block your card or access, change your passwords, and disable remote access.
4. Keep evidence: correspondence, phone numbers, emails, payment details, screenshots, ads, and contracts.
5. File a police report (Anzeige). In many states, this can be done via Onlinewache, but urgent situations require calling 110.
6. For consumer contracts, contact the Verbraucherzentrale or a lawyer if you need to verify a Widerruf, Kündigung, or a disputed bill.

A Quick Safety Checklist

• Do not transfer other people’s money through your account.
• Do not sign documents under pressure.
• Do not grant remote access to your computer or phone.
• Do not disclose your PIN, TAN, passwords, or one-time codes.
• Do not pay for housing until you have inspected the apartment and reviewed the lease agreement.
• Do not trust high-return, risk-free investment offers.
• Do not accept packages on behalf of people you do not know.
• Always verify a company through its official website, a public registry, or an independent source.

Conclusion

Most scams rely on haste, trust, and the fear of making a mistake. If an offer requires an immediate decision, bypassing official procedures, or using your bank account, address, computer, or documents, that’s already a reason to stop. In a questionable situation, it’s safer to miss out on a “lucrative opportunity” than to lose money, access to your account, or your peace of mind.