Beware of fake shops: fraud when purchasing bicycles online

Beware of fake shops: fraud when purchasing bicycles online

Spring has arrived, which means the start of cycling season. But consumers are warned: The Hamburg consumer advice center is warning of a new scam, namely fake shops for bicycles on the Internet. These fraudulent online retailers lure customers with supposedly cheap offers for high-quality bikes, e-bikes, as well as spare parts and accessories such as bicycle bags from well-known brand manufacturers.

After paying for the goods by bank transfer or credit card, some buyers experience bitter disappointment: the ordered goods never arrive, the supposed shop operators cannot be reached, and the money is lost. The Hamburg consumer advice center has classified several Internet addresses as dubious, including eradprofi.com, gravelbikede.com, fahrradmeierigm.com, and bikeboys-onlineshop.net.

To identify fake bicycle shops, Julia Rehberg from the Hamburg Consumer Center advises that a look at the legal notice is often not enough. Many sites provide plausible addresses in Germany with telephone numbers, registration numbers and managing director names. Before placing an order, Rehberg recommends checking whether the company is actually registered in the commercial register and calling the telephone number provided.

The Bicycle Press Service (PD-F) has also put together tips for recognizing online fraudsters. This includes checking the prices, the legal notice, making a test call, checking the commercial registration number and the payment methods offered. The Hamburg consumer advice center regularly publishes the URLs of questionable online sellers on its website and also offers tips on how to identify fake shops, and not just for bicycles.