Overview

• Verbraucherzentrale agencies logged more than 2,900 complaints about dubious online service offerings in the first half of 2025, nearly three times the volume from a year earlier.
• Most grievances target providers charging for official-authority tasks such as address forwarding and certificate issuance that are free or cheaper through public agencies.
• Consumers report financial losses and erosion of trust as fake services often mimic legitimate providers and appear prominently in search-engine ads.
• The Bundesverband der Verbraucherzentralen has filed a lawsuit against a website demanding €39.99 for a public broadcaster address-change service that is available at no cost.
• Advocates are calling on search engines and advertising platforms to vet service adverts rigorously to stem the rise of professionalized online fraud.