Overview

• Verbraucherzentrale NRW reports a high volume of recent complaints about scams that funnel users to cloned pages via QR codes or links to capture PayPal or card credentials.
• A case highlighted in Essen involved an almost €3,000 loss after a seller scanned a QR code and entered PayPal details, with funds withdrawn via the Friends & Family option.
• Another Essen victim lost €755 after a phishing-style email mimicking Markt.de prompted entry of PayPal credentials, and PayPal support said it could not help in that scenario.
• Fraud patterns also include fake “secure payment” pages, triangular schemes using hacked accounts, and pressure to use off-platform services like Western Union or Wise that offer little recourse.
• Consumer advisers recommend keeping payments and messaging on the platform, avoiding external links or QR codes, documenting transactions, reporting incidents to police and portals, and contacting banks or payment services immediately.