The state of Berlin wants to protect consumers: better protect against fraudulent online shops inside and is committed to legal changes in the federal government.
Consumer protection senator Felor Badenberg sees a growing problem in the “fake shops” that are increasingly professional. “They cause economic damage to consumers and also damage trust in digital trade,” said the CDU politician of the German Press Agency.
At the conference of the state consumer protection ministers, which is currently running in Berlin, the topic for you as chairperson is one of the focus. Badenberg announced an application for the consultations. The goal is better protection for consumers by eliminating regulatory gaps.
Liability is not sufficient
“Mediation services, be it online search engines, comparison portals or online marketplaces, are only liable in exceptional cases,” said the senator. “The aim of our proposed decision is therefore to take more duty to take up these placement services and to strengthen the official law enforcement to switch off fake shop websites.”
According to Badenberg, 1,600 new “fake shops” were created every month in 2024. According to orders, customers receive poor goods – or no shipment at all. Buyer data would often be stolen or abused, said Badenberg. According to a current survey by the Schufa information, the damage would be between 1,000 and 10,000 euros for each fourth person.