What starts as a harmless sale of a used boat or accessories can end up being expensive for consumers. Instead of receiving money for their goods, those affected lost a lot of money. Unfortunately, this is no longer an isolated case: the European Consumer Centre (ECC) Germany warns of fraud and rip-offs by scammers who are active on European online second-hand platforms.
Online platforms have long been established for the sale of boats and expensive accessories. If you enter the keyword “boats” in the Boats & Accessories section of eBay classifieds, for example, you will immediately get several hundred hits. However, particular caution is advised here, as criminals attempt to “rip off” sellers instead of paying the agreed purchase price.
According to a report by the European Consumer Centre (ECC) Germany in Kehl, this scam works as follows: supposed prospective buyers contact the victims via European online sales platforms such as Vinted or classified ads. They ask for a phone number or private email address. In the hope of receiving payment for the goods offered, consumers allow themselves to be lured out of the secure app environment.
The seller then receives what appears to be official step-by-step instructions for confirming the purchase amount. To do this, they are asked to scan a QR code that leads to a deceptively genuine-looking payment page. Scanning the electronic QR code is supposed to be a secure payment method. The aim is to get the seller to disclose sensitive data such as online banking access details or credit card numbers.
The aim of the scam: to get sellers to disclose sensitive payment details
Fraudsters often claim that the platform requires this data in order to successfully complete the sale of the product. Since many users are unfamiliar with the process and hope for a quick payment, the fraud often goes unnoticed at first. New users who are not yet familiar with the exact trading process are particularly susceptible to this type of fraud.
In some cases, the perpetrators even pretend to be support staff for the platform in order to put pressure on the victim, gain their trust, and obtain approval for the payment, warns the EVZ. The result: criminals obtain important access data and can make unauthorized debits.
How to avoid fraud: Don’t let yourself be lured away from the platform: The entire sales process with the interested buyer should take place exclusively within the platform. Check the origin of the QR code to ensure that it comes from a trustworthy source. Use a QR code scanner with an integrated security feature that detects suspicious URLs and warns you about them.
Recommendation: conduct the entire sales process via the platform.
In addition, no personal phone numbers or email addresses should be disclosed. If an external website is to be opened: pay attention to spelling mistakes and the general appearance. If something seems dubious: it is better not to click on anything. And: never disclose bank details, let alone online banking logins!
What to do if the money is already gone? The EVZ advises: contact the sales platform and report suspicious profiles. Contact your bank immediately! Those affected should try to reclaim the amounts paid via a chargeback. The incident should be reported to the police. Recommendation: Those affected should seek legal assistance.
“To secure online accounts, two-factor authentication (2FA) should always be activated. In addition, receiving payments does not usually require registration or confirmation via login. Anyone who is asked to do so should be suspicious, as this is most likely an attempt at fraud”, says Alexander Wahl, lawyer at the EVZ Germany.
