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Emergency

Consumer situation report

What matters right now: current warnings and consumer topics from public sources, curated and with a source reference. Plus our immediate help for an emergency.

Honestly: this is a curated overview, not our own statistics. We show warnings from reputable bodies as short teasers and link the original report. We do not invent numbers.

Current scam warnings

Source: Verbraucherzentrale NRW · Phishing-Radar

Current consumer topics

Source: Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband (vzbv)

Immediate help for the most common emergencies

If something has already happened, here are the first steps.

Money was debited from my account that I did not authorizeI entered bank details on a linked payment pageSomeone has access to my account (email, WhatsApp, social media)My phone is lost or stolenMy account or profile was blocked (Facebook, Instagram, Amazon, PayPal)Someone is acting in my name (invoices for things I did not order)I received a letter from a law firm or debt collector about something I do not recogniseI paid but did not receive the goodsI received a suspicious message but have not done anything yet

Scam patterns our check detects

A suspicious message? Have it checked in the scam check →

Very short payment deadline / pressure to act 'immediately'Immediate SCHUFA / credit-score threat without a titleThreat of seizure/bailiff/criminal complaint without a court rulingPayment to a foreign account / non-German IBANNo comprehensible basis (no contract/date/invoice)Demand by law-firm or debt-collection letter, with a court threatPrize-draw or lottery subscription, allegedly agreed by phoneLetter quotes real details about you (e.g. part of your IBAN)Subscription-trap pattern (free trial, then a sudden invoice)Filesharing/copyright warning with a flat-rate settlementAnonymous/unclear sender (freemail, no imprint, no person)Disproportionately high reminder/collection feesPhishing: 'confirm' data/login via a linkA request to enter bank details or 'link' an accountScam against sellers: 'secure payment service' with a fake payment pagePrize promise with an upfront feePossible fake shop (advance payment only)Address-book/business-directory scam (invoice for a directory entry)Payment demanded by gift/prepaid card or cryptoAlleged authority / law enforcement (intimidation)Unrealistic returns / trading promise (investment fraud)Parcel/customs-fee fraud (smishing)Blackmail with alleged recordings (sextortion)Dubious job offer / money muleFake technical support (Microsoft/remote access)Shock call / grandchild trick (emergency + money now)QR code to pay or log in (quishing)

The warnings come from the named public bodies and can be read in full there. We reproduce them only as short teasers with a source reference and link, and do not replace the original sources. A self-help tool, not legal advice.