As much as digitalization simplifies our modern lives, there's always someone who takes advantage of it. All kinds of online fraud have increased significantly in recent years, partly due to the numerous mobile applications. Interestingly, German shipping companies are sometimes among the victims, with their website content being copied and reused – often on a server on the other side of the world.
The worst part is that unless you stumble across a fake website by chance, you, as a victim, usually know very little about such scams. Generally speaking, nobody has the time to regularly scour the entire internet. So you have to trust that you'll get a tip – perhaps from a customer you work with regularly. Or maybe the consumer protection agency will receive a report and get in touch.
What are the fraudsters planning?
The goal is essentially always the same: to make money through shady dealings. However, the exact methods used by online criminals vary. Even on relevant portals where consumers can post classified ads, strange business proposals occasionally land in the inbox. The advertised car or kitchen is supposed to be picked up, and the seller is asked to pay the shipping costs upfront. The contracted shipping company (always a fake, of course) would then collect the goods. If the consumer pays and thus falls for the scam, they naturally never see their money. But these kinds of "crooked deals" can also occur when buying goods. The editors of Die Welt have already published a very interesting article on this topic, focusing primarily on fraud in online used car purchases.
Fake websites of non-existent shipping companies
So it's not just online portals that can be affected, but also the logistics industry. Using fake websites, fraudsters try to create a reputable image of a transport service provider – what could be easier than using the images and names of real freight forwarding companies? OCS Spedition has also been a victim of this scam. With deceptive promises of benefits such as escrow services, specialization in car and motorcycle transport, and online shipment tracking, they assure visitors of supposed security and reliability. Even though this approach requires highly criminal intent, tracing the scam is extremely complicated and time-consuming. Generally, you should always trust your gut feeling: If offers seem suspicious, exercise caution. No reputable provider would expect you to transfer transport costs in advance to a freight forwarding company based in a non-European country, regardless of how well a website has been replicated.
The fraudsters' approach in the case of the OCS freight forwarding company was quite brazen: they primarily stole images of our employees to create a professional impression on the website. Thus Dennis Braun and Sergej Lehrke were transformed into Ramino Wobeser and Benjamin Lühring on the fake company's website. Only through a reverse image search on Google were the illegally obtained copies identified, allowing the OCS team to be alerted.
German consumer protection agencies can help with filing a criminal complaint
So, usually, the only recourse for a victim is to contact the police. Filing a criminal complaint can now be done online. Most German states offer an online police station, allowing for quick reporting of internet fraud. Consumer protection agencies are also always available to help victims, although the chances of success are unfortunately not very high. While it's possible to contact internet providers and try to have the website blocked or deleted, it's highly unlikely that such requests will even be answered. The consumer protection agency's website also provides more in-depth information on this topic.
If it happens to you: stay calm.
Should you ever experience data theft, it's crucial to act prudently. Contact consumer protection and file a report if you feel it's appropriate. Prosecution is often difficult, as the costs and effort involved are frequently disproportionate. Therefore, if you receive a tip, simply be open to the facts and inform your customers openly about your observations. It was also very important for us to inform you that shipping companies can be affected by such measures. But don't worry, we are the original.
