If you would first like to know how to stop payments, secure your accounts and report the incident to suchen.expert, please read the article What should I do if I have been scammed by a user?
This article provides further guidance on how to prepare and file a police report regarding suspected online fraud or fraud involving an advert. Not every delay in delivery, disagreement or unfulfilled agreement automatically constitutes fraud. You should therefore describe the actual sequence of events and the available indications of fraud. The relevant authorities will carry out the legal assessment.
Where you can file a police report
You can contact a police station in person. For suitable, non-urgent cases, the official German state police forces’ online reporting service is also available.
The forms available may vary depending on the federal state. If the offence took place online, abroad or the location is unknown, and you live in Germany, the portal will direct you to the relevant online reporting service based on your place of residence.
You should discuss complex matters, extensive documentation or cases involving violence or threats of violence directly with a police station. The online reporting service is not intended for emergencies. In the event of imminent danger or if immediate police intervention is required, dial 110.
Prepare a clear chronology
Describe the sequence of events in chronological order and distinguish between facts that can be established with certainty and assumptions.
Make a note of when and where you found the advert, what was offered or agreed, when and how contact was made, what statements the other person made, and what payment, delivery or other service was agreed.
Also note down what you yourself did or arranged, and when; when you first noticed any discrepancies; what led you to suspect fraud; and what losses have been incurred so far.
Provide dates and times as precisely as possible. If you cannot remember a particular detail with certainty, indicate this accordingly, rather than filling in missing information or making estimates.
Gather the relevant details
The advert ID, title, link, profile name, profile link and any user IDs may be particularly helpful in linking the advert to the user account. Save the complete relevant communication via suchen.expert, as well as emails or messages from any other services used.
In the event of a payment, document the amount, the date, the payment method, the recipient, the IBAN or other payment identifier used, the payment reference and any transaction number. Suitable evidence may include bank statements, payment confirmations, invoices or other supporting documents.
There is generally no specific ‘bank transfer link’, and you do not need to obtain one.
When sending a parcel, the courier company, the tracking number, the posting receipt, the delivery status, the addresses provided and any available photographs of the parcel or its contents may be relevant. Also note whether goods have not arrived, differ significantly from the description or whether an agreed consideration has not been provided.
Keep originals and metadata
Save original messages, emails, attachments, payment receipts, proof of dispatch, as well as screenshots or PDF copies of adverts and profile pages. Where possible, keep files in their original state, including any metadata, and make a backup copy.
Where possible, screenshots should clearly show the context, the address or identifier of the page, and the date and time. Do not edit original files. If you use highlighting or annotations for clarity, always keep the unaltered version alongside them.
Do not obtain evidence through unauthorised access to other people’s accounts, deception or other unlawful methods. Do not record telephone conversations without the consent of those involved. Instead, you can draw up a factual summary of the conversation immediately afterwards, noting the date, time, participants and key points.
Further practical advice on securing evidence and what to do following a fraud is available from the Police Crime Prevention Service.
Inform your bank or payment service provider at the same time
If a payment has already been made, contact your bank or the payment service provider you used as soon as possible. Ask about the options available in your specific case, such as recalling the payment, blocking it or using a formal dispute procedure.
Whether a payment can still be stopped or recovered depends on the payment method, the processing status and the terms and conditions of the relevant provider. A refund cannot be guaranteed.
Do not wait for a response from the police or the platform before taking this step. Also keep any correspondence and reference numbers from the payment service provider as potential evidence.
Keep the confirmation and reference number of the report
Following a report made in person or electronically, authorities may use different types of confirmation or reference numbers. You should therefore ask for the case, log, reference or file number that you can use to refer to your report in any subsequent enquiries.
The specific designation and the time at which it is issued depend on the competent authority and the stage of the proceedings. Keep any submission confirmation and the reference number provided.
A specific document, such as a ‘report on the victim’s interview’, is not automatically generated or issued in every case and should therefore not be expected as a matter of course.
Also report the incident on suchen.expert
Report the relevant advert using the function provided for this purpose. You can find instructions on this in the article How can I report a problem with a listing?
If the advert is no longer accessible or if you wish to provide additional information, please use the contact form.
Please provide the advert ID, the profile name, the key sequence of events and any available evidence in as structured a manner as possible. You may include an official reference number if it is already available and is required to associate the report with the case. Do not publish this number on your profile, in an advert or in any other publicly visible area.
suchen.expert may review the reported content and the account in question in accordance with the General Terms of Service and take moderation measures where appropriate. However, the platform does not conduct criminal investigations and cannot guarantee that a person will be identified or convicted or that any loss will be reimbursed.
Requests from the authorities regarding platform data
If the police, the public prosecutor’s office or a court require data from suchen.expert, the relevant authorities may contact the platform operator with a legally valid request.
suchen.expert may only disclose data to the extent permitted or required by law. This does not entail the blanket disclosure of all data that may be available.
Do not attempt to obtain the other user’s personal data yourself. Provide the police with the profile, advert and communication details lawfully available to you so that they can assess the next steps.
Information on the processing of personal data by suchen.expert can be found in the Privacy Policy.
What filing a police report does and does not guarantee
By filing a police report, you are informing the authorities of a set of facts which, in your opinion, may constitute a criminal offence. The relevant authorities will assess whether and what investigations should be initiated. They may ask follow-up questions or require further documents.
Filing a police report does not guarantee that a suspect will be identified, charged or convicted, or that any lost money will be repaid. Nor does it automatically result in action being taken by the platform or permanently prevent further attempts at fraud.
Consider civil claims separately
Criminal proceedings and potential civil claims serve different purposes. Repayment, damages, withdrawal from a contract or the enforcement of a contractual obligation are not automatically achieved by filing a police report.
Nor does filing a police report automatically suspend civil-law time limits. In cases of significant loss, an unclear legal situation, cross-border matters or an impending expiry of a time limit, seeking individual legal advice may be advisable.
Further information can be found in the article When and how can I take legal action in the event of a conflict on suchen.expert?
