What an advance payment means
With an advance payment, you pay all or part of the amount before receiving the goods, before a service has been fully provided or before a ticket has been validly transferred. You therefore bear the risk that the other party will later fail to perform, perform late or perform differently from what was agreed.
An advance payment is not automatically fraud. Deposits may be understandable, for example, for custom-made goods, purchasing materials, reservations or longer-term services. What matters is whether the amount, purpose, contracting party and further process are plausible and recorded in writing.
The higher the proportion requested in advance and the less you can check about the other person and the offer, the greater your risk. No payment method or individual check completely rules out fraud.
Check the profile and offer together
Profile details, activity, reviews and any displayed verification features can help with your assessment. However, they guarantee neither the identity of the person currently acting nor the availability, authenticity or legality of the offer. An older or well-reviewed account may also have been taken over.
Before making an advance payment, check:
- whether the description, images, price and location are consistent,
- whether specific questions are answered plausibly,
- whether the requested payment is appropriate for the value and process of the transaction,
- whether the name and role of the person receiving the payment are plausible,
- whether the money is to go to a third party or changing accounts without a plausible reason,
- whether the price is unusually low or artificial time pressure is being created,
- whether current additional photos or suitable evidence can be provided,
- whether images or text are already used in other listings,
- whether a commercial provider can be reached through contact details found independently.
An image of an identity document, proof of purchase, register entry or video call may be forged or misused and is not proof of legitimacy on its own. Do not request complete copies of identity documents as a precaution or send any yourself without a plausible reason.
Record agreements through the messaging function
Preferably communicate through the suchen.expert messaging function. External contact details and links may be exchanged, but switching to a messenger, SMS, email or telephone may break the traceable connection with the listing.
Before payment, record the following in writing:
- the exact item or scope of the service,
- its condition, defects and accessories,
- the total price and all additional costs,
- the amount and purpose of the advance payment,
- the recipient and agreed payment method,
- when further instalments are due,
- shipping, handover, place of performance and deadlines,
- the conditions for acceptance or completion,
- the conditions for cancellation, return or refund,
- how changes and additional costs will be handled.
Afterwards, briefly confirm arrangements made during a telephone call or meeting in a platform message. An invoice or written agreement improves the documentation, but does not by itself prove that the other person is able or willing to perform.
For goods and shipping
Check whether viewing or an in-person handover is possible. For high-value or easily counterfeited goods, full advance payment without inspection is particularly risky.
If necessary, ask for current images from additional angles and specific details about the model, condition, accessories and origin. A current photo reduces some uncertainty, but proves neither ownership nor authenticity.
For shipping, agree in advance:
- the exact delivery address,
- the shipping company,
- the shipping method and any insurance,
- who bears the shipping costs,
- when the goods are deemed to have been shipped,
- how the tracking number will be provided,
- what should happen in the event of loss or damage.
Check tracking numbers only on the shipping company's official website that you opened yourself. Do not open a link that allegedly demands an additional insurance, release or delivery fee. A shipping label or electronically announced shipment also does not prove that the agreed item was actually handed over for shipping.
Cash on delivery reduces some risks, but does not always allow the contents to be checked before payment. It is therefore not a complete safeguard either.
For collection in person
If the type and value of the goods permit it, checking them before payment can reduce the advance-payment risk. Agree on a suitable, clearly visible handover location and, for higher values, consider asking someone to accompany you.
Do not pay an unusually high reservation fee solely because other interested parties are allegedly waiting. If a small reservation payment is agreed, record in writing what it is for, how long the reservation applies and under what conditions it will be refunded or credited.
As the seller, do not rely on a screenshot, email or SMS purporting to confirm payment. Before handing over the goods, check that the payment has actually arrived only in the bank or payment account that you opened yourself.
For services and instalment payments
For services, reasonable deposits for materials, preparation or reserved appointments may be understandable. However, clarify which specific consideration corresponds to the advance payment.
For larger contracts, instalment payments after verifiable stages of performance may reduce the risk for both parties. For example, agree:
- which work must be completed before each instalment,
- how completion will be established,
- which material costs are included,
- who may approve additional work,
- when the final payment is due,
- how delays, termination or defects will be handled.
Instalment payments do not eliminate the risk. Do not pay another instalment merely because money has already been paid. Additional material, release or administration fees should be supported by plausible evidence and agreed in writing before payment.
For work requiring particular qualifications, licences or insurance, check the relevant details through independent sources.
For tickets and events
Check the event, date, organiser, seat, personalisation and transferability on the official event or ticket website. Use an official resale or transfer method if one is provided.
A photo or screenshot of a ticket does not prove that it is valid, transferable or has been sold only once. QR codes and barcodes can be copied and passed on several times. Do not allow yourself to be pressured into paying in full in advance solely on the basis of an image.
Clarify in advance:
- how and when the ticket will be transferred,
- whether a name change is required and possible,
- whether additional transfer fees apply,
- which rules apply to cancellation or rescheduling,
- whether the chosen payment method covers this type of transaction at all.
Open alleged repersonalisation or transfer links only after opening the organiser's official website yourself and checking the process there.
Assess bank transfers realistically
A bank transfer that has already been executed usually cannot be reversed unilaterally. The risk of loss is therefore higher when making an advance payment to an unknown person.
Check the IBAN, recipient name, amount and payment reference carefully. For euro transfers subject to Verification of payee, your bank may indicate whether the recipient name entered matches the specified account. Even a complete match confirms only this association; it proves neither the identity of the person acting nor the legitimacy or performance of the transaction. BaFin explains the process in Verification of payee.
Do not transfer money to a different account merely because the original account is allegedly blocked, the daily limit has been reached or a relative is said to be responsible. Ask for a plausible explanation of any discrepancy and stop if in doubt.
Use PayPal correctly
For purchasing goods or services, PayPal provides the Goods and Services option. A payment through Friends and Family is intended for personal payments and, under PayPal's terms, is not covered by Buyer Protection. If an unknown seller insists on Friends and Family for a purchase, decline the payment. PayPal explains this in What are ‘Friends and Family’ payment scams?
A Goods and Services payment does not guarantee a refund either. PayPal Buyer Protection applies only to eligible transactions and subject to the current requirements, exclusions and time limits. Certain goods, in-person collections or other types of transaction may be excluded in whole or in part. Before paying, check the official PayPal Buyer Protection terms.
Open PayPal only through the official app or a website that you entered yourself. Never enter your PayPal password or confirmation codes on a page sent by the other person.
Cards, direct debits and cash
For a card payment, enter card details only on a payment page that you can verify and have checked independently. Never disclose the card PIN or security or confirmation codes to the other contracting party. Whether a later chargeback is possible depends on the card type, facts, time limits and provider's rules.
A SEPA Core Direct Debit offers certain return options. However, returning a debit does not automatically end an underlying contract or a legitimate claim. Do not issue a direct-debit mandate through an unknown form or unchecked link.
Cash at handover does not permit a later technical reversal. Check the goods, amount and receipt before completing the handover. Cash payment is not risk-free either.
None of these payment methods replaces checking the offer and agreement.
Recognise fake escrow, payment and shipping services
Fraudsters may imitate pages that look like an escrow service, payment service, courier company or suchen.expert function. They often claim that you must:
- pay a fee so that the money can be released,
- verify your card to receive a payment,
- enter online-banking details,
- scan a QR code,
- advance an insurance or shipping fee,
- give a confirmation code to the other person,
- return an allegedly overpaid amount to another account.
To receive money, you do not have to disclose your online-banking password, PIN, TAN, card verification number or one-time code to a stranger.
If an escrow or payment service is suggested, open it through an official address that you researched yourself and independently check whether the specific transaction exists there. Do not rely on logos, screenshots or a support number from the link that was sent to you.
Payments between users are not processed or held through a suchen.expert payment or escrow service. Therefore, do not use an alleged suchen.expert payment, escrow, shipping or payout link; instead, check the claim through the official contact form.
Vouchers, cryptocurrencies and QR codes
Voucher codes and cryptocurrencies are often difficult to recover after they have been sent or confirmed. A demand for such payment methods is a significant warning sign in an ordinary purchase of goods or services.
A QR code may lead to a payment instruction or fake page. Before opening or confirming it, check the destination address, recipient, amount and payment method. Do not scan a QR code sent to you allegedly to receive a payment or unlock your account.
Do not pay an additional tax, deposit, security or release fee merely because you are promised a refund of the amount already paid afterwards.
Warning signs before payment
Stop the payment and check the process again if:
- unusually intense time pressure is being created,
- the communication is to be moved away from suchen.expert immediately,
- questions about the goods, service or identity are answered evasively,
- the payment recipient changes without a plausible reason,
- several instalments to different people are demanded,
- payment through Friends and Family, vouchers or cryptocurrency is being forced,
- you are asked to use an external payment or shipping link,
- additional fees appear only after the first payment,
- the other person refuses a viewing or plausible check,
- you are asked to confirm a payment that you did not initiate yourself,
- alleged support asks for remote access, a password or a one-time code.
Further general guidance is provided in How can I protect myself from fraud on suchen.expert?
Keep records
Before and after payment, preserve:
- the listing, URL and listing ID,
- the profile name and profile URL,
- messages and written agreements,
- the description, images and price,
- the recipient, IBAN or payment identifier,
- the amount, date, time and payment reference,
- transaction and order numbers,
- invoices and shipping and handover information,
- the terms of the agreed payment method.
Keep original messages and payment records unchanged. Do not publish complete account, card or personal data.
After a suspicious advance payment
Do not send more money or disclose additional data. Do not allow yourself to be pressured by a claim that only one further payment can enable delivery, a refund or the release of an account.
Immediately contact your bank, card issuer or payment service through its official channel. Ask whether a payment can still be stopped, recalled or disputed. Recovery is not guaranteed. The steps differ depending on the payment method and are explained in What should I do about suspicious PayPal or payment transactions?
If you entered sign-in details or codes, secure the affected accounts from a trusted device. If there is unusual activity in the suchen.expert account, follow What should I do if I suspect unauthorised access to my account?
Report the incident, including the profile or listing link, listing ID, chronology and redacted evidence, through the official suchen.expert contact form. The platform can review the incident under its rules, but cannot itself reverse a bank, card or PayPal payment or guarantee a refund.
If you have suffered financial loss or have a specific suspicion of fraud, you can contact a police station or, for non-urgent cases, use the German police online reporting portal. In an immediate emergency, call 110. The Police Crime Prevention Service also provides an online shopping fraud checklist.
Preserve evidence before deleting messages or blocking profiles. Afterwards, be cautious of alleged recovery services that promise a guaranteed refund in return for another advance payment.
