A request to switch to another messenger is not automatically an attempt at fraud. However, caution is advisable if someone wants to move you out of the suchen.expert messages section early on, under time pressure or without a clear reason. Questions and agreements relating to the offer can be recorded more clearly within the platform.
External links are not inherently suspicious
Links or usernames for relevant social media profiles may provide additional information about an offer. This could, for example, be an Instagram profile with more photos, a company page on Facebook, a YouTube channel with examples of work or a LinkedIn profile. What matters is that the link is relevant to the offer and its destination is clearly identifiable.
The essential details of the offer should nevertheless appear directly in the advert. This allows interested parties to understand and assess the offer without first having to visit an external page.
Sharing a suchen.expert advert on social media is also welcome. This allows more interested parties to access the full advert on suchen.expert directly via the shared link.
This should be distinguished from a request to continue questions, price negotiations or specific arrangements immediately and exclusively via an external messenger. An external profile page that supplements the offer is different from being asked to move the entire conversation out of the traceable message history.
Why is it useful to communicate on suchen.expert?
If you discuss questions about the advert, the price, an appointment, the handover or the scope of services in the messages section, this information remains easier to find in the context of the conversation. If anything is unclear, you can later review what was actually agreed.
A traceable message history can also help you explain an incident to support. Nevertheless, communicating on the platform does not guarantee that every offer or every person you are talking to is trustworthy. Continue to check details carefully and share only the information required for the specific arrangement.
What situations should make me wary?
A single request to switch does not prove fraud. However, several of the following points may be a warning sign:
- The person pressures you to switch immediately to WhatsApp, Telegram or another service in their very first message.
- You are expected to respond very quickly because the offer will supposedly expire otherwise or a payment allegedly needs to be confirmed immediately.
- The person refuses to answer simple questions about the advert on suchen.expert.
- You are asked for passwords, TANs, confirmation codes, or full card or bank details.
- You are told to open an external link or QR code, purportedly for a payment, shipping confirmation, account verification or activation.
- The details provided in the external messenger no longer match the advert or change without a clear explanation.
How should I respond to such a request?
Stay calm and do not allow yourself to be rushed. You can politely say that you would like to discuss questions and arrangements relating to the offer in the suchen.expert messages section. A legitimate arrangement should not depend on your using an external messenger immediately.
Then proceed as follows:
- Do not open any unexpected payment, shipping or login links.
- Do not scan a QR code if you do not clearly understand its purpose.
- Do not disclose passwords, access codes or full payment details.
- Continue to record important questions and agreements in the conversation on suchen.expert.
- End contact if the person continues to put pressure on you or does not respect your decision.
What should I do about a suspicious message?
Do not delete the conversation prematurely. The message and its context may be useful for the review. Report the content using the designated method. You can find the individual steps in the article How do I report an inappropriate or suspicious message on suchen.expert?
If you do not wish to receive any further messages from the person, you can also block them. For an explanation of how this works, see How does the ‘Block user’ function work on suchen.expert and how do I use it?
When should I contact support?
Use the contact form if you suspect an attempt at fraud, have already acted on a problematic link or need help assessing a conversation. Describe what happened factually and do not provide passwords, TANs or confirmation codes.
If you have already disclosed payment details or initiated a payment, also contact your bank or the payment service you used as soon as possible. suchen.expert support cannot take the place of action by your payment provider.
