Beware of scammers
How can you identify fraudulent websites (scam websites)?
When browsing the internet, you may have noticed that some websites seem less reputable than others. A large number of news outlets such as the Consumer Advice Center Baden-Württemberg (01/07/2025), the Allgäuer Zeitung (06/11/2025), the Tagesschau (05/20/2025) and BR24 (04/12/2025) have reported on the danger of scam websites and, in particular, warned about fraud when purchasing vignettes. We would like to give you tips on how to recognize fraudulent websites, so you don’t fall into scammers’ traps and lose money.
Take a closer look at the website’s links (URLs)
As soon as you visit a website you don’t know yet that promotes products for purchase, you should check the URL. Pay attention to whether the link contains unusual characters or spelling mistakes.
Cheap doesn’t automatically mean reputable
Who hasn’t experienced it? When we browse the internet, we usually try to snag a bargain. But cheap doesn’t always mean reputable. Scammers often exploit the desire for a rock-bottom price. So be especially careful if the product is offered at a comparatively low price. There have already been several cases where people bought an invalid vignette and ultimately had to pay the fine for not having a valid vignette.
Payment methods
You should also consider it a warning sign if advance payment is the only accepted payment method. Reputable shops usually offer a variety of payment methods, such as paying by credit card and PayPal, where buyer protection applies. Also, never carelessly disclose personal data such as credit card numbers, passwords, or TANs.
Legal notice (Imprint)
Pay special attention to the legal notice (imprint) and take a closer look. A reputable website will always have an imprint with contact details. This includes the managing director’s name, the company address, a phone number or email address, and registration in the commercial register.
Verify the contact details
Better safe than sorry! If you’re on a website that seems rather dubious, you shouldn’t just read the imprint, but also verify the information. Use the listed address to check whether the company really exists.
Trust seals
Reputable websites often use trust seals to build confidence. Unreputable sites use the same approach, but with fake seals. Therefore, even if a website has a seal, you should still check the other criteria. A seal does not automatically mean a website is safe.
Ultimately: the overall impression
In addition to all these points, you should also consider the website’s overall impression. Do the posts or product information contain spelling mistakes or even grammatically incorrect sentences? Do the texts look professional, or are sentences just strung together?
Tip: Take action
If you come across a scam website during your online research and the points mentioned apply, don’t hesitate to report the website to the consumer advice center. This also helps protect unsuspecting people from fraud.
You can trust us!
Use our tips to protect yourself when shopping online. Of course, you can apply this check to us as well—and you’ll see that we are definitely a reputable website. Feel free to visit Trustpilot to be sure of our trustworthiness and let the positive reviews from other users reassure you. With us, you’re on the safe side!
Buy your digital vignette for your next trip from us now. You can find more information about tolls and the associated vignettes in our guide. You can also use our route planner to plan your trip better and see the relevant toll products. If you have any questions, we’ll be happy to help. Contact us via email at any time.
Here you can find the links to the news portals
If you’d like to learn more about scam websites to better recognize the characteristics, you can find the websites mentioned above here:
- Consumer Advice Center Baden-Württemberg (01/07/2025)
- Allgäuer Zeitung (06/11/2025)
- Tagesschau (05/20/2025)
- BR24 (04/12/2025)
