Beware of Scammers
How can you recognise fraudulent websites (scam websites)?
When browsing the internet, you'll often notice that some websites appear more trustworthy than others. A number of news portals, such as the Verbraucherzentrale Baden-Württemberg (01.07.2025), Allgäuer Zeitung (11.06.2025), Tagesschau (20.05.2025) and BR24 (12.04.2025), have already reported on the dangers of scam websites and specifically pointed out cases of fraud when purchasing vignettes. Below, we would like to explain how you can recognise fraudulent websites so that you don't fall for such offers and suffer financial losses.
Carefully check the website's links (URLs)
As soon as you visit a website you're not familiar with that offers products for sale, you should always check the URL. Pay particular attention to whether the link contains unusual characters or spelling mistakes. Such irregularities can be a sign of an untrustworthy or fake site.
Cheap doesn't always mean trustworthy
Many users are looking for the best possible deal when shopping online. However, an especially low price is not automatically a sign of trustworthiness. Fraudsters often deliberately exploit the desire for a bargain. So be especially cautious if a product is offered at a comparatively low price. There have already been several cases in which people purchased an invalid vignette and ultimately had to pay the fine for not having a valid vignette.
Payment methods
The payment methods offered can also be an important warning sign. Be particularly alert if only advance payment is accepted as a payment method. Reputable online shops usually offer several payment options, such as credit card or PayPal, which come with buyer protection. Also, never carelessly share personal data such as credit card numbers, passwords or TANs.
Legal notice (imprint)
You should pay particular attention to the legal notice (imprint). A reputable website always has a complete legal notice with contact details. This includes the name of the management, the full company address, a phone number or email address, and — where applicable — details of the entry in the commercial register.
Verifying contact details
It's better to be safe than sorry. If a website seems untrustworthy to you, you shouldn't just read the legal notice — you should, wherever possible, verify the information it contains. For example, use the address provided to check whether the company actually exists and whether the information can be confirmed through a quick search.
Trustworthy seals
Reputable websites often use trustworthy quality seals to underline their credibility. However, untrustworthy providers also use this approach and rely on fake seals to do so. Therefore, when you see a website with seals, always check the other criteria as well. The presence of a seal alone is no guarantee of a safe website.
Finally: the overall impression
In addition to the points mentioned, you should always take into account the overall impression the website makes. Does the text contain factual errors, noticeable spelling mistakes or grammatically incorrect sentences? Does the content appear structured and professional, or are sentences strung together without any recognisable connection? An untrustworthy overall impression should always make you suspicious.
Tip: take action
If, during your internet research, you come across a scam website that displays several of the features mentioned above, don't hesitate to report it to the consumer advice centre. By doing so, you help protect other consumers from fraud.
You can trust us
Use our tips to protect yourself as best as possible when shopping online. Of course, you can also apply these verification criteria to our website, and you'll find that we are a reputable provider. Feel free to visit Trustpilot to convince yourself of our trustworthiness, and let the positive reviews from other users reassure you. With us, you're on the safe side.
Get your digital vignette for your next trip from us now. You can find more information on tolls and the corresponding vignettes in our guide. You can also use our route planner to plan your trip and see which toll products are required. If you have any questions, we're happy to help. Contact us via email.
Here you'll find the links to the news portals
If you'd like to learn more about scam websites in order to better recognise typical features, you'll find the websites mentioned in the text below:
Verbraucherzentrale Baden-Württemberg (01.07.2025)
Allgäuer Zeitung (11.06.2025)
Tagesschau (20.05.2025)
BR24 (12.04.2025)
You can find all the important information on tolls in Switzerland in our guide.
