While browsing the internet, you may have noticed that some websites appear less trustworthy than others. Already a number of news portals such as Verbraucherzentrale Baden-Württemberg (01.07.2025), the Allgäuer Zeitung (11.06.2025), Tagesschau (20.05.2025), and BR24 (12.04.2025) have reported on the dangers of scam websites, particularly warning about fraud when purchasing vignettes. We would like to provide you with tips on how to recognize fraudulent websites so you don’t fall into scammers’ traps and lose money.
As soon as you visit a website you have not seen before that advertises products for sale, you should check the URL. Pay attention to whether the link contains unusual characters or spelling mistakes.
Who doesn’t know it? When browsing online, we often try to score a bargain. But cheap does not always mean trustworthy. Scammers often exploit the desire for a rock-bottom price. Therefore, be especially cautious if the product is offered significantly cheaper than usual. There have already been several cases in which people bought an invalid vignette and ultimately had to pay the fine for not having a valid one.
You should also see it as a red flag if the only accepted payment method is advance payment. Reputable shops usually offer a variety of payment methods, such as credit card or PayPal, which provide buyer protection. Additionally, never give out personal data such as credit card numbers, passwords, or TANs carelessly.
Pay special attention to the legal notice and examine it closely. A trustworthy site always has a legal notice with contact details. This includes the managing director’s name, the company’s address, a phone number or email address, as well as the commercial register entry.
Better safe than sorry! If you are on a website that seems untrustworthy to you, do not just read the legal notice — also verify the information. Use the listed address to check whether the company actually exists.
Legitimate websites often use trust seals to build confidence. However, untrustworthy sites use this tactic too, but with fake seals. Therefore, even if a website has a seal, you should still check the other criteria. A seal alone does not guarantee a safe website.
In addition to all these points, you should also take in the overall impression of the website. Are there spelling mistakes in the posts or product descriptions, or even grammatically incorrect sentences? Do the texts appear professional, or are the sentences just strung together?
If, during your online research, you come across a scam website that meets the points mentioned above, do not hesitate to report the website to the consumer protection authority. This way, you also help protect unsuspecting people from fraud.
Use our tips to protect yourself when shopping online. Of course, you can also apply this check to us and will see that we are definitely a trustworthy site. Feel free to visit Trustpilot to be assured of our credibility and be convinced by other users’ positive reviews. With us, you are on the safe side!
Purchase your digital vignette for your next trip from us now. You can find more information about tolls and related vignettes in our guide. You can also use our route planner to better plan your trip and see the associated toll products. If you have any questions, we are happy to help. Contact us via email.
If you would like to further inform yourself about scam websites to better recognize the signs, here are the websites mentioned above:
