Fake Shops: What Leisure Operators Need to Know
Fake online shops are becoming increasingly professional. Attractions and leisure facilities and their online shops are also affected. // Photo: Rupixen, Unsplash
(eap) Fake shops have become increasingly professional over the years. Copied content, forged trust seals and professionally designed websites are making it ever more difficult for consumers to distinguish fraudulent offers from legitimate online shops. The use of AI tools can further increase the quality and sophistication of such scams.
Recent figures from the Cybersecurity Agency Baden-Württemberg (CSBW) are among the indicators showing that the threat is growing. Among the cases recorded by the agency in Baden-Württemberg, the number of fake online shops increased by 1,230 per cent in 2025 compared with the previous year. The number of phishing attacks rose by 320 per cent. At the same time, the CSBW points out that an increased willingness to report incidents may also have contributed to the higher figures.
Operators of leisure facilities are not immune to this development either, particularly as selling admission tickets through their own online shops has long been part of their day-to-day business. For example, Rulantica Water World in Rust reports that fraudulent shops can be visually almost indistinguishable from operators’ official ticket shops: “Our greatest concern, alongside the immediate damage suffered by the guests affected, is the increasing loss of customer confidence in online ticket sales as a whole. Given the possibilities offered by AI, this issue is likely to gain even more momentum and professionalism in the future,” explains Director Michael Kreft von Byern.
For operators, the risk is not limited to customers losing money to fraudsters. According to the German Händlerbund e-commerce association, fake-shop operators sometimes adopt the brands and products of legitimate providers, copy images and product descriptions or even replicate almost entire online shops under similarly named web addresses. Such offers can then be promoted through advertisements on social media. In this way, fraudsters not only misuse the names and brand identities of legitimate providers, but also deliberately redirect potential customers to their own sales pages.
For operators in Germany, several organisations provide practical guidance on how to identify and respond to fake shops. The European Waterpark Association e.V. (EWA), for example, recommends that its members remain vigilant and use Google and other search engines to look for possible fake shops operating under the name of their own water park or thermal spa. Händlerbund likewise advises online-shop operators to carry out such monitoring on a regular basis. It may also be advisable to register similarly named domains at an early stage in order to make their misuse more difficult.
If a fake shop is discovered, operators should first secure evidence, for example by taking screenshots of the website and corresponding advertisements. If a .de domain is involved, operators can use the DENIC central registry to identify the responsible provider and its abuse contact. Where a legitimate interest exists, they can also request information about the domain holder. If fraudulent offers are distributed via marketplaces or other platforms, Händlerbund also recommends reporting them to the respective platform operator. Filing a criminal complaint with the police may also be considered. If a company’s own images, texts or logos are used without permission, claims under copyright or competition law may also arise.
Guests, too, can look out for a number of warning signs. Unusually low prices, inconsistencies in the web address, a missing or incorrect legal notice and, in particular, payment being restricted to advance payment can indicate a fake shop. For a quick assessment of suspicious online shops, the German Verbraucherzentrale consumer advice centre provides its free “Fakeshop-Finder”. Users can enter URLs there and have them checked for signs of legitimacy. If the Fakeshop-Finder does not provide a clear result, Verbraucherzentrale recommends additionally checking key information such as the legal notice, address and contact details independently. ■
