Fraud Prevention
Safety on
MotorsportMarkt.de
Welcome to MotorsportMarkt.de!
We take the safety of our users very seriously. That is why we would like to provide you with important information and tips to help make your experience on our platform as safe as possible.
Stop – Question – Protect
This guidance is based on the German "SHS rule" recommended by the police crime prevention service. It helps you recognize suspicious situations, question unusual behavior, and protect yourself from online fraud.
Learn more about the official SHS rule (Polizei-Beratung)
1. Stop
Pressure from scammers
Scammers often put people under pressure to act quickly and without thinking, as their actions could soon be discovered.
Trust your gut
Fraud victims often report having had a bad gut feeling. Staying calm and acting carefully is essential to avoid becoming a victim.
2. Question
Behavior
Ask yourself why the buyer or seller is acting in a certain way—for example, by offering a highly sought-after product at an unusually low price.
Low price
A low price can be an indication of fraud, as scammers often try to reach many potential victims quickly.
Switching platforms
Question why the seller wants to move the conversation to another platform. This is often an attempt to remain undetected and anonymous. It also makes it impossible for us to trace the message history.
Address verification
Research the seller’s stated address to check whether it matches the information provided.
Reverse image search
Use your search engine’s reverse image search and compare the results with the images in the listing. If the same listing is published on another platform by a different person, it is very likely to be a fraud attempt.
Product description
Take a close look at the product description. Are there any unusual details, typos, or cut-off text passages?
3. Protect yourself
General Safety
Reporting suspicious activity
Report any suspicious activity or suspected fraud to protect yourself and others.
Suspicious listings and users
Report suspicious listings or users to the platform to help us identify criminal activity at an early stage.
Unverified users
Users without verification should generally be treated with caution.
Zero tolerance
We remove fraudulent listings and users without exception. We also recommend that affected users contact the relevant authorities.
Prevent Account Takeover
Use unique passwords
Never use the same password more than once.
Use a password manager
Using unique passwords significantly reduces the risk of account takeover. Ideally, use a password manager.
Prevent Data Theft & Fraud Attempts
Moving the conversation
Be alert if the other person wants to move the conversation to email, WhatsApp, or SMS in order to carry out the fraud attempt anonymously.
Unnatural language
Phrases and wording may seem unusual, overly formal, or contain obvious typos.
Request for personal data
Be cautious if someone asks you to share sensitive personal data during the conversation.
Sharing personal data
Be careful if the other person shares unsolicited personal data (like photos of ID cards) during the conversation—this is often fake data used to build false trust.
Reservation fee
Do not make any rushed payments unless you are 100% sure that the seller is legitimate. Verified users have been confirmed by us.
Pay Safely
Avoid unsafe payment methods
Never pay via Western Union, PaySafe, MoneyGram, or cash in an envelope.
Use PayPal safely
If you use PayPal, always choose the “Goods and Services” option so that you are covered by PayPal Buyer Protection.
Collect Safely
Choose safe meeting places
For handovers, choose busy public places and bring someone with you when larger amounts of money are involved.
Beware of last-minute changes
Be cautious if the seller generally refuses local pickup or suddenly changes the agreed meeting point.
Further Resources
Take a stand against online fraud
Find out more about safety measures from the police crime prevention service at polizei-beratung.de.
polizei-beratung.deSafe online payments
Learn more about secure payment methods from the Federal Office for Information Security at bsi.bund.de.
bsi.bund.deData protection
Protect your personal data with the help of information provided by the BSI at bsi.bund.de.
bsi.bund.deHow We Protect You
Efficient screening
Our team actively monitors the platform and responds quickly to reports from our users regarding suspicious or fraudulent content.
With the help of our users
We encourage our users to report suspicious listings or users to us via our contact form.
Cooperation with authorities
We work closely with law enforcement authorities and support investigations to help ensure a safe marketplace.
Thank you to our users
The MotorsportMarkt.de team thanks you for helping us keep our platform a safe place together!
