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Bun­desnet­za­gen­tur helps make on­line shop­ping safer

Year of issue 2025
Date of issue 2025.11.28

The Digital Services Coordinator (DSC) at the Bundesnetzagentur ensures protection for consumers against fake shops and products. The DSC implements the European rules set out in the Digital Services Act (DSA), which require online platforms to take stronger action against online fraud and illegal content.

“We help make online shopping safer and safeguard against online fraud. Consumers can report online marketplaces and platforms that do not follow up their complaints. This also applies to Black Friday and Cyber Monday,” said Klaus Müller, President of the Bundesnetzagentur.

Protection against illegal content and products

Consumers purchasing goods and services online benefit from special safeguards. The DSA requires online marketplaces and other platforms to take on more responsibility with regard to the transparency of sellers and the safety of the products for sale. Platforms have to record and verify traders’ contact details in order to make traders better identifiable and prevent fake shops. Marketplaces that become aware of the illegality of any products or services have to inform consumers who have purchased the products or services. They also have to set up effective reporting systems for consumers to notify them about illegal content, products or services.

Advice for online shoppers

  • Report potentially illegal or fake advertisements, content, products or traders to the platform or online marketplace direct. These platforms and marketplaces are required by the DSA to have easily accessible and user-friendly reporting procedures in place. They have to take decisions on the reports they receive in a timely, diligent, non-arbitrary and objective manner.
  • Lodge a complaint if you do not agree with the decision taken by the online marketplace or platform. Online marketplaces and platforms are required by the DSA to have a complaint-handling system in place.
  • Use the option of out-of-court dispute settlement. Out-of-court dispute settlement bodies offer a quick, easy and inexpensive opportunity to resolve conflicts with online platforms. The DSA requires marketplaces and platforms to engage in dispute settlement procedures and cooperate with the bodies. A list of certified bodies offering dispute settlement with online marketplaces is available at https://dsc.bund.de/1012064.
  • Contact one of the trusted flaggers certified by the DSC, such as the Federation of German Consumer Organisations (vzbv e.V.) (https://www.vzbv.de/verbraucher/beschwerde-einreichen.), if you do not want to report illegal products to a platform yourself.
  • Report potential infringements of the DSA to the DSC, for example if online marketplaces and platforms do not have any mechanisms for reports or complaints, do not respond to reports, or refuse to engage in out-of-court dispute settlement. Use the complaints form on the DSC’s website: https://dsc.bund.de/1013412.
  • Report any criminal content to the police as well: https://portal.onlinewache.polizei.de/de/.

Tasks of the Digital Services Coordinator (DSC)

The DSC, based at the Bundesnetzagentur, is the central coordinating body for enforcement of the DSA in Germany. It monitors intermediary services, including online platforms, for compliance with their obligations. It acts as a central point for complaints from online users about infringements of the DSA and coordinates cooperation between competent authorities in Germany and the EU.

Further advice for consumers about online fraud and links to additional information are available on the DSC’s website at https://dsc.bund.de/1011406 (in German).

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