The Kleinanzeigen courier scam: how to spot fraud

How fraudsters use a fake courier, how to recognise the fake links and how to check a genuine booking with us.

How the scam works

You're selling something and a buyer agrees straight away, without asking anything about the item. They say they can't come themselves and will send “a courier” or “a shipping company”. They claim to have already paid through the delivery service.

Shortly afterwards a link arrives by chat, text message or email. The page looks like that of a courier, a parcel service or the platform. There, in order to “receive the money”, you're asked to enter your card details, confirm a code in your banking app or pay for “insurance” for the courier.

The money never flows to you, only away from you. With the card details and the code, the fraudsters debit your account.

The warning signs

The buyer quickly wants to move the conversation away from the platform, to WhatsApp, text message or email.
You're asked to open a link to receive money. Anyone sending you money never needs your card details.
You're asked to pay something yourself: insurance, a fee, an activation.
Time pressure: “The courier is already on the way”, “The link expires in 30 minutes”.
The web address looks almost right, but has a hyphen, an extra word or an unfamiliar ending.

How it really works with us

If a buyer says they're sending VEMO, this always applies.

Only the buyer books

The buyer books and pays on vemo-logistik.de. The seller doesn't have to book anything.

The seller never pays

You pay nothing and never enter card details or banking logins. We never ask for them.

Emails only from us

Our emails only come from addresses ending in @vemo-logistik.de.

10 digits

Every tracking number has 10 digits. You can check it yourself at vemo-logistik.de/sendung.

How to check a booking

Ask the buyer for the tracking number. The number has 10 digits, nothing else.
Open vemo-logistik.de/sendungsverfolgung in your browser yourself. Type in the address instead of following a link from the chat.
Enter the tracking number and the postcode of the pickup address, i.e. your own.
If the booking exists, all you see is: genuine booking, pickup on … Nothing more. You don't have to pay or enter anything there.

If the page finds nothing, there is no booking with us. Then don't hand over the goods and break off contact.

Check tracking number

If it has already happened

Call your bank immediately or dial the card-blocking emergency number 116 116 and have your card and online banking blocked.
Save screenshots of the chat, the link and the page.
Report it to the police. You can also do this online via the NRW police online station (Internetwache).
Report the buyer's account to the platform.

Safe pickup

Buying on Kleinanzeigen yourself and can't get there? Then book the pickup with us as the buyer and pay.

Only the buyer books and pays, by direct debit or prepayment.
The seller can check the booking themselves with the tracking number and postcode.
We are liable for goods worth up to €500 at no extra charge, and up to €5,000 for a surcharge.

How the Kleinanzeigen pickup works

All sorted already? Book a pickup

Frequently asked questions

You'll find more answers on the FAQ page.

As the seller, do I have to pay the courier anything?

No. With us, the buyer always books and pays. Anyone asking you as the seller for money, card details or an online banking login is not from us.

How do I check whether a booking is genuine?

Ask for the tracking number; it has 10 digits. On vemo-logistik.de/sendungsverfolgung enter it together with the postcode of the pickup address. For a genuine booking you'll see the pickup day, nothing else.

What do I do if I've already entered my details?

Call your bank or the card-blocking emergency number 116 116 immediately and have your card and access blocked. Report it to the police and report the buyer's account to the platform.