[Updates!] Even more returns scam: Is produktretter.org / produktretter.com a scam?

About a month ago I asked the question Is retouren-produkte-retten.de a scam? placed. Because the site attracted my attention not only with a lot of advertising on YouTube, but also with stolen pictures, unrealistic promises, a dubious imprint and similar things. You can read all about it in the linked article, including my inquiries to alleged partner companies, consumer centers and so on. A new comment under the post has now led me to the produktretter.org page (Update: produktretter.com). The interesting thing about it: The site has a very similar structure, very similar texts and an imprint that is also questionable. Please don't fall for it!

A new page was pointed out in a comment on the scam investigation from a month ago. I took a close look at them and found countless similarities and new indications of fraud.
A new page was pointed out in a comment on the scam investigation from a month ago. I took a close look at them and found countless similarities and new indications of fraud.

why i think that product rescuer.org produktretter.com is a scam

Note: The org. address now redirects to the .com address. In addition, the latter is again being advertised on a large scale.

This time the scammers got a little smarter. But I don't think it's smart enough. They state that the costs they incur are covered by enclosing advertising material and charging up to EUR 2,99 shipping costs per package (unlike on the previous page, where there was talk of a volunteer team and free service). Nevertheless, other aspects of the website undermine this claim to seriousness.

In the following I will go through the points with you that make me suspicious on the side:

  • The produktretter.org page looks almost the same as retouren-produkte-retten.de.
  • From the registration form to the "dark side of online shopping" area to the list of partners and the fold-out information segments, much is the same (see comparison below).
  • The social media links do not lead to their own website this time, but only to the homepages of Facebook, Instagram and YouTube - there are no profiles of this "provider".
  • The disclaimer at the bottom of the page reads the same as the one on the previous page, and in some cases even the same wording.
  • The imprint indicates a company in Switzerland, about which I cannot find any information. 
  • The address of the alleged company headquarters leads to a co-working space in Zurich.
  • The VAT number does not lead to a real company; on https://www.uid.admin.ch I get no results for the specified number.
  • The source text of the website contains the same magazine covers (Bunte, AutoBild, Gala, Brigitte, HörZu, Focus, Stern, etc.) as on the previous page - also without use on the website itself. A lot of things were probably just copied and newly inserted.
It took less than two minutes to find Switzerland's offer for the UID query and to check the information in the imprint of the website in question.
It took less than two minutes to find Switzerland's offer for the UID query and to check the information in the imprint of the website in question.

Comparison of retouren-produkte-retten.de and produktretter.org

The scammers seem to have learned a bit from their previous site. Because they don't start directly with the registration form, but first with a few inviting words and information. The advertising financing as well as the possible shipping costs are dealt with directly. Below that, however, is the registration form, which looks exactly the same as on the previous page. 

Below that is a 3-step guide titled “How to become a product rescuer” that was taken directly from the “How to become a returns rescuer” guide on the previous page.

The “Returns – the downside of online shopping” area is also just a copy of the previous area called “Returns – the downside of online shopping”.

Then we come to the "What kind of products do I get?" section, in which the same logos from the same companies are displayed in the same order and with the same animation. The whole thing was previously found under “Where do the returns come from?”.

In addition, the "Together against the waste of resources" section of produktretter.org is similar to the "Together making the world a little better" section of retouren-produkte-retten.de. 

Nothing has changed in the EasyPlus bonus, neither text nor image nor colors nor the countdown that counts down to a fantasy deadline.

The last sections of the pages with the logo, social media links, links to the imprint and data protection as well as the "Disclaimer" are also from a single source. With the points mentioned above, these are not only indications that this is fraud and rip-off, but possibly also the same people behind it.

Do not fall for scams and rip-offs from produktretter.org / produktretter.com!

If an offer looks too good to be true, then in most cases it really isn't. After comparing the two sides, one yes already pulped should actually be clear that by registering on the described website, you will not suddenly get umpteen high-quality products delivered to your home for free. Here you just want to tap your data and possibly empty your account. If you examine this or similar pages for their seriousness, then always check the imprint. 

In the case of produktretter.org one can state: the Product Protection 24 AG doesn't seem to exist. At the Bleicherweg 10, 8002 Zurich, Switzerland there is a co-working space in addition to shops, but no warehouse and no offices of the alleged company. The UID CHE-128.137.011 is loud official directory not valid. These are all warning signs that you should definitely not register with your data. If you are not sure about a site and you are itching to accept the offer advertised there, it is better to ask a consumer protection center whether the offer seems serious.

Update 01.03.2023/XNUMX/XNUMX: The paths lead back to BlueSnake Ltd

I took a closer look at the website produktretter.org / produktretter.com and came across a few things that further strengthen the suspicion of a scam. I also came across another site that uses a very similar scam and may be operated by the same criminals: gratis-produkttests.de. This page is linked when it comes to the privacy policy of produktretter.org. And it has the same imprint as retouren-produkte-retten.de: BlueSnake Ltd, 14, 1st April Street Unit 3 Larnaca, 6035, Cyprus. What a coincidence!

How did I find out? I took the first step of the produktretter.org registration form with a few fake details. In the second step, you should then enter your address and confirm the terms and conditions and the data protection information by ticking the box. The words "GTC" and "Privacy Policy" are linked. However, the terms and conditions page does not exist, the link leads to the "Safari cannot find the server" page. The data protection link, on the other hand, leads to the data protection notices of gratis-produkttests.de. This is strange as their legal notice (BlueSnake Ltd in Cyprus) does not match that of produktretter.org (Product Protection 24 AG in Switzerland). 

I once had the fun of calling up the links to the terms and conditions and the data protection information in the registration form on the page described here. And lo and behold: There are no terms and conditions and the data protection notices are displayed on a page whose imprint should ring alarm bells.
I once had the fun of calling up the links to the terms and conditions and the data protection information in the registration form on the page described here. And lo and behold: There are no terms and conditions and the data protection notices are displayed on a page whose imprint should ring alarm bells.

So my tip: stay away from both sides!

(End of update)

Update 22.03.2023/XNUMX/XNUMX: It is advertised again in the YouTube app

The page described here is now apparently being promoted again on social media platforms to lure people with free returns. This scam, in particular the obtrusive advertising in the YouTube app, brought me to the scam site retouren-produkte-retten.de two months ago (see link in the introduction). I took a screenshot of the ad again and traced the image used for the same. This time it's not a photo stolen from reputable trading sites, but stock footage. You can find it at Adobe, iStockPhoto and so on.

In the email on the last case, I was told by a Google spokesman that YouTube and other Google platforms have strict advertising policies. It also said: "Ads, destination websites, and destination apps that deceive users by omitting relevant product information or offering misleading information about a product, service, or company are not allowed.That's why I reported the ad shown here. I hope that there again "appropriate measures taken’, i.e. the advertisement with a link to the scam site will be deleted. Be wary of offers that sound too good!

(End of update)

Conclusion on the new side examination

This time, the resemblance of the examined website to a scam predecessor is unmistakable. However, it is possible that the same scammers or other criminals will set up a completely different-looking site with a similar scam tomorrow. Or this page already exists and I just have no idea about it. Of course, there are currently dozens of other scam websites that entice you with free or cheap shopping returns. I don't have the time to find and examine them all. Especially since different places would have to be written to for more information. So be careful yourself and don't fall for everything that is promised to you on the internet.

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30 Responses to "[Updates!] Even more returns scam: Is produktretter.org / produktretter.com a scam?"

    1. If the money was paid by credit card or direct debit, you can have it taken back. Unfortunately, you don't have a chance with a bank transfer.

      1. Thanks for the info Jens! So far nothing has gone off, but I foolishly gave my IBAN. So if anything goes wrong, I'll know.

          1. Excellent research. I did it too, because I'm naturally a skeptic when it comes to offers like this and there are too many black sheep on the internet.

          1. Johannes Domke

            Hello Marion,

            thanks for your comment. What were you told on the phone?

            Best regards
            John

      2. Hi Jens,
        Thanks for the info! That helps me, because you can't cancel the registration!
        What a SCAM!
        Thank you for your helpful tip !!!!

  1. I'm a dummy too. I've been careful for over 72 years. After I
    ,would like to be cheap, but first... remembered that 24 hours later.IBAN,address.and and,,,voluntarily,, gave...

    Well...thank you Sir-apfelot.de I will file a criminal complaint online.... refund….inquire at my bank if I can create my new account….make changes online with the many, many bank transfers…..or maybe there is an easier way….really I'm shattered….thanks

    1. I think you don't need a new account. You can't do much with just the IBAN. My business account is probably easy to find out and yet no nonsense is deducted from it. I think the scammers are hoping to collect a lot of the entry fees and are content with that.

      1. So basically there isn't much you can do other than tell your bank that you are withdrawing the SEPA direct debit authorization for this company. Once the money has been debited, it cannot be retrieved.

  2. Unfortunately, I was stupid enough to enter my data and IBAN. I'm in total panic right now...What's the worst that can happen and what can I do now?

    1. Johannes Domke

      Hello Katharina,

      no panic. You can check with your bank if they have a plan for such a case. You can also get information from the consumer center in your federal state and / or file a complaint directly online against the website or the people behind it. But you don't have to expect the worst. If you get weird spam calls, just hang up and block the numbers. If something is taken from your account, notify your bank and request a chargeback. There is a solution for everything.

      Best regards
      John

      1. Unfortunately, I registered myself stupidly. I sent a recall to the email address provided and asked for all my data to be deleted.
        I'm curious what comes out of it or what kind of answer comes.

        1. Hello, yes I just wanted to draw your attention to this page. If you click on the imprint, “Product Protection 24 AG, Bleicherweg 10, 8002 Zurich, Switzerland
          CEO: Thomas Schmidts
          UID: CHE-128.137.011E” the same address appears as for produktretter-org.

  3. I stumbled across the site's advertisement and was amazed at how professionally the whole thing was set up. Only a few spelling mistakes, the links from the disclaimer and imprint work and give a comprehensible content, so far, so good. You can only use your common sense, because the offer just seems too tempting. Thanks for the additional information.

  4. Produktretter.org no longer exists... Redirect to produktretter.com. Otherwise everything as you described. The site makes a good impression at first glance, it's really easy to fall for it. Thanks for the contribution

  5. Thank you for your research and clarification. Had already given some data, but not my bank details and therefore aborted. Since it is advertised again and again, I am here now and my suspicion has been confirmed. Nobody has anything to give away. Thanks again for your work

  6. I've seen the ad several times just on Google, not even on social media, I would have fallen for it if I hadn't checked it so skeptically anyway.
    So thank you very much for spending hours on it.

  7. It was also heavily advertised on google news and – although I did not accept the terms and conditions of easy plus cachback – I received emails from easy plus afterwards.

    Fortunately, I was able to cancel easy plus during the trial period.

    See also the small print in their mail:
    -----
    After the free period of 30 days, the premium membership begins. This has a minimum term of 13 months, such as a fee of €9,90 per month and is extended by 12 months. The notice period is 8 weeks before extension.
    -----

    I haven't received any emails from Produktretter since registering a month ago. I strongly assume that the commission for easy plus will now be sufficient.

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