Electricity prices are rising – and with them the creativity of dubious providers. Supposed devices for saving energy are advertised, especially on the Internet.

“Don’t be blinded by advertising claims about supposed miracle devices. The rule also applies here: If something sounds too good to be true, then it usually isn’t true.”

Ramona Ballod, energy consultant at the Thuringia Consumer Center

Recognize warning signs

Since a layperson is often unable to assess the truthfulness of the providers' technical explanations, consumers should pay attention to the typical warning signs of dubious behavior. 

“A first critical look should be at the imprint on the provider’s website. If none is available, you should definitely refrain from ordering,” advises Ramona Ballod. The legal notice must contain, among other things, an email address as well as an authorized representative and the address of the company.

If the company is registered in a commercial register, the legal notice must also contain the specific registration number. be checked at www.handelsregister.de

Recognize fake shops 

The alarm bells should also ring if the provider's website has numerous spelling errors, the language changes between German and English, for example, or the texts appear like they came from a translation program.

If the general terms and conditions (GTC) are missing on the website, there is a high probability that it is a so-called fake shop, i.e. a fake sales platform.

Pay attention to encrypted data transmission

Providers should enable encrypted data transmission. This can be recognized by a small closed padlock in the address bar of the Internet browser. When you click on the lock, additional security information is displayed. Otherwise, consumers should not enter sensitive information such as account or credit card numbers on this site.  

The consumer advice center has put together real energy-saving tips here .

If you have any questions about special savings devices, the consumer advice center's energy advisors with technical expertise are available for personal discussions.
Appointments at the consumer advice center can be made by calling 0800 809 802 400 or 0361 555140 (both free of charge). The consumer advice center's energy advice is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection. Thanks to a cooperation with the Thuringian Ministry of the Environment and the state energy agency ThEGA, consultations in Thuringia are free of charge.

Related: Saving electricity – what consumers should pay attention to

Source: Thuringia Consumer Center


If you enjoyed this post and value the importance of well-founded information, become part of the exclusive Mimikama Club! Support our work and help us promote awareness and combat misinformation. As a club member you receive:

📬 Special Weekly Newsletter: Get exclusive content straight to your inbox.
🎥 Exclusive video* “Fact Checker Basic Course”: Learn from Andre Wolf how to recognize and combat misinformation.
📅 Early access to in-depth articles and fact checks: always be one step ahead.
📄 Bonus articles, just for you: Discover content you won't find anywhere else.
📝 Participation in webinars and workshops : Join us live or watch the recordings.
✔️ Quality exchange: Discuss safely in our comment function without trolls and bots.

Join us and become part of a community that stands for truth and clarity. Together we can make the world a little better!

* In this special course, Andre Wolf will teach you how to recognize and effectively combat misinformation. After completing the video, you have the opportunity to join our research team and actively participate in the education - an opportunity that is exclusively reserved for our club members!


Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )