More than 44,000 complaints (receipt fraud) against companies!
A new and controversial method in delivery companies like DHL and Hermes has sparked anger among customers in Germany, as many of them face the disappearance of packages without any notification, or worse, discovering forged signatures on delivery documents.
In 2024, the Bundesnetzagentur recorded more than 44,000 complaints related to issues with parcel delivery and postal services. Among these complaints, there were reports of distributors forging signatures or entering fake names when delivering parcels, often due to time pressures.
According to the newspaper "Bild", some workers resort to signing for receipt themselves or inventing neighbors' names to save time. Although most workers adhere to the laws, personal testimonies reveal that these actions are repeated in secret, without the customer noticing that they have occurred.
Even journalists have not been spared from this phenomenon. An employee of the "Bild" newspaper discovered that his signature was used on a package when he was not at home, and a forged signature appeared in another case to confirm the receipt of a package. Despite clear evidence of forgery, the damage remained with the customer.
Lawyer Nicole Motschke explains that "forging a signature on a delivery document is considered official forgery," adding that digital forgery is also a deception using data of legal value, which can lead to a prison sentence of up to five years or a fine. If the package is delivered to an unknown neighbor and cannot be found, the merchant – such as DHL or Hermes – remains responsible for it. The lawyer confirms: "The seller must ensure that the goods reach the customer," and the customer is not obliged to search for neighbors.
Despite the criticisms directed at delivery companies, there are no official figures on the prevalence of these cases. However, it is important for customers to be aware of their rights and to act quickly when in doubt about potential fraud.