Use of information technologies

12 January 2023 28% of overindebted individuals owed money to online dealers in 2021

Online shopping is getting ever more popular, an effect that is reinforced by the Covid pandemic. However, the easy order and payment procedures offered on the internet may lead to financial problems for some people. The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) reports that 28% of the total of roughly 575,000 people who sought help at a debt advice centre in 2021 owed money to online or mail order dealers. The proportion has increased by 3 percentage points in the past five years. In 2016, it had been 25% of a total of roughly 617,000 people who received advice.

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