A report can be submitted online, in writing, by telephone or verbally.

If you wish to submit the advertisement online:

There are several steps involved in filing a report online.

You can file a criminal complaint via the Internet portal. This can involve various offenses.

You call up the Internet Watch via a central URL. The federal state responsible for processing is selected via the location of the incident. After selecting the form for reporting other criminal offenses, you can enter basic information about yourself (e.g. personal details, cell phone number, email address). You can then enter data on the crime scene, the time of the crime, the perpetrator and the event itself. The recording is accompanied by legal instructions (witness or accused person instructions as well as the requirement to file a criminal complaint and the notice of discontinuation).

It is possible to submit documents such as proof of purchase, receipts and/or images such as screenshots, images of damage or stolen items with the report.

Once the report has been submitted, you will receive an e-mail with a case number and the contact details of the office responsible for processing the report.

The relevant police department will receive the report and check it. If you report a crime that was committed outside Germany or in another federal state, the prosecuting authority will forward the report to the competent authority.

Only if there are no grounds for investigation will the investigation be closed by the public prosecutor's office. The chances of success vary depending on the type of offense. Basically, the more information you provide, the better the chances of the police finding the perpetrator.

Anyone who knowingly and falsely suspects a person is committing a criminal offense. The law provides for a fine or a prison sentence of up to five years.