- Legal Basis
- § 263 StGB
- Sentencing Range
- Imprisonment up to five years or fine
- Summary
- Deception causing financial loss to another person
Fraud under Section 263 of the German Criminal Code – Overview
Fraud is one of the most frequently prosecuted property offences in German criminal law. Section 263 StGB protects individual assets against damage caused by deception. The provision covers a wide range of conduct – from simple consumer fraud to large-scale investment fraud. Criminal liability requires the intentional interplay of deception, error, disposition of assets, and financial loss.
Statutory Text (Section 263 StGB – Excerpt)
Subsection 1: Whoever, with the intent of obtaining an unlawful financial advantage for themselves or a third party, damages the assets of another by causing or maintaining an error through the pretence of false facts or the distortion or suppression of true facts, shall be liable to imprisonment of up to five years or a fine.
Subsection 3: In especially serious cases, the penalty is imprisonment from six months to ten years. An especially serious case typically applies where the perpetrator acts on a commercial basis, causes a loss of major proportions, or abuses their authority as a public official.
Elements of the Offence in Detail
Deception as to Facts
The perpetrator must deceive as to facts – that is, concrete circumstances capable of proof. Mere value judgments or opinions are insufficient. Deception may be express (e.g. false statements), implied (e.g. presenting oneself as a solvent customer), or by omission (where a duty to disclose exists).
Error
The deception must cause or maintain an error in the victim – a misconception about reality. The error must be causally linked to the subsequent disposition of assets.
Disposition of Assets
The victim must dispose of their assets based on the error – for example through payment, handing over property, or entering into an obligation.
Financial Loss
The disposition must result in a loss. The victim’s assets are compared before and after the disposition (overall balance approach). A concrete risk of loss may also suffice.
Intent to Enrich
The perpetrator must act with the intent to obtain an unlawful financial advantage for themselves or a third party. The advantage must be directly linked to the loss (requirement of congruence).
Typical Methods of Commission
Numerous forms appear in practice: goods credit fraud (ordering goods without intent to pay), fraud upon entering into contracts, insurance fraud (fabricating claims), investment fraud and capital investment fraud, social benefits fraud, identity fraud in online commerce, and commercial fraud through invoice manipulation.
Sentencing Range
The basic offence carries imprisonment of up to five years or a fine. In especially serious cases (Section 263(3) StGB), particularly where the perpetrator acts commercially or causes major losses, the sentence ranges from six months to ten years’ imprisonment. Gang fraud (Section 263(5) StGB) carries a minimum sentence of one year. Suspended sentences are limited in serious cases.
Typical Defence Strategies
Defence against fraud charges offers numerous approaches: challenging the intent to deceive (particularly distinguishing criminal fraud from civil contract breaches), demonstrating the absence of error on the part of the person disposing of assets, challenging the alleged financial loss through counter-performance or compensation, establishing the absence of intent to enrich, negotiating compensation for damage mitigation (Section 46a StGB), and seeking dismissal with conditions in cases of minor loss (Section 153a StPO). For fraud allegations in a business context, early preservation of business records and communications is advisable to demonstrate that the conduct in question fell within ordinary business practice.
Typical case groups in fraud (§ 263 StGB)
An allegation of fraud ranges from a one-off online deal to complex billing systems. What is decisive for the defence is the constellation in which the allegation stands – because the elements of deception, error, disposition of assets and loss can be challenged very differently depending on the case group.
Fraud on classifieds, Vinted, eBay and PayPal
Allegations around online marketplaces are among the most frequent fraud proceedings: goods not delivered or defective, disputes over PayPal buyer protection and „friends and family“ payments, or the use of a third party’s account. What usually matters is intent at the time the contract was concluded; often the matter can be traced back to a civil performance dispute.
Credit-on-conclusion and goods-credit fraud
Here the ability and willingness to pay already at the time of contract is central – for example orders on account despite foreseeable insolvency. Lines of defence often lie in the subjective side and in the precise calculation of loss.
Benefit and social-welfare fraud
Undeclared income, assets or changed circumstances regarding citizen’s benefit, housing benefit or the employment agency regularly lead to proceedings for fraud by omission. The central point is the specific duty to notify and intent – not every omission fulfils the offence.
Received a questionnaire or penalty order for fraud?
Many fraud proceedings begin with a questionnaire or a summons as a suspect and end, for smaller losses, with a penalty order, which can be objected to within two weeks. Before any statement, have file access obtained and sign nothing without legal review.
Note: This information is general and does not replace advice in an individual case.
Frequently Asked Questions
Welche Voraussetzungen hat der Fraud nach § 263 StGB?
Erforderlich sind eine Täuschung, ein dadurch erregter Irrtum, eine Vermögensverfügung und ein Vermögensschaden, verbunden mit Vorsatz und der Absicht rechtswidriger Bereicherung. Fehlt eines dieser Merkmale, scheidet eine Strafbarkeit aus.
Wie verteidigt man sich gegen einen Fraudsvorwurf?
Häufig setzt die Verteidigung am subjektiven Tatbestand an, etwa am fehlenden Vorsatz oder der fehlenden Bereicherungsabsicht, sowie an der Kausalität zwischen Täuschung und Schaden und der tatsächlichen Schadenshöhe. Eine genaue Aufarbeitung der Akte ist entscheidend.
Welche Strafe droht bei Fraud?
Der Strafrahmen reicht von Geldstrafe bis zu fünf Jahren Freiheitsstrafe, in besonders schweren Fällen (§ 263 Abs. 3 StGB) bis zu zehn Jahren. Maßgeblich sind Schadenshöhe, Vorgehen und Vorbelastung. In vielen Fällen ist eine Einstellung oder Bewährung erreichbar.
Muss ich zur Polizei, wenn ich als Beschuldigter vorgeladen werde?
Einer rein polizeilichen Police Summons müssen Sie als Beschuldigter nicht folgen, und Sie sind nie verpflichtet, sich zur Sache zu äußern. Einer Ladung der Staatsanwaltschaft oder des Gerichts sollten Sie folgen – schweigen dürfen Sie aber auch dort.
Sollte ich vor der Akteneinsicht aussagen?
In aller Regel nein. Ohne Kenntnis der Ermittlungsakte lässt sich nicht beurteilen, welche Beweise vorliegen. Eine Einlassung sollte erst nach Akteneinsicht und in Abstimmung mit dem Verteidiger erfolgen.
Kann ein Strafverfahren eingestellt werden?
Ja. Je nach Beweislage kommen eine Einstellung mangels hinreichenden Tatverdachts (§ 170 II StPO), wegen Geringfügigkeit (§ 153 StPO) oder gegen Auflagen (§ 153a StPO) in Betracht. Nach Akteneinsicht prüfen wir die Möglichkeiten.
Summons or accusation of Fraud? What matters now
Make no statement to the police at first
As an accused person you are never obliged to comment on the allegation. Anything said to the police can be used against you. Provide statements only through your defense attorney and only after reviewing the case file.
File inspection comes first
A sound defense against the allegation of Fraud requires knowledge of the investigation file. Only once the available evidence is clear can we decide whether a statement is advisable or whether remaining silent is the better strategy.
Possible discontinuation of proceedings
Not every case ends in a main hearing. Depending on the evidence and any prior record, the proceedings may be discontinued for lack of sufficient suspicion (§ 170 II StPO), for triviality (§ 153 StPO) or subject to conditions (§ 153a StPO). Often a penalty order without a public trial can be achieved.
Victim-offender mediation and restitution
In many cases, victim-offender mediation or making good the damage (§ 46a StGB) can significantly reduce the sentence or enable a discontinuation. Whether this is advisable in your case is something we assess based on the file.
What we do after reviewing the file
We examine the evidence for reliability and admissibility, look for procedural errors, develop the defense strategy, negotiate with the public prosecutor on a discontinuation and represent you, if necessary, in the main hearing before the District Court or Regional Court of Bonn.
Available 24/7: +49 228 504 463 36
This information does not replace a review of the individual case. In criminal proceedings, the defence strategy depends substantially on the case file, the specific allegation and the evidence.
Why BAFTEH Strafverteidigung?
- Direct contact with your defense attorney – no intermediaries
- Available around the clock, including nights and weekends
- Fast file inspection and a clear defense strategy
- Focused exclusively on criminal law
- Defense in Bonn, Cologne and the entire region
Written by attorney Philip Bafteh, criminal defense lawyer in Bonn. Philip Bafteh publishes regularly on criminal and commercial law and defends accused persons in investigative and trial proceedings.
More about the attorney →Last updated: Juni 2026
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