Case number XY: How fraudsters make money with dubious coaching

"Fulfill your dream and become a life coach," reads an Instagram post by a young woman named Nadine. Anyone interested in the training should contact her via WhatsApp; her mobile number is provided. And, of course, "There's only one spot left in 2025."

The "surprise tactics" and the resulting time pressure are typical of fraudulent coaching offers, explains Bianca Liebrand of the Sekten-Info North Rhine-Westphalia association, who was also a guest on the ZDF program "Aktenzeichen XY" on Wednesday evening. The psychologist not only deals with religious and spiritual communities, but increasingly also with so-called psychogroups, which also include shady coaching providers. "In the best case, the coached individuals only lose money; in the worst case, they also become psychologically dependent," explains Liebrand.

The professional title of coach is not protected in Germany. Therefore, more and more unprofessional providers are jumping on the bandwagon and offering coaching for every situation online. The costs can quickly reach €10,000 or more. "Often, you book a seminar and are told there will be more information at the next appointment," explains Liebrand. This gradually rips off more and more money from gullible customers.

Sabine Blanke from the European Consumer Centre Germany (EVZ) is also familiar with the problem. "We're observing that there are more and more coaching providers, while the processors remain the same." These payment managers are a few German companies. The EVZ contacts them or debt collection agencies when those affected have already lost a lot of money. Blanke would therefore like those interested in coaching to seek independent advice before signing a contract. "We prefer to take a preventative approach rather than having to deal with the problem later," Blanke says.

With some companies, it's possible to reach out-of-court settlements afterward, allowing the defrauded customers to get their money back. However, court cases also occur, with mixed outcomes in the past. "In any case, we advise victims to seek legal advice and try to get their money back," says Blanke. Sometimes the first installment is gone, but there are still options for future payments.

Reputable business coaches are annoyed by the black sheep. "There's an increasing number of self-proclaimed coaches on social media platforms who are purely engaged in sales," says Christopher Rauen, managing director of the Osnabrück-based Rauen Group of the same name. "We view this particularly critically when they try to sell off-the-shelf webinars that don't address individual needs at all."

Rauen therefore wants a binding quality standard for coaches. A first attempt is the "Certified Coach RTC" seal from the umbrella organization Roundtable Coaching, with which five coaching associations establish binding standards for the training and professionalism of their members. However, Rauen criticizes the lack of important associations, such as the German Federal Coaching Association. "A cross-association solution is needed, of which the associations organized in the RTC can only be a part."

In the absence of a uniform seal, those interested in coaching are left with no choice but to take a critical look. Sekten-Info NRW has provided a checklist on its website outlining characteristics that can help identify fraudulent providers. Consumer advocate Blanke also draws attention to the 14-day right of withdrawal, which dubious providers often try to circumvent with a clause. "In some cases, the checkbox indicating that you waive your right of withdrawal is already pre-filled. That's when you should be suspicious," says Blanke.