BaFin warns of unauthorised Paulownia tree fixed-term deposit offers on gruene-aura.de
BaFin warns that Paulownia tree fixed-term deposit offers on gruene-aura.de lack the required authorisation. The warning concerns authorisation only and does not allege fraud.
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Source: bafin.de · published
What happened
On 5 November 2026 Germany's financial supervisor BaFin warned about fixed-term deposit offers on gruene-aura.de. According to BaFin, Grüne Aura GmbH of Hamburg offers investments in Paulownia trees in the form of fixed-term deposit contracts on that website without the required authorisation. BaFin's warning concerns the lack of the required authorisation only; it does not allege fraud or a scam.
How the scam works
BaFin reminds the public that banking business, financial services and crypto-asset services may be offered in Germany only with BaFin authorisation. Some companies offer such services without that authorisation. Information on whether a particular company is authorised is available in BaFin's company database. BaFin's information is based on section 37(4) of the German Banking Act (Kreditwesengesetz).
An authorisation warning means investors who deal with the firm may lack the protections that apply when dealing with an authorised institution. It is not, by itself, a finding that money was stolen. BaFin, the Federal Criminal Police Office and state criminal police offices also warn generally about financial fraud online and urge thorough checks before investing. Anyone considering such an offer should verify authorisation status first; anyone who has already invested should keep contracts and payment records and may contact BaFin with questions. The warning is published by BaFin; scammers.com has summarised it and not independently verified the underlying contracts.
Fixed-term deposit wording can make an unauthorised investment feel as familiar as a bank product. BaFin's intervention here is about missing authorisation for that form of offer, not a courtroom finding of theft. Investors should still verify authorisation before transferring savings, because statutory compensation and supervisory protections generally attach to authorised firms. When in doubt, use BaFin's company database and keep written records of any contract already signed.
Source
BaFin consumer warning on gruene-aura.de fixed-term deposit offers, 5 November 2026. Not independently verified by scammers.com.
Red flags
- Fixed-term deposit or tree-investment offers without BaFin authorisation.
- A firm that does not appear as authorised in BaFin's company database.
- Online investment offers that create urgency to deposit quickly.
- Returns or terms that look far better than ordinary bank deposits.
- Difficulty relying on statutory protections when dealing with an unauthorised firm.
If you were targeted
- 1Check BaFin's company database before investing with Grüne Aura or similar offers.
- 2Do not treat a polished website as proof of authorisation.
- 3If you have already invested, keep contracts and payment records.
- 4Ask BaFin about the firm's status if you are unsure.
- 5Be cautious of online fixed-term deposit offers that bypass banks.