Fraud at the 420th Hamburg Messe? Our report & a plea to the community
What began as a promising platform for the cannabis industry in Germany ended as a blatant case of fraud for many exhibitors and visitors.
We at HIZEN are also affected – and would like to share our experiences with this article to inform and educate others and create a way forward.
High expectations and quick decision to participate
At the beginning of the year we were Hemp Magazine on the planned 420.Hamburg Trade Fair The event was presented as a new highlight of the cannabis scene:
🔹 Great Hall in Hamburg
🔹 Exhibitors from the entire industry
🔹 Promising reach and community building
We didn't hesitate for long, booked, paid and started planning our participation.
👉 Stand fee, trade fair preparations, materials, accommodation – everything organized.
First doubts and sudden changes
After booking, the originally announced exhibition hall was suddenly changed. Instead of the large hall, it was now a smaller one – allegedly due to lack of demand.
What made us suspicious:
❌ No clear communication
❌ No refund possible
❌ More and more questions – but no answers
Radio silence, website offline and now Instagram also deleted
Shortly afterwards it became quiet:
📵 The organizers could no longer be reached by phone.
🌐 The website went offline.
📱 Meanwhile, the official Instagram account of 420.Hamburg deleted.
A clear sign: Anyone still hoping for an explanation is probably waiting in vain.
Almost 10.000 euros burned – and we are not alone
For us as a brand, the incident means damage of almost EUR 10.000.
Other exhibitors report similar things – from smaller shops to well-known brands. And it's not just about companies:
Many visitors were also deceived
Many people have already Tickets for the fair purchased and now don't know what to do.
There are currently no official statement, no refund option, no contact address.
Some affected people have now turned to the platform Blackcob addressed to the Class action against the organizers.
Why we are still going to Hamburg
We are not discouraged by this – on the contrary:
Wir fahren still to Hamburg, not because of the fair, but because of the community.
🎤 We want to conduct interviews
🎙️ Collect votes
📽️ Create content that shows how many people are affected and what we can learn from it.
Because one thing is clear to us: the cannabis community deserves respect, transparency and genuine encounters on equal terms.
Let's make something new out of it
The incident shows how urgently we need real structures in the industry – especially in the area of Networking, exchange and transparency.
That is why we are currently thinking about own Discord community build up.
A platform where brands, start-ups, activists and consumers can exchange ideas independently of commercial third parties or opaque events.
What's next?
➡️ We will keep you updated here on how the investigation into the incident progresses.
➡️ We will soon publish the first interviews from Hamburg.
➡️ And we invite you to join us on TikTok (@hizen.info) where we can regularly educate, inform and hopefully soon build a stronger community.
If you are affected or want to connect:
📩 Feel free to write to us directly
📢 Or follow us on TikTok: @hizen.info
🧠 Together we are stronger – and above all: better informed.
