Inkasso letter in Germany: real or fake?

Last checked: October 6, 2026 · Publisher: Postklar (Impressum)

Not every Inkasso letter (debt collection letter) comes from a real Inkasso company. There are fake letters: fraudsters demand money for a claim that does not exist. Some of them use the name of a company or a lawyer that really exists.

With four checks you can usually see quickly what you are dealing with. Both points matter: you pay nothing on a fake Inkasso letter. And you do not simply put a real Inkasso letter aside.

What the letter looks like

Fake Inkasso letters often look official, with a logo, a reference number and a short payment deadline. The Verbraucherzentralen (consumer advice centres) name these warning signs:

Bank account abroad: the IBAN does not start with DE, but for example with PL, ES or LT.
No breakdown of the costs: the individual costs are not listed, or a round amount is demanded.
Company details are missing: important information about the company is not in the letter.
The claim stays unclear: the letter does not say who the money is for and which contract it is about.
Someone else's name: the letter carries the name of a real company or law firm, but the phone number, email address and bank account do not belong to it.

A single sign is not yet proof. Several together are a strong indication. Pressure is not a reliable mark either: the Verbraucherzentrale names intimidating threats, for example with a SCHUFA entry (an entry at the German credit agency), as not permitted. But they do not appear only in fake letters.

Real or fake: the check in four steps

Is the company registered? In Germany, Inkasso companies need a registration with the Bundesamt für Justiz (Federal Office of Justice) (§ 10 Abs. 1 RDG). Search for the name free of charge in the register search of the Bundesamt für Justiz (Rechtsdienstleistungsregister, the register of legal services providers). It shows the name, the business address and the area „Inkassodienstleistung“ (debt collection service). Lawyers are not in this register, they are registered with the Rechtsanwaltskammer (bar association).
Do the details in the letter match the register? Compare the name and the address exactly. A correct name alone is not enough, because fraudsters use real names. Check the contact details and the bank account through the official website of the company. Type the address in yourself and do not use a link from the letter.
Does the letter contain the required details? In the first letter to a private person, an Inkasso company must state, among other things: the name and address of its client, the reason for the claim with the subject and the date of the contract, the type, amount and reason of the Inkasso costs, and the responsible supervisory authority with its address (§ 13a Abs. 1 RDG).
Do you know the original claim? Is there a contract, an invoice or a reminder from the client named in the letter? Look in your documents and bank statements. If the client is real, you can ask there directly whether it has handed the claim to an Inkassobüro (debt collection agency).

The Verbraucherzentrale Brandenburg also keeps a Schwarzliste (blacklist) of known fake Inkasso letters. But if your sender is not on it, this does not mean that the letter is real.

What to do now

If a lot points to a fake:

Do not transfer any money and do not give an Einzugsermächtigung (direct debit authorisation).
Do not call the phone numbers from the letter and do not write to the email address from the letter.
Keep the letter and the envelope as evidence.
Report the letter (see below).

If the company is real, but you do not know the claim or think it is wrong: dispute the claim briefly and in writing. Send the letter in a way that lets you prove you sent it, and keep a copy. You may also ask questions: on request, the company must tell you with whom the claim arose and how the contract was concluded (§ 13a Abs. 2 RDG).

If the company and the claim are correct: then it is a normal Inkasso letter.

If you are unsure, ask the Verbraucherzentrale. It also has a free Inkasso-Check.

Where to report a fake Inkasso letter

Police: if you suspect fraud, you can file a Strafanzeige (criminal complaint), at any police station or online through the Onlinewache (online police station) of your Bundesland (federal state).
Verbraucherzentrale: it advises on whether a letter is real and collects reports of fake Inkasso letters.
Bundesamt für Justiz: since 1 January 2025 the Bundesamt für Justiz has kept the Rechtsdienstleistungsregister and is the supervisory authority. It accepts complaints about Inkasso companies through its contact form (subject „Rechtsdienstleistungsregister“) and can take action against providers without registration. But it does not check whether a claim is justified.

Which deadlines apply

The law sets no deadline for replying to an Inkasso letter. The date in the letter is set by the sender itself. A very short deadline is no reason to pay without checking.

A Mahnbescheid (court payment order) is completely different. It does not come from an Inkasso company but from an Amtsgericht (local court, here acting as Mahngericht), as a förmliche Zustellung (formal service) and usually in a yellow envelope. You must not leave it lying, even if you think the claim is invented: the court does not check the claim beforehand (§ 692 Abs. 1 Nr. 2 ZPO). For the Widerspruch (formal objection) you have two weeks from the day of service (§ 692 Abs. 1 Nr. 3, § 694 ZPO). Without a Widerspruch, a Vollstreckungsbescheid (enforcement order) can follow (§ 692 Abs. 1 Nr. 4 ZPO).

The date of service and the instructions in your own letter always count. This page only explains the general rule. With a letter from a court, advice helps, for example from the Verbraucherzentrale, a Schuldnerberatung (debt counselling service) or through Beratungshilfe (state-funded legal advice) at the Amtsgericht.

Common mistakes

Paying immediately out of fear, before the company and the claim have been checked.
Calling the number from a suspicious letter and giving personal data or bank details there.
Checking only the company name. If the name is in the register, the letter can still be fake. Compare the address and the bank account as well.
Thinking every Inkasso letter is a fake and not reacting. With a real company, a Mahnbescheid from the court can come next.
Mistaking a yellow envelope from the court for one more Inkasso letter.

Frequently asked questions

How do I recognise a fake Inkasso letter?

The Verbraucherzentralen (consumer advice centres) name these warning signs: a bank account abroad (the IBAN does not start with DE), no breakdown of the individual costs, a round amount and missing company details. Also check whether the company is in the Rechtsdienstleistungsregister and whether the address and the account match the real company.

Fake Inkasso letter: what should I do?

Pay nothing, do not give a direct debit authorisation and do not call the number in the letter. Keep the letter. If you suspect fraud, you can file a criminal complaint with the police, also online through the Onlinewache. The Verbraucherzentrale advises you if you are unsure.

Where can I check whether a debt collection company is real?

In the free register search of the Bundesamt für Justiz (Rechtsdienstleistungsregister). It lists all registered debt collection providers with their business address. Compare the address with your letter, because fraudsters also use the names of real companies.

The company is real, but I do not know the claim. What now?

Then it is not a fake, but the claim can still be wrong. Dispute it briefly and in writing and ask with whom and how the claim arose (§ 13a Abs. 2 RDG). Keep a copy and proof of sending.

Can a Mahnbescheid from the court also be fake?

A real Mahnbescheid comes from the Amtsgericht as a formal service, usually in a yellow envelope, and names the court and the Geschäftsnummer (case number). If you have doubts, call the court. Look up the phone number for this yourself. Do not leave the letter lying: for the Widerspruch you have two weeks from the day of service (§ 692 Abs. 1 Nr. 3 ZPO).

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This page explains in general what such letters mean. It is not legal advice and does not replace advice on your individual case. What your own letter says always comes first.