Last updated: 26 October 2026
- Check the creditor, the contract and the amount.
- Check the collection agency is registered in the Rechtsdienstleistungsregister.
- Dispute it in writing if it is wrong.
- Pay, or agree instalments, if it is genuine.
- A yellow envelope with a court Mahnbescheid is different: you have two weeks to object.
⚖️ Inkasso vs Mahnung vs gerichtlicher Mahnbescheid
🚩 How to spot a fake Inkasso letter
- The original creditor is missing, or it is a company you never dealt with.
- There is no contract date, invoice number or breakdown of the amount. Registered agencies must state who the creditor is, what the claim is based on, and how interest and costs are calculated (§ 13a RDG).
- You are pushed to pay within hours, or by voucher, crypto or to a foreign account.
- The agency cannot be found in the Rechtsdienstleistungsregister run by the Federal Office of Justice.
- The phone number or website appears only in the letter. Look up the company yourself before calling.
💶 Are the fees legitimate?
Inkasso fees are only owed if the debt is genuine and you were already in default. They are also capped by law: since 1 October 2021, an undisputed claim paid after the first payment request generally only allows a 0.5 fee under the lawyers' fee schedule (RVG), and normally no more than 0.9.
The fastest way to check your letter is the free Verbraucherzentrale Inkasso-Check. It asks a few questions and tells you whether the claim and the fees look correct. Also check the date of the original claim: ordinary claims are usually time-barred three years after the end of the year they arose in.
✍️ How to dispute it (Widerspruch)
If the claim is wrong, write to the agency, keep a copy and send it in a way you can prove (for example by email with a reply, or Einschreiben). A short sentence is enough:
“Ich widerspreche Ihrer Forderung vom [Datum], Aktenzeichen [Nummer]. Bitte weisen Sie die Forderung nach (Vertrag, Rechnung, Mahnungen). Bis dahin leiste ich keine Zahlung.”
In English: “I dispute your claim of [date], reference [number]. Please prove the claim (contract, invoice, reminders). Until then I will not make any payment.”
If only the fees are too high, pay the main amount and dispute the fees. If you receive a court Mahnbescheid, objecting to the agency is not enough: use the Widerspruch form that comes with the Mahnbescheid and send it to the court within two weeks.
🧳 Common expat cases
- Old phone, internet or streaming contracts that were not cancelled when you moved.
- Gym memberships with long notice periods.
- Online shop or buy-now-pay-later purchases that were returned but not refunded properly.
- Final utility or Nebenkosten bills sent to an old address.
- Unpaid Rundfunkbeitrag is a special case: it is not usually handled by an Inkasso agency but by a formal fee notice and public enforcement. See our Rundfunkbeitrag guide.
📤 How expat.fyi helps
Upload the Inkasso letter and get a plain English explanation: who is claiming what, whether the letter is a demand or a court order, the deadline, and your options. €2.99 per letter, preview before you pay, and if we can't help, you don't pay. Terms like Mahnbescheid and Widerspruch are also in our glossary.
€2.99 per letter (up to 3 pages) · Letter Pack €9.99 for 5 · Preview before you pay · If we can't help, you don't pay
❓ Frequently asked questions
I got an Inkasso letter in Germany, what should I do?
Don't ignore it, and don't pay straight away. Check who the original creditor is, whether you really had that contract, and whether the amount and fees are right. Check that the collection agency is registered in the Rechtsdienstleistungsregister. If the claim is wrong, dispute it in writing. If it is genuine, pay the main amount or ask for instalments.
Is this Inkasso letter a scam?
Warning signs are an unknown creditor, no contract details, pressure to pay within hours, payment to a foreign account or by voucher, and a collector you cannot find in the Rechtsdienstleistungsregister. Never call a number printed only in the letter; find the company's contact details independently.
Do I have to pay Inkasso fees?
Only if the debt is genuine and you were already in default, and only up to the legal caps. Since 1 October 2021 the fees for consumers are limited: for an undisputed claim paid after the first payment request, generally only a 0.5 fee under the lawyers' fee schedule (RVG) may be charged. The free Verbraucherzentrale Inkasso-Check shows whether the fees on your letter are too high.
What happens if I ignore an Inkasso letter?
The agency keeps writing and the costs can grow. The creditor may then apply to a court for a Mahnbescheid (payment order). That does not happen automatically, but if it does and you don't object within two weeks, the creditor can get an enforceable title and have money collected by a bailiff.
What is the difference between Inkasso and a Mahnbescheid?
An Inkasso letter comes from a private collection agency and has no legal force by itself. A gerichtlicher Mahnbescheid is a court payment order, delivered in a yellow envelope, and you have two weeks from delivery to object (Widerspruch) using the form enclosed.
Can an Inkasso company take money from my account?
No, not on its own. Money can only be taken from your account or wages with an enforceable title, such as a court Vollstreckungsbescheid or a judgment, and then through a bailiff or a court garnishment order.