Reminder from a debt collector: real or scam?
Last updated: October 2026
A debt collection agency (Inkassobüro) wants money from you. Some claims are real, many are too high, and some are scams. Before you pay, it is worth taking a close look.
Sample letter
Gartenstraße 8
12345 Musterstadt
Letzte Mahnung vor gerichtlichem Verfahren
Sehr geehrter Herr Beispiel,
unsere Mandantin, die Beispiel Versand GmbH, hat uns mit dem Einzug der folgenden Forderung beauftragt:
Hauptforderung (Bestellung vom 3. Juni 2026): 49,90 €
Mahnkosten: 5,00 €
Inkassokosten: 59,40 €
Gesamt: 114,30 €
Bitte überweisen Sie den Betrag bis zum 19. Oktober 2026 auf das unten genannte Konto. Andernfalls leiten wir ohne weitere Ankündigung gerichtliche Schritte ein und melden die Forderung an Auskunfteien.
Mit freundlichen Grüßen
Muster Inkasso GmbH
Made‑up sender, made‑up names. The letter often looks like this or similar.
What does the letter mean?
A debt collection agency collects money for another company. The letter says: you must pay by a certain date, otherwise it goes to court.
A claim is only real if you really owe something. So check first: do you know the company the agency is writing for? Did you order something there and not pay?
In the sample, the collection costs are higher than the actual debt. That is often too much. For small amounts, collection costs are limited by law.
Deadlines
- The payment deadline in the letter is often very short, to put pressure on you. A court does not come overnight: first you get a yellow letter from the court (Mahnbescheid, court payment order), and you can object to it (Widerspruch).
- If you get a court payment order (Mahnbescheid), you have 2 weeks to object. This deadline is important.
What you can do
- Do not pay right away. Check whether you really owe the main claim (Hauptforderung).
- Check whether the debt collection agency is listed in the Legal Services Register (Rechtsdienstleistungsregister). If it is not there, be careful.
- Watch out for warning signs: an unknown creditor, a bank account abroad, threats of prison or seizure without a court, payment by gift card.
- If you owe nothing, object in writing and keep a copy. If you only owe the main claim, you can pay that and dispute the rest.
- If it is a scam: do not pay, do not send any data, report it to the police. A consumer advice centre (Verbraucherberatung) can help you.
This guide does not replace legal advice. Every letter is different: deadlines and amounts apply as they are written in your letter. If you have questions, an advice centre can help.