Got an Inkasso-Brief? Here's what it actually means — and what isn't real.

What is an Inkasso-Brief?

An Inkasso-Brief is a letter from a private debt collection company (Inkassounternehmen) demanding payment for a claim a previous creditor — usually a phone provider, online shop, gym, or insurer — handed over to them. Despite the formal language, the letter has no legal force on its own. It is not a court order, not an enforcement title, and the company cannot seize your wages or your bank account based on this letter alone.

The most important thing to understand: the moment a debt is handed to Inkasso, the original creditor has essentially given up on collecting it themselves. Your conversation now is with the collector, but the underlying claim is still the same one you had with the original company — with all the same rights and defenses.

What does the letter usually demand?

1. Hauptforderung — the original debt amount.
2. Verzugszinsen — interest for late payment, capped at 5 percentage points above the Basiszinssatz for consumers (currently around 8–9% per year).
3. Inkassokosten — the collector's own fees. These are regulated by the RVG (Rechtsanwaltsvergütungsgesetz) and the Rechtsdienstleistungsgesetz. For small claims they are often padded — challenge them.
4. Mahngebühren — reminder fees from the original creditor. Legally limited to actual costs (a few euros at most for a paper letter).
5. A short deadline — usually 7–10 days. This is a pressure tactic, not a legal deadline.

Which fees are usually inflated

Inkassokosten are the biggest source of disputes. Since the 2021 reform of the Inkasso law, fees for small first-time collections are sharply capped — typically 0.5–0.9 of the RVG fee scale, not the full 1.3 you often see. If the letter charges €70 to collect a €30 unpaid magazine subscription, much of that is contestable.

Other charges to look at skeptically:

• "Bearbeitungsgebühren" (handling fees) on top of the RVG fee — usually not legal.
• "Kontoführungsgebühren" or "Adressermittlungskosten" — generally not chargeable to the debtor.
• Lawyer fees (Anwaltsgebühren) added to Inkasso fees for the same step — courts have ruled this double-charging unlawful.

Step 1: Check whether the debt is real

Before paying anything, verify: is this debt actually yours, and is it still enforceable?

• Do you remember the original contract or purchase? If not, ask the collector for proof — name of the original creditor, contract date, what was bought, and a copy of the original invoice.
• Has the claim become time-barred (verjährt)? Most consumer debts in Germany expire after 3 years, counted from the end of the year the claim arose. A 2021 phone bill is generally verjährt after 31 December 2024 — unless the creditor obtained a Mahnbescheid in time.
• Is the amount correct? Subtract any payments you already made.

Step 2: Decide your response

You have three real options:

1. Pay if the claim is valid — but only the Hauptforderung plus legitimate interest, and dispute inflated Inkasso fees in writing.
2. Dispute (Widerspruch) the entire claim if you don't owe it or it is verjährt. Send a written objection by registered mail. The Inkasso company must then either drop it or push the original creditor to take you to court — and most don't.
3. Negotiate a payment plan or settlement (Vergleich) if you owe the money but can't pay in full. Inkasso companies often accept 40–60% as a one-off settlement, especially for older debts.

Step 3: Protect your Schufa

Inkasso companies sometimes threaten to report you to the SCHUFA. They can only do this legally if specific conditions are met — most importantly: you must have been notified at least twice, have not disputed the claim within four weeks, and the debt must be undisputed or legally established. If you dispute the claim in writing within the deadline, a Schufa entry is generally not permitted — and if one appears anyway, you can demand its deletion. See our SCHUFA-Eintrag guide for disputing entries and requesting your free Datenkopie.

What this letter is not

• Not a Mahnbescheid (yellow envelope from the court) — that's a separate, official court process with a 14-day Widerspruch window.
• Not a Vollstreckungsbescheid — also a court document, which gives the creditor an enforcement title.
• Not a court summons. No judge has looked at this case.
• Not a basis to garnish wages, freeze your account, or send a bailiff. None of that is possible without a court title.

When to get help

For a single, small, recent debt: you can usually handle it yourself with a written response and proof of payment.

For complex situations — multiple collectors, very old claims, or threats of court action — go to the Verbraucherzentrale (consumer advice center) in your state. They charge a small fee (often €15–30) and can review the letter, draft a response, and tell you which fees you can refuse to pay.

Key terms glossary

Still not sure what your letter wants?

Upload your Inkasso-Brief and get:

• ✓ Plain English breakdown of the demand and the underlying debt
• ✓ Fee analysis — which charges are likely inflated
• ✓ Verjährung check on the dates mentioned
• ✓ Draft Widerspruch letter in German ready to send

Open Briefed — explain my letter

Last updated: April 2026