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Emergency

Is the lawyer's letter genuine? How to check whether it really came from the law firm

A letter on law-firm letterhead, a high demand, a short deadline: that creates pressure. Before you pay or reply, settle the key question first: did this letter even come from the firm named at the top? Criminals use the names of real law firms, who know nothing about it and are victims themselves.

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Your chances of getting your money back

As long as nobody proves a contract, you do not have to pay. Whoever demands money must show there is a basis for it, not the other way round.
An entry in the official register of lawyers only proves that the firm exists. It does not prove that they wrote this letter.
Do not reply unchecked to the address in the letter. A reply tells criminals your name, your address and that the address is correct.

What you should do now

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    1. Transfer nothing, do not call the number in the letter

    Do not pay out of fear of the deadline and do not call any number printed in the letter. With forged mail that puts you straight through to the criminals.

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    2. Keep the letter and the envelope

    Put everything aside together, including the envelope. The postmark and the sender on the envelope can matter later.

  3. 3

    3. Check the text for typical scam patterns

    Paste the text into the scam check or photograph the letter. It shows you the known warning signs and what you can do now.

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    4. Look the firm up in the official register

    Search for the name in the federal official register of lawyers. If you find nothing, that is a strong warning sign. If you do find the firm, all that is settled is that it exists.

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    5. Compare the contact details

    Compare the phone number, email domain, address and bank details from the letter with the register entry and the legal notice on the firm's website. Any mismatch calls for caution.

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    6. Ask the firm, but the right way

    Call using the number from the register or the legal notice, never the one from the letter. Only the firm itself can confirm whether the letter came from them.

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    7. Check websites named in the letter

    If a website is named, use the domain check to see how long it has existed. An address only a few weeks old cannot support a contract that is years old.

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    8. Report it and get advice

    If your suspicion is confirmed, report it to the police and the Verbraucherzentrale. The Verbraucherzentrale assesses free of charge whether a letter is dubious.

How to spot the scam

  • A short deadline plus the threat of a lawsuit or court dunning procedure.
  • A contract you do not remember, supposedly agreed by phone years ago.
  • The letter quotes real details about you, for example the last digits of your IBAN.
  • Contact details in the letter differ from the legal notice or the register entry of the firm.
  • The website named in the letter is only a few weeks old.
  • Payment is meant to go to an account whose holder does not match the law firm.

Frequently asked questions

The firm is listed in the register of lawyers. Does that make the letter genuine?

No. The entry only proves that the firm exists. Criminals deliberately use the names and addresses of real firms so their letters look credible. Only the firm itself can tell you whether the letter came from them, reachable through the contact details in the register.

What happens if I let the deadline in the letter pass?

A deadline a sender sets for itself has no legal consequence on its own. A court does not act because of a letter. Even so, do not ignore mail: if a court dunning notice (Mahnbescheid) later arrives from the Amtsgericht, you have two weeks there to file an objection (§ 694 ZPO).

How do I recognise a genuine court dunning notice?

A genuine Mahnbescheid comes from the Amtsgericht, not from a law firm, and arrives in a yellow envelope on an official form. The court dunning procedure is governed by § 688 ZPO. On the form you can tick the objection box and send it back.

Do I have to reply to such a letter?

There is no obligation to. If the claim is genuine, a factual objection makes sense, in which you dispute the claim and demand proof. Send it to an address you have verified yourself, and do not hand over any new data, so no copy of your ID and no bank details.

The letter shows the last digits of my IBAN. Where did they get that?

Such details are meant to fake credibility. They often come from data breaches or from trade in address data. Where exactly cannot be determined from the outside. Go through your account statements, keep watching your account and inform your bank using the number on your card.

Take action now

We put together the ready-made texts and the right places to contact for you.

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General information for self-help, not legal advice (RDG). In case of a high loss or uncertainty: contact a consumer advice center or a lawyer.