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Inkasso - Bahncard
Posted on 02/01/2006 9:32 am
Inkasso - Bahncard
Hi All,
Recently I received an extortion letter(Inkasso) from DB asking me to pay up for a Bahncard. The way it works is that once you have bought a bahncard it automatically gets renewed unless you cancel it. And once they have sent the card you have to pay up for that. It doesn't matter whether you need it or you don't. I still can't believe that in a country like Germany these kind of things are happening. I was wondering if anybody had any experience with DB and would be willing to share their experience. And most importantly if anybody can suggest a way out of this obviously besides paying up.
Regards
hedger
Member since 30/06/2005
Posted on 02/01/2006 10:03 am
Re: Inkasso - Bahncard
Hi !
Letter from Inkasso is certainly not an extortion letter. When you sign up for bahncard it gets renewed automatically unless u cancel it. So your bahncard was renewed(as you did not cancel it) for which you have to pay. Since you did not pay that amount the DB sent you a letter through the Inkasso (Collection Office).
If your card was renewed you "MUST" pay and you are legally bound to do so. If you dont pay, your name will be registered as a defaulter which may cause further problem when you need some other things like applying for heating, Electricity or even credit card. These Inkasso offices are specializes in recovering the money and they will pursue you unless you have paid them or you declare yourself as "insolvent" in the court(Amtsgericht).Taking one into court happens only in extreme cases where amount to be recovered is larger but definitely NOT in your case.
I know this is really shitty and I personally believe its cheating customer the legal way. Thats why when you sign up anything you must read everything extremely carefully here in Germany. Almost all companies practice these sort of dirty tricks.
Having worked previously in SW firma that did datawarehousing for Inkasso offices - my suggestion is to clear the due amount and cancel the contract in an orderly manner. If you dont pay the risk is not so great but your name will then get registered in this Inkasso Office as defaulter.
p_tuladhar41
Member since 17/11/2003
Posted on 02/01/2006 10:18 pm
Re: Inkasso - Bahncard
hello hedger,
cool down! i was inthe same situation until nov 2005.There is a most simple way to get out of this....just call them and tell you are leaving permanently to your home country....if they really need an evidence...just go to a travel agent get a dummy reservation done...take a print out....post it to them...thatz all.....dont worry...try it out...
cheers
panna
panna28
Member since 01/09/2005
Posted on 02/01/2006 11:02 pm
Re: Inkasso - Bahncard
@panna28
I have tried that out, they also want the Abmeldung Bescheinigung 
________________________________________
Akshay
Member since 21/03/2005
Posted on 03/01/2006 5:21 pm
Re: Inkasso - Bahncard
German rules suckkkk! They call them very essential because this way things are in order actually being a foreigner you need to experience them on first hand so is your case. The best way would be to pay that money and close the contract because any lawyer would suggest the same.
I have seen other similar cases with Mobile operator's so beware of such contracts too.
Usually German's have atleast one legal advisor who usually charges no fee for giving ou his tips on any issue. Before Germans go for a costly thing they will take his advisor suggestion, this way they also learn the hidden tricks. Having a permanent legal advisor at your expense will cost you nothing if you are willing to stay here longer.
babloo
Member since 15/02/2005
Posted on 03/01/2006 8:54 pm
Re: Inkasso - Bahncard
you can't blame people when you haven't read the contract details enough man .
welcome to germany
VP_2004
Member since 15/11/2004
Posted on 05/01/2006 4:30 am
Re: Inkasso - Bahncard
"There is a most simple way to get out of this....just call them and tell you are leaving permanently to your home country....if they really need an evidence...just go to a travel agent get a dummy reservation done...take a print out....post it to them...thatz all.....dont worry...try it out..."
yo-yo don't forget that they can sue you if they find out that you didn't leave the country 
"The way it works is that once you have bought a bahncard it automatically gets renewed unless you cancel it."
that's a usual thing here in Germany. nobody wants to work - everything is done automatically
relating to issue:
1. did DB cancel your contract themselves? companies usually do that before they ask Inkasso to collect the money ... and if they did, how much money do they want to get (i mean for which period of time - till the end of the contract or till the end of the corresponding annual period)?
2. did you tell DB anything before they asked Inkasso to collect the money?
-
Member since 20/02/2005
Posted on 05/01/2006 9:40 am
Re: Inkasso - Bahncard
@-
"that's a usual thing here in Germany"
most of my contracts are not renewed automatically, so i cannot say that it is usual in germany.
"nobody wants to work"
of course i also want to work
"everything is done automatically"
i am not really sure about that, but atleast someone as to keep the power supply cable or push button to start the machine i guess. i think it all depends on the way how someone want to see.
instructor
Member since 01/09/2005
Posted on 06/01/2006 3:22 pm
Re: Inkasso - Bahncard
"most of my contracts are not renewed automatically"
lol let me guess: you change you employer every month? 
"of course i also want to work"
that's good. after all, somebody has to pay contributions to all those "gesetzliche Kassen"
-
Member since 20/02/2005
Posted on 06/01/2006 8:13 pm
Re: Inkasso - Bahncard
@-
"lol let me guess: you change you employer every month?"
not every month, but on average every year and it is true! and least was two months and maximum was two years
"that's good. after all, somebody has to pay contributions to all those "gesetzliche Kassen" "
oh, i just don't think much about it, but why not?
instructor
Member since 01/09/2005
Posted on 27/11/2007 4:36 pm
Re: Inkasso - Bahncard
Hi. Can you give a feedback on how you solved this. Did you eventually pay? I am asking coz I also received a LETZTE MAHNUNG from a Inkasso company for some web services about a year ago. Any advice from anyone else in this forum also will be really helpful.
mayank
Member since 02/02/2007
