Summary
Many companies that recently registered in Germany receive fraudulent invoices claiming payment for a commercial register entry. These fake documents mimic official court charges but demand inflated fees (€300 to €1,200) and use urgent deadlines to pressure recipients. Red flags include foreign IBANs, short payment terms, and payment to private entities rather than the proper register court’s payment office. Awareness of this scam helps avoid unnecessary costs and legal complications. Checking the official court register payment details to verify the payment recipient is crucial!
Contents
Here’s how the scam works
New entries in the commercial register (Handelsregister) have been published on the Internet since 2009, which has made it exponentially easier for scammers to know when and where they have to send their counterfeit invoices.
The fraud always follows the same formula: A few days after a company is entered into the Handelsregister, the founder receives a letter that is supposed to give the impression that it’s been issued by the register court or a judicial treasury. The founder is then directed to pay an amount between € 300 and € 1,200 for the company’s entry into the commercial register. The whole letter looks legitimate but the account details indicated belong to the scammers.
To raise the pressure the payment period is usually short, such as 3 working days. Failure to pay promptly would incur further costs for the founder. Both details are a strong indicator for a scam.
How to spot fraudulent invoices
The fake letter can hardly be distinguished from a legitimate one. Usually, some are three give-aways:
- Recipient’s account number (IBAN) is not German, so does not start with DE—even if it is, always google it!
- Very short payment period (3 days) and threat of reminder fees.
- Payable amount is too high—It should contain two items and amount to €300 for LLCs. However, don’t trust the letter just because the scammer was smart enough to put the correct one.
The following characteristics are used to make the fake seem similar to the official letter:
- File number
- Seal of the Bundesland
- Official reference number
- Document numbers
- Signature by a judge
- Descriptions in the subject line, which refer to publication or change in the industry or commercial register
- Layout of the text: Printing on official paper and in official typeface
Often, the fraudulent letter arrives before the official invoice from the district court in the hope that entrepreneurs will transfer the amount in anticipation of an official invoice without looking at it too closely.
Example
This is an example of a real scam attempt. Can you spot the give-aways? Find the solution below.
Here is the solution:
The green highlights are all the expected features of a court invoice that may mislead you into thinking it is perfectly legitimate.
The orange features reveal the scam:
- Spanish account number,
- wrong payable amount—more than triple of the correct one,
- very short payment period
- mentioning of additional fees.
Did you spot them all?
This one is visually smart but rather clumsy content-wise: it claims to be sent from the judicial treasury in Frankfurt (Hesse), yet the coat of arms and signature indicate that the sender is based in Düsseldorf (North Rhine-Westphalia)—two different federal states.
This oversight shows that these scammers are not particularly sophisticated and are unfamiliar with basic German geography and jurisdiction. Still, if you don’t know what to look for, you might easily overlook these details. Scammers love targeting international founders who are unfamiliar with German bureaucracy and therefore more vulnerable to mail fraud.
Pay attention to the fine print!
The problem with fraud is that it’s not clearly defined as illegal in Germany. If the founder transfers the significantly higher amount compared to the official invoice, he or she will be entered in an online database. However, this has no use. Only the fine print indicates that the entry is a business register or a paid business directory and not the official commercial register. Over 100,000 people have already become victims of the scammers. It’s believed that the amount of damage is in the tens of millions.
What should I do if I receive such a letter?
Do not pay! Call the local district court or check their website for the account number. There you will find information about whether an invoice is genuine or if it’s a fraud.
What should I do if I’ve already sent the money?
Although the German Court of Justice has identified many of the counterfeit invoices as fraud and willful deceit, it’s difficult to combat.
In principle, even after the money is transferred, the contract can be challenged. For this, you should contact a lawyer or the Association against Economic Crime (Schutzverband gegen Wirtschaftskriminalität). But worst case scenario, the money is lost. So do be careful!
More scams: Fraudsters are inventive
Incidentally, scammers are not afraid to make repeated attempts at fraud with other fake invoices. Even when registering with the Patent and Trademark Office (Patent- und Markenamt), a fee is charged. They use this and also send fake requests for payment in the same way.
If you receive one of these letters or something similar, it’s important not to transfer the money right away. Call the office and ask if the invoice is real. If not, report the fraud directly to the Association against Economic Crime.
Note: This is one thing among many that founders have to keep in mind when starting a company in Germany. Get a comprehensive overview in our guide: How to start a company in Germany.
Conclusion
When you receive an invoice for the commercial register entry in Germany, do not pay until verification. Always verify the payment details first or contact the court office to confirm legitimacy. If you recognise signs of fraud—such as a foreign account number, unusual sender, high fees, or pressure to pay quickly—report it to the police and the economic crime protection association. Staying vigilant protects your business and prevents falling victim to this cost trap.
