I got this text today wanting me to pay them 100 euro so that they will not move ahead with a case i presume. Just for context i got a letter from police some weeks ago wanting me to be a witness about some crime and i sent them my information. I dont understand they havent given me any evidence that i have comitted anything so i am confused as to what i should do here ?

by skhan2286

23 comments

  3. Its probably best if you just pay, otherwise you need to get a lawyer, which will be more expensive.

    I take you dont doubt that the letter is real?

  4. You can either pay and make it go away or you don’t and see what they have against you to move forward. Or you can consult a lawyer.

  5. “Nötigung” menas coercion. It means you forced someone to do something you wanted them to do. If you did commit that crime, you now have the option to pay 100€ and you’re done with it. If you didn’t commit the crime, you should of course not pay. If you don’t pay, they will probably prosecute the whole thing and it’ll end up in front of a criminal judge, where you can either get convicted or acquitted, depending on the evidence.

    Getting a lawyer is almost always a good idea, especially if you’re unsure about the whole situation.

  6. call them and ask. also, the IBAN bank details are different in the letter and in the footnote. which may or may not mean its fake. ask. don’t just assume.

  7. So what does the lawyer say you hired, considering you’re being accused of a crime?

  8. Are you actively driving a car in Germany & do you have a car?

  9. Give them a call if you are not sure what this is about

  11. If you don’t even know why you would be accused of something like that then I would take a lawyer (Strafverteidiger) if you can afford it (he can also apply for “Prozesskostenhilfe” which means the state might pay the lawyer for you if you can’t afford it). The lawyer would ask them for a copy of the file (which you can’t ask for or probably wouldn’t even understand if they show you) and can then tell you how to proceed.

  12. Just pay it, it’s the best outcome. A lawyer would be more expensive in total.

  13. 100€ for Nötigung? That sounds like you blocked someone from leaving their driveway with their car by blocking it with your car or something similar. Can’t be something bigger than that

    I’d give them a call and ask them what that’s about.

  14. Letter seems real, the mentioned Bank Account is correct so it doesn’t seem like a scam. If you already know that you had some interaction with police before and you know what this is about, it might makes sense to pay it. 100€ is quite low amount and a lawyer will be much more expensive. If you don’t have any idea what this is about, you can write or better call them and ask what exactly this is about. There is also an “Anlage” so more information attached, you might check if there is any extra information

  16. “und Ihnen aufzugeben” lol. Schmeiss weg den Zettel oder bring ihn zur Polizei.

  17. So not a lawyer, but it looks a little fishy to me

    1) there’s a grammatical error in the first sentence.

    Being supected of something would be “Sie werden der … (or des Tatbestandes der) verdächtigt”.

    2) the main text and the bottom-line fineprint give you two different bank account numbers

    3) There is no case-number, so how would they be able to identify your paymemt between the myriad of other payments they are bound to receive?

    My advice would be to try to google the bank account numbers or try to check with authorities and verify the letter is legit.

  18. This is Schrödinger’s Thread. All the feedback is helpful and not helpful depending on the unknown reality we’ve not observed.

    Das ist Schrödingers Thread. Alles Feedback ist hilfreich und nicht hilfreich, abhängig von der unbekannten Realität, die wir nicht beobachtet haben.

  19. I think there is much more background missing.
    From a witness to a crime suspect in just one hearing.
    It could be something you said (or wrongly expressed?) which is in Germany a crime (Nötigung).
    If you have done nothing and I mean really nothing, then get a lawyer and reject the offer of the attorney.

  20. It is a legit letter. There should be some details on the other pages and I dont think this is the first letter you receive in this case?

  21. no lawyer here:

    Might be a simple mistake. Otherwise you should have at least received some information before, allowing to understand  the context ( I’d assume).

    The IBAN is valid at least, so doesn’t look like a scam.

    Nötigung can be related to threaten someone (e.g to do something), by driving too close, or blocking a street (Sitzblockade), etc.

    If you are 100% sure you didn’t do anything I’d simply call the number and kindly ask if there was a mistake in addressing you.

    Obviously a lawyer would be perfect, however even just asking will be probably more expensive that paying the fine (unless you have some insurance).

  22. I think you should watch out and even if it is more eypebsive you should take a lawyer to see what they got. If you pay that, then you commit the crime. If you commit, you could get problems with your Aufenthaltstitel if youre not a German Citizen.

  23. Was it really a “Vorladung als Zeuge” or a “Vorladung als Beschuldigter”?

    The second is not “witness”.

    Is the “Antwortschreiben” the “Anlage” more informative, of what this is about?

    You can make an objection, but then it will go it’s way, and it can end at a court. In the worst case, that is. Or become more expensive.

    What was the invitation to the police about? “A crime you witnessed” is a bit to less information, to see if that is related.

    You can go tho a lawyer, if you have a “Rechtsschutzversicherung”, but if not…

    It’s not worth it. But you can call a lawyer and ask what it will cost you. There is a chance, that a first consultation in such a case doesn’t cost something.

    The easiest way is to pay. That is unsatisfactory, but it is also unsatisfactory for the Staatsanwalt.

    Other possibility: The rare online portals, where you find a lawyer, a real one. You tell there what you have told here, or a bit more, offer an amount as payment and hope, someone will help you.

    Google for “online anwalt”

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