Hello all,

Hope all is good. I’ve come here to come for a bit of guidance on a Deutschland ticket issue that I am having (my sister to be more exact).

She moved to Germany for Uni in October and bought a Deutschlandticket through VNR because that’s what someone at uni told her. What happened was that around 12 days after purchasing (oct 16th to be exact), Deutschebahn sent her an email that she needs to pay for the month as there is no payment made. We were quite confused as we bought the thing online on Discord screen share together and money was out of the bank account.

She tried everything: Multiple emails with proof, contacting via phone, going to the Heidelberg Hbf and no response at all other than some useless redirection to the standard response of call or send an email. To be safe she paid for the second time for the month of october via bank transfer with the details on the email.

Meanwhile we waited up until the last day that we could refund the first payment via our bank for a response and since nothing came refunded the amount (the 2nd payment was direct transfer so that can’t be refunded at all) since if we wouldn’t have done that it would have been 50 euros lost for no reason.

Today she got a letter saying that there was a chargeback and she needs to pay, so they are asking for the money (how quickly they contact you when its the other way around…). My question is what are her options, as going to the debt collectors is something she wants to avoid. The ticket has been paid but clearly something is wrong on their end (we double checked there was no double booking/ double confirmation).

Personally I feel like paying the 49.16 (16 cent fees…) and be done with it but this feels full on as being scammed. Any advice from anyone who has had to deal with DB on how to contact them.

Thanks in advance 🙂

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Edit for a bit more clarity copied from my reply below to Squampi:

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From what we got from the email it seems legit. I am linking a screengrab of it [here](https://imgur.com/a/N1LrNrz). My apologies btw, made a mistake, the email came on Oct 9 asking for it to be paid by Oct 18th.

She did buy the DB Deutschlandticket from VNR which means that VNR acted as an intermediary but the money would go to DB in the end right?

Also a picture of the letter received [here](https://imgur.com/a/qbc3dsw). Interesting that the letter came on Dec 4th and it says to respond by Nov 29th…

Oh and the “Verwendungszweck” is the same as the payment my sister made by direct debit as seen [here](https://imgur.com/a/tuC3ZKs) (not really seen as I blocked it for privacy’s sake but you get the point, same number)

by tedi1997

1 comment

  1. For me right now, with the Info you gave us, it Sounds like she got scammed.

    A “verkehrsverbund” aka VNR Works independentely from deutsche Bahn, why should deutsche Bahn write an Email when she is no customer at deutsche Bahn.

    And the normal payment was made, which she refunded and they correctly ask for the money as they sold her the Ticket.

    And the deutsche Bahn mail, still Sounds like scam. No idea what email they did send, but does not Sound legit as they would never send an Email and write a Letter on paper.

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