Consumer rights in everyday life help you when an online purchase goes wrong, a subscription is hard to cancel, or someone tries to get your money with a fake message. This overview sorts all topics of this group by situation. Each article (in German) leads you to the exact deadline and the next step.
Short answer: Consumer rights protect you from unfair contracts and fraud if you know the deadlines and act in time. The most important deadlines are 14 days to withdraw from a contract (§ 355 BGB), two years of statutory warranty for new goods (§ 438 BGB), and eight weeks to get a direct debit refunded without giving reasons (§ 675x BGB). Last updated: November 2026.
The most important points at a glance
- Distance contracts, such as online purchases and contracts concluded by phone, generally carry a 14-day right of withdrawal. The period usually starts only once you have received proper information about the right.
- For defects in new goods, you first contact the seller. Statutory warranty lasts two years, and a manufacturer guarantee is separate.
- Fraud attempts often rely on time pressure. Reputable banks do not ask for your TAN or password by phone or email.
- A default notice (Mahnbescheid) must be contested within two weeks of service, otherwise an enforcement order can follow.
- Check every claim before you pay: Is the reason valid, is the amount correct, and has the claim not yet expired?
The most important deadlines at a glance
| Situation | Deadline | Legal basis | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Withdrawal after online purchase or phone contract | 14 days | § 355 BGB | Starts with proper information |
| Defects in new goods | 2 years | § 438 BGB | Claim against the seller |
| Refund of a direct debit without reasons | 8 weeks | § 675x BGB | From the debit to your account |
| Objection to a default notice | 2 weeks | § 692 ZPO | From service |
Phishing, scam calls and account protection
Scammers work with fake senders, convincing logos and threats. The articles below show how to recognise forgeries and what counts after an incident.
- Phishing damage: Does insurance refund the money?
- Parcel phishing: How to spot fake delivery notifications
- Phishing email from the bank: How to recognise it
- Phishing at university: How to check emails properly
- Recognising a shock call: How fake police officers operate by phone
- Identity theft among students: Protection and immediate steps
- Hacked social media account: The first steps for students
- Renting out a bank account: Why it is a crime and what it can cost
Traps online: shops, tickets, reviews and dating
Not all fraud arrives as a message. Fake shops, counterfeit tickets and manipulated reviews look trustworthy at first glance. Prize games and dating apps often hide costs in the fine print.
- Recognising fake online shops
- Fake tickets for concerts and festivals: How to spot fraud (in German)
- Spotting fake reviews: How to check online ratings (in German)
- Prize game scams: Why costs are often hidden (in German)
- Fraud on marketplaces: Warning signs when buying and selling
- Recognising romance scams: Warning signs in online dating
- Dating apps: Costs, subscription traps and how to avoid them (in German)
Withdrawing from and cancelling contracts
A withdrawal needs no reason, but it is bound to a deadline. For subscriptions and gym contracts, the term, the notice period and the required form decide whether you get out in time. Your own article on the right of withdrawal for online purchases (in German) explains the details.
- Right of withdrawal for online purchases: Which deadlines apply
- Signed by phone: How to withdraw from a contract
- Cancelling a gym membership: Deadlines, contract and special termination
- Cancelling a subscription online: What the cancellation button requires
Claims for defects and delays
Whether you get your money back depends on who is liable and how you document the defect. Guarantee and statutory warranty are not the same, and rail delays follow their own rules.
- Defective online order: How to complain correctly
- Guarantee or statutory warranty: Who is responsible for defects (in German)
- Expired voucher: When you can still redeem it (in German)
- Passenger rights for delays: When you get compensation on rail (in German)
Debt collection, direct debit and default notices
Debt collection letters often sound more urgent than they are. Check the claim first, then decide whether to pay or object. A direct debit can only be reversed within a fixed period, and a default notice leaves very little time.
- Receiving a collection letter: What to check before you pay
- Contesting a direct debit: How to get your money back
- Default notice received: Deadline, objection and what counts now
- Model declaratory action: What consumers gain (in German)
Data, information rights and labelling
You can ask companies which data they store about you. On food packaging, two different date markings exist, and they are not interchangeable.
- GDPR right of access: Which data companies store about you
- Best-before date or use-by date: What the difference is
Frequently asked questions
What deadline applies when withdrawing from an online purchase?
Generally 14 days from the point at which you were properly informed about your right of withdrawal. If the information is missing, the period does not start, and your right can then last longer. The details are in the article on the right of withdrawal for online purchases (in German).
Is a guarantee the same as statutory warranty?
No. Statutory warranty is a legal claim against the seller. A guarantee is given voluntarily by the manufacturer or retailer, and its conditions are set out in the guarantee terms.
Do I have to pay a debt just because a collection letter arrived?
No. A claim must be justified, documented and not yet time-barred. Check the reason, the amount and how it was calculated before you pay or object.
Can I withdraw from a contract I signed by phone?
In many cases yes, provided the right of withdrawal applies. The type of contract and the information you received are decisive. The steps are described in the article on phone contracts (in German).
How can I reliably recognise a phishing email?
Watch the sender address, the greeting, the links and any time pressure. Instead of clicking the link in the message, open the provider’s app or website yourself. If in doubt, call the number from your own documents.
What to do now
- Secure the evidence: save emails, screenshots, invoices and contract documents before you change anything.
- Check the deadline: which period applies, when does it start, and until when must you act?
- Write it down in a provable way: send the withdrawal, complaint or objection in writing to the right party and keep proof of dispatch.
- Act immediately in cases of fraud: inform your bank, block access and report it to the police before more money leaves your account.
Related articles
- Cyber insurance and identity theft
- Cyber insurance for private individuals: Is it worth it for students? (in German)
- Cyber insurance: Exclusions and pitfalls in the fine print (in German)
Sources: § 355 BGB, right of withdrawal (gesetze-im-internet.de, last updated November 2026), German Civil Code, BGB (gesetze-im-internet.de, last updated November 2026), Code of Civil Procedure, ZPO (gesetze-im-internet.de, last updated November 2026).
Last updated: November 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice.
