Verified: 19 March 2026 01:35 am CET
Industry: Digital Banking & Financial Services (Public Bank)
Jurisdiction: Germany
Primary Regulator: BaFin & ECB (European Central Bank)
Important Safety Warning: Beware of fake customer service numbers on search engines. Only use official channels. Scammers frequently buy ads to promote fraudulent phone numbers. DKB staff will never ask for your account password, PIN, pushTAN approval via the DKB-App, or ask you to verify your bank details via a text message link.
Level 1: Customer Support (Kundenservice)
- How to complain: Submit your issue via the secure mailbox inside your DKB online banking portal, use their official public contact form, email them at info@dkb.de, or call their central customer service hotline at 030 / 120 300 00.
- Source Verification: Kontakt - DKB AG
- Availability: The central customer service hotline operates Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 20:00 (CET).
- Source Verification: Kontakt - DKB AG
- Timeline: Under European regulations (PSD2), DKB must respond to payment-related complaints within 15 business days. For highly complex cases, this can be extended to a maximum of 35 business days.
Level 2: Formal Written Complaint & Mahnung
- Who to contact: Formally escalate your financial dispute (e.g., unauthorized transactions, blocked Visa debit cards, or account closures) by sending a registered letter with return receipt (Einschreiben mit Rückschein) to their legal headquarters addressed to the Management Board, Deutsche Kreditbank AG (DKB), Taubenstraße 7–9, 10117 Berlin, Germany. Clearly state your claim and set a legally binding 14-day deadline (Mahnung) for them to issue a refund or resolution.
- Source Verification: Impressum - DKB AG
- Timeline: The legally binding deadline of 14 days (set via your Mahnung) provides the bank a strict timeframe to resolve the issue before they legally default (in Verzug geraten).
Level 3: Regulatory Authority / ADR
- Authority: Because DKB is a subsidiary of a state bank (BayernLB), they do not use the private bank ombudsman. Instead, you can submit your case for free to the Verbraucherschlichtungsstelle des Bundesverbands Öffentlicher Banken Deutschlands (VÖB). This is the official consumer arbitration board for public sector banks in Germany.
- Source Verification: Wie kann ich mich beschweren? - DKB AG
- Timeline: You can file a complaint with the VÖB Ombudsmann immediately after receiving a final rejection letter from DKB, or if they fail to respond within the statutory 35-day limit.
Level 4: Legal Action
- Pre-Litigation: Before initiating formal court proceedings, you can seek case-specific legal assistance from your local Consumer Advice Centre (Verbraucherzentrale) or a financial lawyer to evaluate your claim.
- Source Verification: Verbraucherzentrale - Beschwerde
- Court/Arbitration: If the VÖB Schlichtungsstelle cannot resolve the issue, you can initiate the judicial dunning process (gerichtliches Mahnverfahren) online to obtain an enforceable payment title against the bank, or file a civil lawsuit at your local district court (Amtsgericht).
- Source Verification: Gemeinsames Mahnportal der Länder
Community Action: Is DKB still refusing to refund an unauthorized Visa debit charge, or ignoring a complaint about an unjustified account restriction? Reply below (do not share your passwords, full account numbers, or PINs), and our community will point you to the right legal templates!