Verified: 19 March 2026 03:35 am CET
Industry: Banking & Financial Services (Private Direct 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. ING staff will never ask for your account password, Telebanking PIN, DiBa Key, or ask you to approve a “test transfer” via the ING Banking to go app.
Level 1: Customer Support (Kundenservice)
- How to complain: Submit your issue via the secure mailbox inside your ING online banking portal, use the official public contact form, email them at info@ing.de, or call their central retail customer service hotline at 069 / 50 500 105.
- Source Verification: Kontakt - ING
- Availability: The central customer service hotline operates Monday to Saturday from 08:00 to 19:00 (CET). (Note: Card blocking and fraud reporting are available 24/7).
- Source Verification: Hilfe & Service - ING
- Timeline: Under European regulations (PSD2), ING 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, hidden fees, or account blocks) by sending a registered letter with return receipt (Einschreiben mit Rückschein) to their legal headquarters addressed to the Management Board, ING-DiBa AG, Theodor-Heuss-Allee 2, 60486 Frankfurt am Main, 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 - ING
- 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: ING-DiBa AG is a member of the Association of German Banks and officially participates in their dispute resolution scheme. If your complaint is not resolved, you can submit your case to the Ombudsmann der privaten Banken (Ombudsman of the Private Banks). The process is free for consumers, and the Ombudsman’s decision is legally binding on ING for dispute values up to €10,000.
- Source Verification: Bankenombudsmann - Teilnehmende Banken
- Timeline: You can file a complaint with the Ombudsman immediately after receiving a final rejection letter from ING, 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 Ombudsman cannot resolve the issue or the dispute exceeds €10,000, 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 ING Germany still refusing to refund an unauthorized credit card charge, or ignoring a complaint about a rejected Extra-Konto payout? Reply below (do not share your passwords, full account numbers, or PINs), and our community will point you to the right legal templates!