"Shipping costs" trap

Man paid 13,000 euros for a car he never got

The desired Audi was never delivered (symbolic image).

(Bild: Audi)

A 37-year-old man from the Wachau region seemed to have found a bargain when he was looking for a used car. However, because the car was supposedly parked in Sweden, a transport company was supposed to deliver it to Lower Austria. The man fell into the trap.

The Audi had been advertised on a well-known platform for 26,000 euros. The 37-year-old was sure it was a top offer and contacted the seller. The Wachau man didn't care that she was from Sweden. And the Scandinavian didn't mind that the prospective buyer lived in the district of Krems. "Transport would be possible," she signaled to him.

However, the dealer requested the full purchase price in advance by email. However, the potential buyer could not cope with this. He refused to transfer such a large sum in advance. Without a deposit, however, there would be no transportation of the used car. So they agreed on a compromise. Just under a third of the purchase price was to be paid to a Spanish transport company that wanted to deliver the car. 

Transportation costs over transportation costs

The man was persuaded to do so. But the transporter was not satisfied. After paying 8,000 euros, he demanded another 5,000 euros to deliver the car. The 37-year-old paid that too. When a further demand was received, the man from Wachau blocked it and filed a complaint instead. 

The police are now investigating a 44-year-old woman from Stockholm and the Spanish company. Whether both are actually involved in the case or whether their identities were misused is still being investigated.