Burgenländer cheated

Styrian sold cars that never existed

The accused made a remorseful confession at the trial in Eisenstadt.(Bild: HS, Krone KREATIV)

Trial: A fraudster from Styria swindled a bona fide Burgenlander out of a total of 21,800 euros - he had paid for two vehicles without having seen them.

The 54-year-old, who has two previous convictions, admits that he is no financial genius. Part of his salary is deducted. Judge Birgit Falb wants to know from the Styrian what he has to pay for. "I don't know exactly," says the man. "But now I have a girlfriend, she'll take care of it."

First handover of money, no car
The skilled worker has to answer for serious fraud at Eisenstadt Regional Court. And this is how it happened: He advertised a Ford Transit on willhaben.at. Purchase price: 1800 euros. A man from Burgenland contacted him and they met the next day. Without ever having seen the vehicle, the interested party signed the purchase contract and gave the seller 1800 euros in cash. The Ford Transit was ready for collection in western Styria, he was told.

Second handover of money, no car
When the man from Burgenland wanted to enquire about the address a few days later, the man on the phone offered him "a much newer, nicer VW bus" for 20,000 euros, which eventually also changed hands. Again, the man from Burgenland had not seen the vehicle, but how could he - the Ford Trasnsit never existed, and the VW bus certainly did not.

A dispute arose and the man from Burgenland was reimbursed 3300 euros, plus car tires. Too little, he filed a lawsuit.

The sentence, 12 months suspended for three years plus payment of 17,800 euros, was gratefully accepted by the fully confessed man.