We repair everything!

The wrong tradesmen and their dirty tricks

And now bring on the Marie!

(Bild: Dada Lin)

(Bild: Kerschbaummayr Werner)

Cheap can be very expensive: A gang of tradesmen is up to mischief in Burgenland, using extortionate methods to take money out of the pockets of gullible people.

The scam really came into fashion a year and a half ago in Lower Austria, when the police received numerous reports and many a Romanian roofer gang was finally put on trial.

The pattern was always the same: they drive through residential areas, talk to mostly older, ideally single homeowners and offer to carry out minor repairs. Gutter broken? No problem, costs 50 euros.

Intimidated clients
The next day, five or six men turn up, set to work and report that the roof is leaking and will cost 500 euros. The cover is torn off, the owner suddenly has no roof over his head, the price rises to 10,000 euros, which is loudly demanded. So intimidated, many people paid up. Once the money was in the bag, the gang left without having achieved anything.

It's a dirty front, isn't it?
Recently, fraudulent façade cleaners have been up to mischief in Burgenland. They ring the doorbell wherever they come across houses that are obviously getting on in years and make the owner a tempting-sounding offer for cleaning. A gift, right? "Several men then go into action with sometimes adventurous equipment," says a police spokesperson. And when the work is done, usually more badly than right? "Then a much higher sum than agreed is demanded, and threats are made."

We don't know how high the number of unreported cases is and how many people have allowed themselves to be intimidated.

Ein Polizeisprecher

Company car with logo and false telephone number
The professionalism with which the crooks operate is remarkable. The vehicles with their Czech license plates look like company cars with a logo and telephone number - only: It's not right. Which customer would think to call the man standing in front of them? "We don't know how high the number of unreported cases is and how many people have been intimidated," says the police spokesperson. Many would not dare to admit their good faith.

Never do business between door and door!
The police's crime prevention team therefore appeals: never agree to any verbal or written door-to-door deals; never sign between the door and the door, but always obtain written settlement offers; if you are pressured into an agreement by such "tradesmen", do not hesitate to call the police; always make a note of the registration numbers of the vehicles these "businessmen" have come in.