The Vienna police are currently publicly searching for a suspected fraudster who is said to have obtained considerable sums through so-called 'Rip-Deals'. The investigations by the Vienna State Criminal Police Office ('Landeskriminalamt Wien') reveal a professional method that extends across several European cities.
The suspect is accused of contacting a 53-year-old man in Vienna in February 2024. Under the pretext of buying gold, he lured the victim to a meeting in Milan. There, real gold coins were exchanged for counterfeit money. The victim suffered a loss in the lower six-figure Euro range as a result. A second case occurred in May 2024, where a 45-year-old man was defrauded of a mid-six-figure amount in a supposed real estate deal.
In this form of advance-fee fraud, the perpetrators often pretend to have lucrative business deals and demand fees or commissions in cash. The police have published pictures of the suspect and are asking the public for information. At the same time, people are warned against agreeing to cash transactions in public places or abroad for unusually profitable offers.
