Tractor botch on the Internet: A farmer was cheated by several ten thousand euros

Tractor botch on the Internet: A farmer was cheated by several ten thousand euros

A worrying internet fraud recently met a farmer from Austria. According to click Carinthia , a 57-year-old man from the Völkermarkt district reported that he discovered an enthusiastic tractor offer on an internet platform in mid-June. In the hope of buying the tractor required for its agricultural company, he contacted the seller via a messenger service and agreed a total price that was several tens of thousands of euros.

After transferring half of the purchase price as a down payment, the farmer desperately waited for the delivery of the vehicle. Unfortunately, this never took place, and the seller no longer reacted to his news. The consequences are serious: the farmer not only lost the amount paid, but also switched on the police to initiate further investigations. The damage amounts to several ten thousand euros.

fraud stitches on the Internet

This incident is not an isolated case. Another fraud occurred when a 42-year-old farmer from Himmelreich, municipality of Wals-Siezenheim, was also victim of an internet fraud. He wanted to buy a front loader for his agricultural machine and made a deposit to an account in Germany, but never received the goods. Agrarheute reports that similar attempts to fraud were also recorded in Germany, especially in Baden-Württemberg, where farmers were also betrayed when buying online.

experts warn of the growing risks in online shopping. As the Consumer center are particularly cheaper than the competition. Consumers are advised to be attentive if goods are offered as immediately available, even though they are actually sold out. The suspicion of a fake shop often exists when sellers ask for prepayment.

How to protect yourself against fraud

In 2024, over 88 billion euros were implemented in the online goods trade in Germany, and while the majority of business is serious, the number of fake shops increases. Alleged bargains and immediately available goods attract many into the trap. However, if someone becomes a victim of a fraud, the chances of returning the money depend on the payment method. Transfers are usually irrevocable, whereas sepa direct debits can be booked back within eight weeks. The baking card procedure could be used for credit card payments, and there is often a buyer protection via Internet payment services such as PayPal.

Although these protective measures do not always offer a guarantee, they can help those affected to minimize their losses. If consumers recognize signs of fraud, you will advise you to contact the fraud hotline of the relevant provider in order to initiate possible steps to return the money.