Vienna police convicted RIP deal fraudsters: millions of damage!

Vienna police convicted RIP deal fraudsters: millions of damage!

The Viennese police have informed a significant fraud that affects an organized group that specializes in so-called RIP deals. In February 2025, a 36-year-old Italian in Burgenland was arrested for attempted theft. It is associated with several fraud cases in which potential victims were cheated by considerable sums. The investigation carried out in cooperation with Europol and Authorities from several countries led to the identification of the "Rip Deal Unit Vienna" group, which uncovered a total of three fraud cases with total damage of around one million euros. These cases mainly took place between 2018 and 2020.

RIP deal fraud, a fraudulent method in which the perpetrators pretend to be wealthy investors, often aims at buyers of luxury goods such as watches or gold. In an exemplary case from 2019, an entrepreneur lost over half a million euros in such a business after receiving counterfeit money. The Italian confessed to the fraud, with his arrest in the theft in a shopping center in Parndorf. He wore a prepared jacket that probably served to facilitate thefts.

Enlightenment of the fraud

The police give those affected by people some preventive tips to avoid RIP deal fraud. This includes contacting the police in the event of distrust and rejecting business. Buyers are advised to listen to their gut feeling and not travel abroad when selling luxury goods. Another sign of fraud can be if buyers do not want to negotiate the price. In addition, buyers should make research via business partners and obtain references. If in doubt, it is always advisable to file a complaint, even if the business has been done in Germany.

In the further context of the fight against crime, it is important to consider the fraud forms mentioned in a European comparison. According to Eurostat , the published crime statistics only refer to crimes recorded by authorities and reported to the police. Since the definitions and counts of crime can vary between the countries, comparisons should be interpreted with caution in terms of crime.

An increase or decline in crime figures can often be caused by changes in the reaction of the law enforcement authorities, which underlines the importance of correct data interpretation. Eurostat has published basic crime statistics since 2008 that can also fall back on historical data. The data is collected annually and the countries are given the opportunity to confirm their numbers or if necessary correctly correct.

The close cooperation between national investigative authorities and institutional partners such as Europol enables it to better clarify cross -border fraud cases and to counter the international criminal networks more decisively. In summary, it is clear that preventive measures and coordinated investigation are decisive in order to effectively combat such fraud.