Construction Fraud via Social Media: 400,000 Euro Damage

A 54-year-old Bosnian has been arrested for commercial fraud, the State Police Directorate of Styria announced on Thursday. Since April 2022, the man had been offering cheap deals for windows, doors, fences, and similar construction services through social media. In doing so, he swindled 31 people out of over 400,000 euros. The work was either not done at all or done poorly. The man was caught after reports in March, and since then, fraud victims have been sought.

54-Year-Old Defrauded 31 Construction Clients

The victims of the man - who, according to the police, has a relevant criminal record - had signed contracts and made cash payments. The 54-year-old is believed to have operated under the name of a company based in Bosnia. Throughout the entire period of the crime, the man was registered as unable to work with the AMS. In parallel with the frauds, he is said to have fraudulently obtained emergency assistance or unemployment benefits amounting to over 60,000 euros through false statements.

In early March 2025, investigators from the Leibnitz police station arrested him and delivered him to the Graz-Jakomini prison. After extensive investigations and numerous victim interviews, the case has now been closed by the police and handed over to the public prosecutor's office.

(APA/Red)

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