The 123 Transporter case

First a rip-off, then bankruptcy: “This is clearly fraud!”

Niklaus Mettler (69) was brazenly punished by the car rental company and is fighting for his money.(Bild: Markus Tschepp)

Retired IT entrepreneur Niklaus Mettler rented a van in Salzburg - and was brazenly punished. Now the 69-year-old is fighting for 1587 euros that the rental car company wrongly collected. But the company is insolvent. Along with Mettler, thousands of others throughout Austria are trembling for their money.

Niklaus Mettler was initially delighted with the service provided by the 123-Transporter car rental company. At the end of August, he borrowed a van in Bergheim near Salzburg without any complications using an app. He drove it to his apartment in Switzerland, picked up the furniture and transported it to his partner in Anthering. "I thought the offer was good. It was only when I wanted to return the van that I became suspicious," recalls the retired IT entrepreneur.