A university professor from France, whose identity was stolen, faced a fine of 300,000 euros for traffic violations he did not commit.
The professor became a victim of identity theft. However, the story doesn’t end there; vehicles registered in his name were also used in criminal activities such as robberies in Belgium.
His ordeal, which he blames on French authorities, began in 2018. According to him, while he was on vacation, the police contacted him to inform him that multiple vehicles registered in his name were involved in numerous violations. Ironically, at that time, Julien didn’t own a car but only a scooter, Le Monde reports.
A police investigation quickly confirmed suspicions of identity theft. Criminals had opened a company for buying and selling vehicles under his name, using his personal information to register up to 300 cars. These cars were later involved in traffic violations, and the fines were automatically linked to him.
The professor filed a lawsuit against French authorities, accusing the state system of failure. Although he received 3,000 euros in compensation, he believes it is insufficient given the scale of the damage he suffered.
The issue seems to lie partly in the French vehicle registration system (SIV), which was recently partially privatized. That transition caused technical issues, which cybercriminals exploited to carry out identity theft. The consequences of these lapses are affecting an increasing number of drivers in France.
CREATED by:
“KORÇA BOOM”
