French driver fined €43,000 for traffic offences he did not commit

A driver in France has been left facing a four-year administrative nightmare after becoming the victim of driving licence fraud that resulted in nearly €43,000 in fines for traffic offences he did not commit.

The man, Sébastien, from Saint-Maximin in the Oise department (Hauts-de-France), discovered that his personal data had been stolen and used to produce fake driving documents. These identities were then used to commit repeated traffic offences across France.

Since 2022, he has reportedly seen some penalty payments relating to the offences deducted straight from his account without prior warning. 

He has also had seven penalty points removed from his driving licence, raising fears about the impact on his work and daily life. 

The investigation later revealed major inconsistencies in the offences attributed to him, including incidents supposedly occurring only minutes apart in cities located hundreds of kilometres away, reports La Dépêche.

Sébastien filed a formal complaint in April 2024. Since then, authorities have investigated the case, and most of the wrongly collected fines have reportedly been reimbursed. 

However, he continues to face an ongoing administrative struggle, needing to repeatedly contest new fines, provide documentation, and notify authorities whenever a new incident appears on his record.

What to do if your personal information has been stolen 

Cases of identity theft and data misuse are becoming increasingly common in France, following several recent cyberattacks on major public databases. 

Earlier this year, authorities confirmed breaches affecting both the national bank account register (FICOBA), exposing sensitive banking identity data, and the document agency ANTS, which handles ID cards, passports and driving licences. 

According to the French Ministry of the Economy, identity theft should be reported and acted on immediately. The steps to follow are as follows: 

• File a complaint (plainte) or a police report (main courante) promptly at a police station, your local gendarmerie, or via the Interior Ministry’s online services

• Inform all banks and financial institutions immediately and request that any compromised banking details be blocked or secured.

• Collect and keep evidence such as screenshots, documents, and any proof of fraudulent activity

• Request cancellation and renewal of identity documents if they have been misused

• Change all passwords immediately, especially if any may have been exposed

• Provide a sworn statement (attestation sur l’honneur) to organisations involved, along with a copy of the complaint, to prove you are not responsible for any fraudulent activity

For further advice and information you can also contact the Ministry of the Interior’s hotline at 0 805 805 817. 

How to contest a fine in France

If you believe you have received a fine for an infraction you did not commit, the first thing you should do is not pay it, as payment is considered an admission of guilt.

You should also keep in mind that you cannot directly contest the amount of the fine, but you can challenge its validity, the alleged offence itself, or whether you were the driver at the time.

There are several ways to contest a fine: by registered post, enclosing the original notice; by sending a letter to the public prosecutor; online via the ANTAI website; through the Flash Radar app; or by telephone.

You can learn more about contesting a fine in our article here.