“Like in a nightmare”: victim of identity theft, a young man must pay 4,000 euros in taxes

Le jeune homme attend désormais que son historique de contraventions soit effacé et sa réputation blanchie (photo d'illustration). Ludovic LAUDE – L'EST REPUBLICAIN/MAXPPP

A young man received a letter from the Public Treasury demanding 4,000 euros in unpaid fines for 17 speeding violations. He then discovers that he is the victim of identity theft.

Just before Christmas, Nicolas, 27, received a letter from the Public Treasury demanding 4,035 euros for unpaid fines linked to 17 speeding violations. Which he never committed! This employee in a company that sells model trains initially thinks it's a joke. Before realizing that his identity has been stolen from his driving license.

"The beginning of hell"

When he realizes this, it is for him the "beginning of hell", described in Parisian the one who feels "like in a nightmare". 

This resident of Seine-et-Marne was first contacted by the police, in 2020. The official then asked him to go to the station because he was stopped while driving a car. ;#39;a car and its passenger is wanted for drug trafficking. The twenty-year-old, who never drives, can't believe his ears.

He initially thinks it was an error due to a homonym. When he notices a loss of points on his license, Nicolas files a handrail at the Meaux police station, in Seine-et-Marne.

In luxury vehicles

He leaves this story aside until December 16, when he discovers in his mailbox, astonished, an unpaid 17 fines for speeding, throughout France, aboard luxurious vehicles, Porshe, Mercedes, Volkswagen… Cars that Nicolas, who owns a Renault Twingo, cannot afford.

Wage garnishment sent to his employer, mail to his bank, the young man finds himself in an improbable imbroglio, without being able to contact the Public Treasury.

His license on social networks

The gendarmes took his complaint on December 20, 2023 and understood that Nicolas's license had certainly ended up for sale on a site like Le Bon coin or a social network. The young man, however, assures that he has "never lost his license and never sent" neither.

Waiting for a response

Nicolas is now waiting for his history of fines to be erased, his reputation cleared and awaiting answers: "I'm a bit like in The 12 labors of Asterix, there is no human, quotes it BFM, there is no one in front of you when you are looking for an answer."