they were rampant in the service stations of Aude

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And international network of fraudsters was recently dismantled in Aude. It was rampant at certain service stations on the highways running through the department.

Requested by Actu.frEric Camous, public prosecutor at Narbonne (hears) gives first explanations on this incredible affair.

“A malicious and very sophisticated system”

“It all started over the summer thanks to the vigilance of employees at a service stationsurprised by a problem on site with a foreign truck driver,” begins the parquet floorer.

These machines had been equipped with a malicious and quite sophisticated device to duplicate card data. A mini camera the size of a pinhead had also been installed in the device.

For several weeks, the gendarmerie services and the Aude prosecutor's office have been on this case.

“A system had been installed on certain terminals of these motorway petrol stations. The driver inserted the company card. He composed the code,” explains Eric Camous, specifying that “unbeknownst to him, the code and the magnetic strip were immediately duplicated.

Complicit companies

Once hacked, the cards were then re-encoded remotely, “thanks to an international criminal network”, confirms the prosecutor.

It is this same network, based abroad, which contacted other international transport companies to encourage them to go at very specific times at previously indicated stations.

“These drivers therefore used fake cards and filled up their petrol tanks. The amount was in reality debited from the account of the first company, whose card had been duplicated, copied,” continues the representative of the public prosecutor.

“Foreign companies directly contacted by this network generally accepted the proposal. They therefore made themselves complicit in these acts of international fraud.”

“Obvious break in competition”

For the criminal network to benefit from the system, the companies contacted had to repay to the organization all or part of the undebited amount of the fuel tank filled.

“These facts brought to light constitute a obvious breach of competitionbecause the companies benefited from full fuel that they did not pay for, therefore less charges, therefore possibilities to offer contracts, business to new customers at lower costs than companies in the sector”, continues Eric Camous.

The truck drivers who are victims of these actions are mostly foreigners. “They come from Germany, Slovakia, Slovenia, Austria in particular and other Eastern countries,” confirms the floorer.

A man in custody

The investigation continues. The gendarmes and the Aude police services are mobilized on this matter.

“We are dealing with a complex case, started last summer for facts organized gang fraud », explique Eric Camous.

“And man in his forties was arrested in this case. He is in detention Béziers (Hérault). The penalty incurred is 10 years of imprisonment and several thousand euros fine. And as the law has authorized since June 24, 2024, the trucks concerned in recent times have all been seized, i.e. three Mercedes heavy goods vehicleswith a total value of 210 000 euros », Concludes, pragmatically, the public prosecutor of Narbonne.

The total financial damage is not clearly established to date; some victim companies refusing to provide their losses, for not providing precise financial information to their competition.

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