If you've been the victim of fraudulent designation, how can you report it?

Illustration d'une carte d'identité numérique française

If you have been designated as the driver of a vehicle that committed a traffic offence at a time when it could not possibly have been you, you may have been the victim of fraudulent designation.

To confirm whether fraud has occurred, and to take action to prevent it from happening again, you must report your situation to the Public Prosecution Officer. You can do this as follows:

STEP 1 - Obtain a statement of your situation by contacting the relevant French Directorate General of Public Finances (DGFiP) office

You will need to contact the public finance office that initiated proceedings and follow the procedure described below, depending on your situation.

If you have received one of the documents listed below	You have not received a document
Increased fixed fine Third-party debt order from your bank (a "SATDB") or your employer (a "SATDE") Formal demand for payment Other notice of proceedings	If you have been debited directly by your employer or bank. First, contact your bank or employer for the name and email address of the public finance office and the reference number of the notice of proceedings.
WHAT TO DO: Send an email to the public finance office (whose details will be on the document you received or can be provided by your bank or employer) that initiated the proceedings, to request: a statement of your situation the contact details of the Public Prosecution Officer dealing with claims relating to the fines mentioned in this statement. Enclose with your request a copy of an identity document showing your last and first names, date and place of birth, your current address, and the reference number of the notice of proceedings.

If you have received one of the documents listed below

You have not received a document

Increased fixed fine
Third-party debt order from your bank (a "SATDB") or your employer (a "SATDE")
Formal demand for payment
Other notice of proceedings

If you have been debited directly by your employer or bank.

First, contact your bank or employer for the name and email address of the public finance office and the reference number of the notice of proceedings.

WHAT TO DO:

Send an email to the public finance office (whose details will be on the document you received or can be provided by your bank or employer) that initiated the proceedings, to request:

a statement of your situation
the contact details of the Public Prosecution Officer dealing with claims relating to the fines mentioned in this statement.

Enclose with your request a copy of an identity document showing your last and first names, date and place of birth, your current address, and the reference number of the notice of proceedings.

Once you have received the statement of situation, you can see details of the offence(s) concerned by clicking on the button below and checking whether you have been the subject of fraudulent designation by people you do not know.

See your offence(s)

STEP 2 - Lodge a complaint at a police station or gendarmerie

You will need to ask for a copy of the police or gendarmerie report and keep it for future reference.

STEP 3 - Report your situation to the Public Prosecution Officer

To do this, send a registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt to the Public Prosecution Officer ("Officier du Ministère Public") whose details will be provided by the fines department depending on where the situation statement comes from (see below). In this letter, you should describe your situation as accurately as possible, give your contact details, and enclose the following documents:

A copy of the police or gendarmerie report
Your statement of situation obtained from the relevant public finance department
A copy of your identity document (a national identity card, passport, residence permit, etc.).

If the statement of situation comes from the Automated Traffic Enforcement Treasury (TCA)	If the statement of situation comes from another public finance department
Send your letter to: Officier du Ministère Public Service fraude CS 41101 35911 RENNES CEDEX 9 FRANCE	Send your letter to: the Public Prosecution Officer whose contact details were sent to you by the relevant fines department.

ATTENTION

False declarations are subject to prosecution and may result in a prison sentence of up to 6 months and a fine of €7,500 (Articles 434-26 and 434-44 of the French Penal Code).