Identity theft fraud hits Toulouse business owner, report says

Corporate Registry Heist Locks Toulouse Business Owner Out of Accounts

More than 50,000 views on social media tracked a severe identity theft near Toulouse on October 30, 2026, where a business owner found her company’s Kbis number stolen, her bank account emptied, and her personal safety threatened by a fraudster operating from northern France, france3-regions.franceinfo.fr reported.

Mélanie Garcia, manager of Occitanie Sports Loisirs near Toulouse, discovered the usurpation in September 2026. An individual located in northern France deposited a forged general assembly meeting minutes document with the registry of the Toulouse commercial court by imitating her signature, granting the perpetrator full legal control over the company.

Stripped of Legal Authority and Drained Financially

The fraudster quickly emptied a professional bank account, accessed supplier business identification numbers, opened access rights with tax and social security administrations, and redirected all incoming postal mail to a different address. The operation left the director stripped of legal authority over her own enterprise.

Compounding the financial devastation, the perpetrator targeted her two other corporate structures and demanded 17,000 euros in cryptocurrency. The suspect threatened the entrepreneur directly, claiming knowledge of her home address and threatening harm to her children.

Institutional Roadblocks Meet Gendarme Inaction

Local gendarmes in Saint-Orens-de-Gameville confirmed to the director that the suspect is already known for fraud and identity theft, yet investigators have not transferred the dossier to the competent brigade. The victim faced institutional roadblocks where doors closed because administrative databases no longer recognized her as the legitimate corporate officer.

Emergency Court Hearing Set as Nationwide Scams Rise

Garcia secured an emergency summary hearing before the Toulouse commercial court scheduled for Friday, October 30, to seek the cancellation of the fraudulent identity transfer. While awaiting the legal decision, she continues managing ongoing construction projects and reports receiving supporting messages from other corporate leaders targeted by identical scams.