Queensland Man Nabbed in Demerit Points Fraud Scheme
Queensland Man Nabbed in Demerit Points Fraud Scheme
In a bizarre twist of modern-day crime, a 26-year-old man from Warwick, Queensland, has been charged for allegedly running a fraudulent scheme that saw innocent motorists being slapped with demerit points.
The Arrest and Charges
Queensland Police officers arrested the man on August 8. He’s facing multiple charges, including one count of carrying on the business of fraud, attempting to pervert the course of justice, and three counts of obtaining identification information. He has been granted bail and is set to reappear in Warwick Magistrates Court on October 23.
How The Scheme Worked
The accused allegedly advertised on social media, offering to take demerit points off others’ hands in exchange for money. But, instead of shouldering the points himself, he reportedly transferred them to unsuspecting third parties who were victims of identity theft. Talk about a raw deal!
Operation Blot: The Investigation
This elaborate scam was unraveled thanks to Operation Blot — a joint effort by the Road Policing Investigations Unit and detectives from the Cybercrime Unit. The investigation kicked off when a victim reported $20,000 worth of fines that he never incurred. According to Acting Chief Superintendent Janelle Andrews, the probe uncovered an illegal business that operated for at least three years, involving over 200 camera-detected offence notices, amounting to $141,000 in fines and 695 demerit points.
Warning from Queensland Police
Queensland Police have issued a stern warning that fraudulent demerit point exchanges online won’t shield offenders from the law. “Many buyers of these services are people who should have their licenses suspended but are still on the road,” said Acting Chief Superintendent Andrews. “This man has allegedly attempted to undermine the integrity of the road safety system in Queensland by allowing the actual drivers involved in these infringement offences to escape penalty.”
Impact on Road Safety
Andrews emphasized that the demerit point system exists to promote safer driving. She stated, “People may see this sort of thing as a victimless crime, but the demerit point penalty system is in place to ensure that drivers who commit offences on the road are incentivized to improve their driving behavior.”
Not an Isolated Incident
The issue isn’t confined to Queensland. Transport for NSW, NSW Police, and Revenue NSW have also initiated a task force to crack down on drivers exploiting the demerit point system south of the border. They’re focusing on drivers with unusually high numbers of demerits and preventing the sale of demerit points on platforms like Facebook Marketplace. The task force aims to review current penalties, suspensions, and the eligibility criteria for opting for a good behavior period over a suspension.
