A scam worth more than 1.5 million euros took place on Leboncoin. As reported by our colleagues at La Dépêche, more than 50 individuals from the Toulouse region fell into the trap of a gang of scammers between December 2024 and the end of January 2025. To bait their victims, the crooks posted ads for used cars at knockdown prices.
Interested in the prices displayed, Internet users contacted the seller, Mondial Auto 42. The latter presented himself as a car dealership based in Nîmes. To lull his targets into distrust, the scammer had a website full of reviews. As reported by France Bleu, one of the victims even contacted the phone number visible on the site before making any payment:
The fake dealer disappears into thin air
The firm even had a "Siret number registered with the commercial court".Reassured by the information provided by the seller, more than 50 people agreed to pay deposits to reserve the car of their dreams. At the time of payment, the Internet user receives an "account domiciled by the online bank Qonto, intended for businesses". This French neobank offers an online bank account designed for professionals, including the self-employed, small and medium-sized businesses and associations.
After paying the deposit, some of the victims received the chassis number of the car. In some cases, the victim paid the entire car in advance. This is the case of a student who emptied her entire savings account, i.e. 15,000 euros, to reserve the vehicle.
Quonto bank in the sights of the victims
Shortly after payment, the seller completely disappeared from circulation. The accounts of the fake dealer were closed, including the bank account at Quonto. In addition, the buyers realized that the addresses provided were completely false. They were in fact linked to other companies.
The fifty or so victims came together as a collective. The group filed a complaint with the French police. The group then posted an ad on Leboncoin to alert all Internet users. Furthermore, the collective regrets that Quonto was unable to detect criminal activity on the account opened by the scammer. Given that the bank "saw 1.2 million euros transit through an account in record time, an account that had probably only been open for 18 months", Quonto "should have asked questions about this money coming in", says one of the victims. Another of the injured parties believes that there were "failures in terms of control" within the online bank.
To avoid scams, it is advisable to check the reputation of the seller with other customers, their physical address and customer reviews. Take the time to do some research online, especially if it is a large purchase. Favor in-person transactions and be wary of advance payments. Scammers often use online platforms to pretend to be official dealers and make off with the money they receive.
Source: La Dépêche
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