Opticians in Hauts-de-France Warn of Check Fraud Targeting Ray-Ban Meta and Sunglasses

Since late August, opticians in the Hauts-de-France region have reported a fraud scheme involving checks drawn on closed accounts to purchase connected eyewear and sunglasses. Alexandre Bajeux, an optician at Krys, alerted colleagues after experiencing two unpaid transactions starting August 28, noting that the same name appeared on both checks alongside Ray-Ban Meta purchases. Similar incidents were reported in Lille, Valenciennes, Cambrai, Somme, and Beauvais. While some stores rejected the transactions, others accepted checks after verifying identification documents with Polish-sounding surnames. The suspect reportedly targets high-value items like Ray-Ban Meta glasses, switching to standard sunglasses if unavailable. Approximately sixty pieces of equipment may have been obtained since late August, though precise totals remain unconfirmed. Surveillance footage suggests a single individual is responsible across multiple locations. Bajeux is gathering evidence to file a police report, warning that the perpetrator could expand operations to other geographic areas.