Channel 7 sports reporter Tom Browne hacked in mysterious Uber fraud
Tom Browne had to fight to keep his driver’s licence after a mysterious Uber fraud linked to a Vietnamese restaurant.
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Channel 7 sports reporter Tom Browne had to fight to keep his driver’s licence after a mysterious Uber fraud linked to a Vietnamese restaurant in Altona.
The father of two was sent a speeding fine in the mail accusing him of travelling at 139km on the Monash Freeway at Glen Iris.
The driver of the vehicle, which was hired through Uber’s car share app, was also caught speeding in Craigieburn and Glenroy.
Browne was sent a fine in the mail for the Glen Iris ticket that told him that he would lose his licence because of the alleged speed.
But Browne challenged the fine, saying he was not driving the Uber car share after midnight on November 12 last year because he was in hospital at the time.
Victoria Police confirmed that Browne had been hacked.
“Prahran police are investigating after it appears a man set up a false ride share account using the details of another man to rent a share car,” Victoria Police said in a statement.
“Ongoing enquiries by police have revealed the rented share car was detected speeding in Glen Iris, Craigieburn and Glenroy between 9-13 November last year.
“The investigation is ongoing, and officers are working to establish the identity of the man involved.”
Browne’s name was used in the Uber account that hired the car but his phone number was incorrect.
The address listed on the account was for Harmony Vietnamese Restaurant in Pier St, Altona.
The restaurant claims it’s more than “run of the mill take away”.
“Look at the menu of Harmony Vietnamese Cuisine and give some Vietnamese Food a try, you never know it just might become your favourite takeaway, you never know till you try,” its website states.
“What we recommend? Try Fried Rice with Combination or Salt and Pepper Squid.”
The Herald Sun is not suggesting that the restaurant is linked to the creation of a false Uber account, only that its address was used.
The fine, which included the licence suspension, landed in Browne’s letterbox in December.
The TV reporter’s wife Tara was pregnant at the time with their second child Camilla, who was born in March.
The Vietnamese restaurant in Altona was an unusual link, highlighting the fraud.
Browne is the son of Collingwood president Jeff Browne, who worked as a lawyer at the AFL for decades.
The football reporter graduated with a double degree from the University of Melbourne and worked as a lawyer at Minter Ellison for three years.
Browne then had a career change, working his way up as a TV reporter at WIN News before landing a gig at Seven.
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