VARS Technology oversees security systems at over 1,300 gas stations. Most recently, the company came under fire for filing a predatory claim with the intention of taking Amjad Khan and his wife, Angela Binns, to court. The basis for the claim dates back to an event in May. At an Esso gas station in Leeds, VARS Technology falsely accused Binns of stealing gas. This one accusation has sparked a firestorm of conflict and debate between the family of the child and the fuel recovery company.
Back in October 2023, VARS Technology had partnered with debt recovery agency DCBL. In unison, they all sent a £140.01 claim to Khan and Binns. The assertion is based on a frame shot using VARS Technology’s Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) camera. This misleading image is said to show Khan distributing fuel without paying for it. The couple has denied the accusations, maintaining that Binns had actually paid for the fuel.
To prove she had paid, Binns showed a bank statement from her husband, Mark King. Yet, despite VARS Technology’s continued inaction, VARS Technology still wouldn’t withdraw the debt claim. King expressed frustration at the situation, stating, “They just steamrolled on to debt collection and should have stopped the process as soon as they received the appeal.”
The family faces additional challenges as a result of VARS Technology’s security system. Now, every time Khan’s technology rolls onto a forecourt, the system flags warnings. In retaliation, the taxi company blacklisted Khan’s family from all of Blackburn’s petrol stations. This harsh constraint continued for 19 months.
Khan’s office formally requested all video footage from VARS Technology. He further requested that the gas station attendant provide an affidavit of payment in cash. In response to his appeals, VARS Technology didn’t release the requested footage. At the mediation hearing in small claims court, the corporation produced a handwritten note. This note, written by an employee on the forecourt, acted as further corroborating evidence for the alleged theft.
VARS Technology claims its ANPR system is accurate. Countless gas stations rely on it to address a growing issue related to gas and dash incidents. A spokesperson for the company stated, “We completely refute the suggestion that our market-leading ANPR system is unreliable, which derives from a false and unsubstantiated claim from a former employee.”
The controversy surrounding this case highlights the challenges faced by both consumers and petrol station operators in dealing with fuel theft claims. For forecourt operators VARS Technology processes tens of thousands of fuel recovery claims a week. This underscores a common industry practice.
Khan and Binns have described their experience with VARS Technology as “intimidating, aggressive and having zero customer support.” Their main issue seems to be that the company quickly moved to a debt collection status without properly reviewing their appeals.