DVLA Warns Motorists Over Rising Number of Scams

The DVLA has told motorists to be aware of fraudsters after it reported a 20% rise in the number of car scams in the UK.

Recent figures from the DVLA has revealed a 20% rise in scams known to the agency. There were 1,538 reported scams over the last quarter of 2019 alone, compared to 1,275 over the last three months of 2018.

Now the DVLA has warned motorists about some of the most common scams targeting drivers in the UK. The agency said that fraudsters are targeting motorists with text messages linking to services that don’t exist, such as offering a car tax refund or the removal of penalty points. It also said that fake driving licences are being sold via WhatsApp.

“We’ve released examples of real life scams to help motorists understand when a scam is at work,” said David Pope, chief information security officer at the DVLA. “These websites and messages are designed to trick people into believing they can access services that simply don’t exist such as removing penalty points from driving licences.

“All our tax refunds are generated automatically after a motorist has told us they have sold, scrapped or transferred their vehicle to someone else so we don’t ask for anyone to get in touch with us to claim their refund.

“We want to protect the public and if something seems too good to be true, then it almost certainly is. The only trusted source of DVLA information is GOV.UK.

“It is also important to remember never to share images on social media that contain personal information, such as your driving licence and vehicle documents.”

A spokesperson for Action Fraud said: “This can be a stressful time of year, sorting out finances for the year ahead. Fraudsters are aware of this and are using different ways to trick people.

“Taking a couple of minutes to familiarise yourself with a few simple online safety tips can be significant in protecting yourself from becoming a victim of online fraud.

“You should always be cautious when sharing personal information online and avoid being scammed by only using GOV.UK for government services online, such as the DVLA. If you believe you have been a victim of fraud, please report it to us.”