The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has issued an urgent alert to UK motorists, warning that thousands are at risk of receiving unwarranted fines due to a surge in sophisticated fraud attempts.
Sophisticated Scams on the Rise
The agency revealed that its contact centre received nearly 20,000 reports of fraudulent activity in 2024 alone. In response, the DVLA is proactively reminding motorists how to keep themselves safe from criminals who are using increasingly advanced methods to trick their victims.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, the official DVLA account advised: "Unsure if the message you've received from DVLA is genuine? Learn how to spot scams with our official guidance."
How to Protect Your Documents and Identity
A key piece of advice from the agency is to never share images of your driving licence or V5C log book on social media. Both documents contain key identifying details that scammers can use to commit identity theft or even clone your vehicle.
The DVLA guidance explains the serious consequences: "Before you know it, you could be receiving parking, congestion or speeding fines that you were not responsible for."
Recognising Official Communication
The licensing authority has moved to clarify its official procedures to help the public distinguish them from fake messages. The DVLA will never ask for your bank account details or for payment information to be confirmed via unsolicited messages.
Furthermore, the agency states it will only ask you to confirm personal details by email or text if you already have a live enquiry with them. It also emphasised that vehicle tax refunds are issued automatically and are never processed via an email containing a link.
Drivers are also being urged to be vigilant against fake websites designed to impersonate the DVLA. These sites often charge additional fees for services that are available for free or at a lower cost on the official GOV.UK website.
Services commonly targeted by these scams include:
- Driving licence applications
- Vehicle tax transactions
- Clean Air Zone (CAZ) payments
The DVLA's final piece of advice is clear: "If you need to use these or any other government services, always search for them on GOV.UK."
