DVLA issues major fraud warning for drivers over devious scams as 20,000 drivers call to report deceit
DRIVERS have been given a major fraud warning after nearly 20,000 people contacted the DVLA in 2024 alone to report devious scams targeting motorists across the UK.
Crooks are using increasingly slick methods to steal personal and financial details — posing as the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency through fake websites, texts and emails that look alarmingly legit.
Scams range from bogus tax refund promises to “too good to be true” offers to wipe penalty points from your licence.
One of the most reported cons includes emails claiming failed vehicle tax payments — luring drivers to click on links that lead to fake DVLA sites designed to nick your information.
A DVLA spokesperson said: "We never ask for bank or credit card details by text message or email, so if you receive something like this, it’s a scam.
"Customers should report suspicious emails to the NCSC immediately. Anyone concerned they may have been a victim of fraud should contact the police through Action Fraud straight away."
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According to Action Fraud, more than 1,100 reports of fake DVLA emails rolled in over just a two-week period, with fraudsters pretending to be the agency and tricking users into handing over sensitive data.
Tony Rich from the AA warned: "Some scams can be quite sophisticated and difficult to detect.
"For example, if you get a vehicle tax reminder from the DVLA ensure that you respond online to the official government site rather than some of the bogus sites that come up when you search and then apply a commission for doing absolutely nothing.
"If in doubt, don’t engage or follow the link."
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The warning comes as cybercrime experts say phishing emails are on the rise—designed to scare drivers into taking action fast, whether it’s to “fix” a payment, “verify” your identity or “claim” a tax refund.
Some scams even feature fake DVLA branding to ramp up the deception.
Phil Morgan, Head of Fraud Policy Investigation at DVLA, said: “We never ask for bank or credit card details by text message or email, so if you receive something like this, it’s a scam.”
The agency’s top tips for staying safe? Only use the official GOV.UK site when accessing DVLA services, and never share your driving licence or logbook online.
You must also be wary of any message that asks you to confirm personal details or offers something that sounds too good to be true.
One tweet from the DVLA reminded users: “Use for DVLA services or scammers may sneakily steal your personal details to commit fraud.”
In recent years, scammers have increasingly impersonated the DVLA across email, phone calls, texts, and even copycat websites charging unnecessary fees for services that are free on GOV.UK.
The National Cyber Security Centre has already taken down nearly 200,000 phishing scams hosted on over 350,000 websites this year.
How to report scams
If you receive an email that looks suspicious, you can forward it to this email address: [email protected].
This goes straight to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), which will investigate it.
Potential spam text messages can be forwarded to 7726.
This is a free service and doing this will report the message to your mobile phone provider.
If you’re contacted through a website, email or phone number that is claiming to be a Government organisation, you can search on Gov.uk to find official government services and their phone numbers.
When contacted, do not give away any personal or financial information such as bank details or credit card details.
If you do receive any suspicious-looking emails and messages, do not click any of the links or download attachments.
If in doubt hang up the phone and search online for the official contact number for whichever organisation is trying to contact you.
If you do click a link you believe might be fake, or you think you’ve been a victim of an online scam, you can contact Action Fraud.
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For England and Wales, you can or call 0300 123 2040.
If you’re in Scotland and you’ve lost money because of an online scam or fraud, .
How to protect yourself from scams
BY keeping these tips in mind, you can avoid getting caught up in a scam:
- Firstly, remember that if something seems too good to be true, it normally is.
- Check brands are "verified" on Facebook and Twitter pages - this means the company will have a blue tick on its profile.
- Look for grammatical and spelling errors; fraudsters are notoriously bad at writing proper English. If you receive a message from a “friend” informing you of a freebie, consider whether it’s written in your friend’s normal style.
- If you’re invited to click on a URL, hover over the link to see the address it will take you to – does it look genuine?
- To be on the really safe side, don’t click on unsolicited links in messages, even if they appear to come from a trusted contact.
- Be careful when opening email attachments too. Fraudsters are increasingly attaching files, usually PDFs or spreadsheets, which contain dangerous malware.
- If you receive a suspicious message then report it to the company, block the sender and delete it.
- If you think you've fallen for a scam, report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or use its .