The DVLA have urged drivers to be aware of common scams that are catching out drivers when it comes to renewing their licence and selling their cars.
The Driving Vehicle and Licencing Agency has been reminding drivers to keep an eye out for possible fraud online.
Phil Morgan, DVLA’s Head of Fraud Policy Investigations, has issued several warnings and tips to all drivers to ensure they don’t lose money or get caught by criminals.
DVLA claims that one major problem people have been falling victim to are websites that are pretending to be the GOV.UK website or claim to be middlemen between the driver and the DVLA.
There are websites out there that can look like they’re affiliated with DVLA or claim to be part of an official government service when they’re not.
These are third-party companies which often charge a premium for handing over a driver’s details to us when it’d be cheaper or free on GOV.UK. For Example, on GOV.UK the renew your driving licence at 70 service is free, however some customers have been charged a premium by using a third-party website.
Be aware that these sites can appear high up on a page when searching Google, so to avoid being caught out, check that www.gov.uk is included in the URL.
People also need to make sure to never give out personal details such as National Insurance number, date of birth or driving licence number on social media. Similarly, scammers can steal your information to commit fraud if you upload pictures of your official documents such as your log book (V5C) or driving licence.
It’s also important to remember not to share your V5 document reference number – particularly to a prospective purchaser.
The number of fake social media accounts that either claim to be DVLA or affiliated with it in some way has also seen an increase.
Mr Morgan said: “These accounts promise to offer driving licence renewals or replacement documents at a speedier rate, however, an application made through a third-party company is not processed any quicker than one received through our official GOV.UK services.
“We’ve listed DVLA’s official social media channels on GOV.UK, so you can be sure you’re at the right place.”
