DVLA scam texts to be aware of
Monday 27th November 2023
Over the years, there have been countless complaints from victims of online scams. Major companies including Amazon, PayPal or HMRC have all been at the centre of scam emails from perpetrators committing fraud.
More recently, these scammers have moved on to using text messages as part of their schemes to fool motorists into parting ways with their money. In this guide, we have highlighted the things to look out for to spot these suspicious messages and what to do if you have fallen victim.
Are DVLA texts a scam?
Yes, it is almost always certain a text claiming to be from the DVLA is fake. Any company that reaches out via text message advising that you are owed money is likely a cause for suspicion. No legitimate, reputable company will suggest payment through a bank transfer or through following a link.
The DVLA themselves released a statement informing the public that they do not use emails or text messages about vehicle payments and would never message you in this way to confirm personal details or payment information.
Tips to avoid DVLA text scams
There are a few signs to look out for to determine the authenticity of a message from the DVLA. This includes:
Language – any message that addresses the recipient as ‘valued customer’ or Sir/Madam’ is likely to be a scam.
Links – if the URL contains any odd characters or a lot of numbers, it is likely to be a suspicious link. This is because there is no clear indication of where the link will take you. An example of this looks like…
‘http://103.208.86.96’
Padlock security – if a link is secure, you will see a padlock at the start of the URL followed by ‘https’. If you don’t see the padlock and just the ‘https’, there is a big chance this is a fake link.
What do to if you get a text from the DVLA
It is advised not reply to any of these messages and not to click the link. You should delete the message with immediate effect and to contact the DVLA directly if you have any further doubts or questions.
What to do if you click on the link?
If you have already clicked on the link and it looks genuine, we still advise you not to enter any personal details. Scammers are experts in replicating sites to scam customers into parting ways with their personal information.
You should contact the DVLA to determine the authenticity of this message, where they can confirm if the message did in fact come from them or not. It is more than likely the message will be fake, at this point you should immediately click off the website and delete the message.
However, if you have already entered any personal information or payment details, then you should contact your bank immediately. You should block any future payments and report the scam to Action Fraud.
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