Thousands of motorists have already fallen for dangerous driving scams, new figures have confirmed.
DVLA has released images of the latest online scams which ask drivers to verify their driving licence details, offer vehicle tax refunds, highlight a failed vehicle tax payment and ask for bank details.
Public reports of email scams saw the biggest rise from July to September 2020 compared with the same three months last year, jumping from 603 to 3,807 – an increase of 531%, reports WalesOnline.
In figures released by the DVLA, it also highlight a 603% increase in reports to their contact centre of fraudulent emails, texts and phone calls, compared to the same period in 2019.
Phil Morgan, head of fraud policy investigation at DVLA, said these new figures demonstrate that scammers are "becoming more persistent" in their efforts to target motorists.
He went on to say: “These more recent scams may at first seem legitimate, however they are designed to trick motorists into providing their personal details. We never ask for bank or credit card details via 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 via Action Fraud straight away.”
DVLA is now warning customers not to provide bank details over email and reminding them that it never sends text messages about vehicle tax refunds. The only place available to access official information on DVLA and its services is GOV.UK.
Customers should report any suspicious emails they receive to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) via their suspicious email service.
Sarah Lyons, NCSC deputy director for Economy and Society, said: “It’s important to stay vigilant to suspicious messages as we know that criminals often imitate legitimate organisations like the DVLA to make their scam seem more convincing.
“Sometimes it can be difficult to tell if you’ve received an untrustworthy email or text message, but our latest guidance gives advice on how to spot the signs of a scam.
“I’d also urge the public to continue to forward anything they think doesn’t look right to our Suspicious Email Reporting Service, report@phishing.gov.uk, so we can take action to remove online scams.”
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Fraudulent texts decreased from a total of 653 between July and September 2019, to 510 in the same period this year.
As well as forwarding any suspicious emails and texts, DVLA has five top tips for motorists to stay safe online:
- Never share driving licence images and vehicle documents online
- Never share bank details or personal data online
- Avoid websites offering to connect to DVLA’s contact centre
- Only use GOV.UK when looking for DVLA contact details
- Immediately report it to the police via Action Fraud if you think you have been the victim of a scam.
