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Tips for motorists on how to recognise and avoid scams, including emails and text messages.

DVLA is reminding motorists how they can keep themselves safe from vehicle and driving licence scams. Latest figures show that in 2024, almost 20,000 customers called DVLA's contact centre to report fraudulent activity.

With fraudsters increasingly using more sophisticated ways to trick their victims, it has never been more important for motorists to be vigilant and aware of how to recognise fraudulent emails, texts, websites and calls.

Here are DVLA’s top tips on how you can stay safe online.

Only use GOV.UK
The only place to access official information on DVLA and its services is GOV.UK. Using any other website could mean you’ll be charged more for services that are either cheaper or completely free on GOV.UK. Other websites may even be fraudulent, so our advice is to always use GOV.UK when transacting with DVLA.

Never share your driving licence or vehicle information online
Getting your driving licence is a big milestone, and you may be tempted to share your new shiny licence or V5C (log book) on social media.

However, both documents contain key identifying details that scammers can use to steal your identity or even clone your vehicle. And before you know it, you could be receiving parking, congestion or speeding fines that you were not responsible for.

Beware of emails and texts asking you to confirm personal details
Fraudsters will often send emails or text messages to unsuspecting victims asking them to confirm personal details, such as bank or payment information. They may even send messages that claim you are entitled to a hefty vehicle tax refund.

DVLA will never ask you for your bank account details or ask you to confirm payment details. We will only ask you to confirm your personal details by email or text if you have a live enquiry with us.

And vehicle tax refunds are issued automatically - never via an email with a link!

If you receive one of these emails or texts, do not click on any links. Instead, report it to the National Cyber Security Centre and delete it immediately.

Beware of websites impersonating DVLA
Scammers create websites that attempt to impersonate DVLA and may appear legitimate. These sites will often charge additional fees for services you can get for free or at a lower cost on GOV.UK, including driving licence applications, vehicle tax transactions and Clean Air Zone (CAZ) payments. If you need to use these or any other government services, always search for them on GOV.UK.

How to report online scams
If you come across any of these scams or any other suspicious activity, you can play your part in helping us combat fraud by:

reporting phishing emails to the National Cyber Security Centre
reporting online scams to Report Fraud
reporting misleading adverts to search engines

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