How to spot and avoid DVLA scams

Any email or message saying you are due a refund should ring alarm bells. It’s rare for a company to contact you out of the blue saying they’re going to give you money, especially over text.

The text will say something along the lines of ‘We have recalculated your vehicle tax, you are owed XXX amount due to overpayment’. It will then tell you to click on the link included to claim your refund.

This is a fake link that is solely there to scam you out of your money.

The DVLA issue tax refunds automatically. They don’t send emails or text messages about vehicle tax refunds, and will only ask you to confirm personal details by email or text if you contacted them first.

If you do get an email or text that appears to be a scam, don’t open any links. Instead, report the message to the National Cyber Security CentreOpens in a new window and delete it immediately.

If you’re in doubt you can contact the DVLA directlyOpens in a new window and ask them to confirm whether what you have received is genuine.

If you have already clicked on the link then don’t enter any personal information. The site might look real but scammers are clever at replicating a genuine site.

Again, at this point it’s worth going directly to the DVLAOpens in a new window to check what’s going on. If they confirm that the text wasn’t from them and there’s no refund to be had, then just close the website and delete the text.

However, if you learn it’s fake after you’ve already entered your card details then call your bank right away. Stop any future payments and report the scam to Report Fraud.

Call 0300 123 2040, or use Report Fraud’s phishing reporting formOpens in a new window

It is becoming increasingly difficult to spot a fake text or website. However, there might be a few things to look out for which might help you determine its authenticity.

• Links – check the link by hovering over it or long-pressing it on your phone, and see if it’s a genuine GOV.UK address. It’s best to go to the DVLA website by typing in the URL or using a search engine if you’re not sure.
• Urgent messages – scammers will often encourage you to ‘act now or miss out’, so that you’ll rush and miss signs that the message isn’t genuine. Be suspicious of anything that wants you to act quickly.
• Padlock in the address bar – if you’ve clicked on the link in the text then check the start of the address bar. You should see a padlock with ‘HTTPS’. If there is no lock and ‘HTTP’ instead then there’s a strong chance it’s fake.

While some scams can be easy to spot and avoid, others are much trickier. It’s important to be aware that not all messages you receive are genuine, and to stop and think before you click on anything.

It’s unfortunate that we need to question our texts and emails, and that we can’t just take them at face value, but the sheer volume of scams nowadays means we all need to be cautious.

• If it sounds too good to be true it probably is. Is a company going to just give you free money if you click on a link and input data?
• Remind yourself that the majority of companies do not contact you by text or email asking you to confirm your details or give over your bank account information. If DVLA want to get in contact with you then they’ll more than likely write to you by post.
• In our page on PayPal scams we highlighted how hovering over the link in an email you can see the web address it’s going to take you to. This is a good way to find out if it’s a genuine site you’re going to end up on. If the web address looks odd then don’t click.
• Look online to see if others have reported the same email or text scam. Try searching ‘DVLA scam’ or similar  to see if there’s been mentions of the same scam in the news or by others on social media.

You can view our guide on the different types of scams, so when you next receive a message, email or phone call you know when to question whether it’s real or not.