The latest on scams from the DVLA
08 April 2021
In a bid to help drivers avoid being the target of a scam, the Driving and Vehicle Licencing Agency (DVLA) released information and images of the latest scams to the public in December 2020. We at Marshall Minibus leasing understand how easy it can be to fall victim to scams and urge you to follow the above advice and to report any suspicious communications or requests for your personal information.
The DVLA reported that the 3 months to September 2020, show a 603% increase in reports to their contact centre of fraudulent emails, texts and phone calls, compared to the same period in 2019.
In the wave of scams, drivers were either asked to verify their driving licence details, offered vehicle tax refunds or contacted about a failed vehicle tax payment.
At the time, DVLA’s Head of Fraud Policy Investigation Phil Morgan said, “These new figures demonstrate that scammers are becoming more persistent in their efforts to target motorists.
“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 by text message or email, so if you receive something like this, it’s a scam.
“Customers should report suspicious emails to The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) immediately. Anyone concerned they may have been a victim of fraud should contact the police through Action Fraud straight away”.
The DVLA has extended the following advice for avoiding scams:
- 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 through Action Fraud if you think you’ve been the victim of a scam.
NCSC’s Deputy Director for Economy and Society Sarah Lyons 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”.
Contact us for Minibus Leasing
To find out more about our minibus leasing services, please contact us on 01480 220444 or email info@marshall-minibus.co.uk.
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