Fake car tax scams, purporting to be official DVLA communication, are causing major personal data breaches, impacting thousands of vulnerable road users, a new report has suggested.

Thousands of drivers have fallen victim to the realistic-looking scams, with gullible motorists tricked into paying car taxes and other service fees into fraudulent accounts.

According to new research, nearly 20,000 motorists were impacted by scams last year, with car tax payments, insurance deals and fake parking tickets seen to be the most popular targets, says GB News. Experts have now warned that younger drivers are particularly at risk of being targeted for fraud, with motorists aged between 25 and 34 the most common victims of vehicle-related scams.

John Wilmot, CEO of car lease comparison website LeaseLoco, said:

“Unfortunately, driving-related scams are really common, and they work well for fraudsters because they can create a sense of urgency.

“A lot of these scams will urge you to quickly pay a fee to avoid facing bigger fines. When we see something like this, we often rush to get the payment done rather than stopping and checking the legitimacy of the message or letter.”

He explained that there are ways to spot these scams, which can prevent drivers from losing any money.

Offering suggestions, Wilmot said that if a driver has been contacted via text message to pay a fine, they should be aware that the DVLA “will never ask for money or personal information on a text message. By taking a moment to verify the legitimacy of these alerts, you could save yourself from losing out on potentially thousands of pounds.”

(Pic: Stevanovigicor)