In short
Most common fake: You are due a vehicle tax refund, click to claim.
Safest check: Type gov.uk into your browser and use the official vehicle tax or driving licence service.
Where to report it: Forward suspicious texts to 7726, free on most UK networks.
What DVLA says
DVLA says it never asks for bank or card details by text or email, and it never sends texts about vehicle tax refunds. Tax refunds are paid automatically, so a message with a refund link is a scam. Use GOV.UK for DVLA services, because copycat sites charge extra for things that are free or cheaper there. Source: GOV.UK (DVLA)
Common fake DVLA messages
These are the 5 shapes a fake DVLA message usually takes. They are listed in the order we see them most often, and none of them is something DVLA itself does.
- You are due a vehicle tax refund, click to claim
- Your last vehicle tax payment failed, update your card details
- Verify your driving licence details or your licence will be suspended
- Your vehicle is untaxed and will be clamped today
- Paid search ads for copycat sites that add fees to licence or tax services
DVLA's real web addresses
Genuine DVLA links and emails use these domains. Look at the part just before the first single slash: gov.uk is real, but gov-support-center.com or gov.uk.account-check.top are not.
- gov.uk
Scammers can also hide a fake link behind real-looking text. Learn how to read a web address.
How to check a DVLA message safely
- Type gov.uk into your browser and use the official vehicle tax or driving licence service
- Remember that refunds are sent automatically, so never click a refund link
- Check your vehicle's tax status for free on GOV.UK using the registration number
- Ignore any text or email asking for bank or card details
How to report a fake DVLA message
- Forward suspicious texts to 7726, free on most UK networks. Official details on ncsc.gov.uk
- Forward scam emails to the National Cyber Security Centre at report@phishing.gov.uk. Official details on gov.uk
- If you lost money, report it to Report Fraud online or on 0300 123 2040. Official details on reportfraud.police.uk
Also report it to the official fraud service in your country. See the worldwide list.
If you clicked, paid or shared details
Act quickly. It makes a difference.
- If you entered card or bank details, call your bank now using the number on your card, and ask them to block the card.
- If you entered a password, change it at gov.uk, typed into your browser yourself, and turn on two-step verification. Do not use any link from the message.
- Expect follow-up calls or messages pretending to help, sometimes claiming to be from DVLA security. Never share one-time codes and never move money to a "safe account".
- Forward suspicious texts to 7726, free on most UK networks, then delete the message.
More help: Fake tax refunds, government payments and fines and what to do after a scam.
How to protect yourself next time
Watch for anyone using your identity
If you shared ID documents, card details or a Social Security number, monitoring can alert you when someone opens credit or accounts in your name.
Free: In the US, a credit freeze at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion is free and blocks most new-credit fraud. Elsewhere, ask your bank and your credit reference agency about fraud alerts.
- Aura Partner link US identity theft protection with credit monitoring and fraud insurance.
Take your details off data broker sites
Scammers buy phone numbers, home addresses and family details from people-search and data broker sites. The less of that is public, the fewer and less convincing the scam messages you get.
Free: You can ask each site to delete your details yourself. In the EU and the UK, data protection law gives you that right.
- Incogni Partner link Sends removal requests to data brokers for you, and keeps sending them.
Compare the tools that help, and what each costs
Links marked Partner link may earn us a commission, at no cost to you. It never changes our advice, and the free option always comes first. Affiliate disclosure.
Questions people ask
Does DVLA send messages asking for payment or personal details?
DVLA says it never asks for bank or card details by text or email, and it never sends texts about vehicle tax refunds. Tax refunds are paid automatically, so a message with a refund link is a scam. Use GOV.UK for DVLA services, because copycat sites charge extra for things that are free or cheaper there.
How can I check if a DVLA message is real?
Type gov.uk into your browser and use the official vehicle tax or driving licence service. Remember that refunds are sent automatically, so never click a refund link. Check your vehicle's tax status for free on GOV.UK using the registration number. Ignore any text or email asking for bank or card details.
How do I report a fake DVLA message?
Forward suspicious texts to 7726, free on most UK networks. Forward scam emails to the National Cyber Security Centre at report@phishing.gov.uk. If you lost money, report it to Report Fraud online or on 0300 123 2040.
I clicked a link in a fake DVLA message but did not enter anything. Am I at risk?
Opening a link is far less serious than filling one in. Close it, and if you need your account, reach it by typing gov.uk yourself. Clicking does tell the sender your number is live, so expect more messages for a while: forward suspicious texts to 7726, free on most uk networks.
Have you had this one?
Tell other people what the message said and how it reached you. It helps someone recognise it before they tap.
No stories yet. Yours could be the one that warns someone.
Official sources and further reading
We check our pages against official advice from the organisations themselves and from government agencies.
- DVLA's top tips for avoiding scams (GOV.UK (DVLA))
- DVLA releases latest scam images to help keep motorists safe online (GOV.UK (DVLA))
- Report a scam text message (National Cyber Security Centre)