UK: Scam email from scammers pretending to be the DVLA

The email asks drivers to finish an online form collecting personal information

Motorists are being warned of a new fraud email feigning to be from the Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency asking them they are due a refund on their automobile tax.

The email, which ‘brazenly’ consists an address for reporting fraud e-mails, has a connection to a ‘secure web form’ that’s developed to gather personal details from unwitting receivers.

The correspondence aiming at motorists states: “We would like to notify you that you have an outstanding vehicle tax refund of ₤ 239.35 from an overpayment, request a refund.”

It goes on to prompt recipients to finish the web form and promises that funds will be paid into their account under 4 to 6 days.

BBC Watchdog tweeted the scam email to alert drivers to disregard and delete it right away.

The email looks legitimate and consists of the DVLA’s existing logo design and fonts – something that could fool lots of vehicle drivers into sharing their personal information.

And as one final bold move, the fraudsters have included a link to the email address phishing@dvla.gsi,gov.uk for individuals to report possible deceitful emails to the DLVA.

#FraudFriday This week, a fake DVLA email that brazenly includes a reference to reporting phishing … that’s a new one! pic.twitter.com/KnQAEmAGqF

— BBC Watchdog (@BBCWatchdog) June 2, 2017

Criminals behind the e-mail seemingly timed it to benefit from changes to Vehicle Excise Duty rates from April 1 and continous confusion surrounding the switch to online car tax after paper discs were ditched in 2014.

Under the present system, when an owner offers a vehicle they need to cancel the outstanding tax and they are then refunded the remaining complete months.

The only other circumstances where you’ll get a tax refund from the DVLA will be if the vehicle has been declared SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification), written off by your insurance company, scrapped at a car scrapyard, stolen, exported out of the UK, or registered as exempt from vehicle tax.

If you presently still have your vehicle and none of the above circumstances are true, there is no reason that the DVLA would provide a refund.

In fact, the DVLA stated it will never send out connect to third party sites or request confirmation of personal information or payment details – warnings that need to stall baffled motorists before they fall for the fraud and send their own details.