DVLA scam texts and emails: vehicle tax refunds and 'expired' tax

What the messages say

DVLA warns that fraudsters send emails and texts asking you to confirm personal details, such as bank or payment information, and may claim you are entitled to a hefty vehicle tax refund. In 2024, almost 20,000 customers called DVLA's contact centre to report fraudulent activity, according to DVLA.

The other version threatens you. On 19 August 2026 Which? reported an email claiming to be from DVLA that said your vehicle tax renewal had not been completed and was now expired. It threatened fines of up to £1,000 for non-payment and linked to a page asking for your personal and financial details.

What DVLA actually does

• DVLA says it will never ask you for your bank account details or ask you to confirm payment details.
• It only asks you to confirm personal details by email or text if you have a live enquiry with it.
• Vehicle tax refunds are issued automatically, never through an email with a link. GOV.UK explains that when you tell DVLA you have sold, scrapped or taken a vehicle off the road, your tax is cancelled and a refund cheque for any full months left is sent automatically to the name and address on the vehicle log book.
• The only place for official DVLA information and services is GOV.UK.

Do not post your licence or log book online

DVLA adds a warning that is easy to overlook: do not share photos of your driving licence or V5C log book on social media. Both carry details that scammers can use to steal your identity or clone your vehicle, and you could then receive parking, congestion or speeding fines you were not responsible for.

How to check your vehicle tax safely

Type gov.uk/check-vehicle-tax into your browser yourself and enter your registration number to see whether the vehicle is taxed. Never use a link in a message to do this.

DVLA also warns about websites that copy it and charge extra fees for services that are free or cheaper on GOV.UK, such as driving licence applications, vehicle tax and Clean Air Zone payments. Look the service up on GOV.UK itself.

What to do with a fake DVLA text or email

1. Do not click the link and do not reply. DVLA says to report the message and delete it.
2. A text: forward it to 7726, then delete it.
3. An email: forward it to report@phishing.gov.uk, the reporting address given by the government's Stop! Think Fraud campaign.
4. A fake website: report it to the NCSC.

If you entered your details

If you gave bank or card details, call your bank straight away on the number on your card or on 159. Report it to Report Fraud (0300 123 2040; in Scotland, Police Scotland on 101). Stop! Think Fraud also suggests telling the organisation whose name was used, and names DVLA as an example.

Paste the message into the scam text checker: it flags links that use "dvla" or "gov" on a domain that is not gov.uk. Similar tricks: fake parking fine texts and HMRC tax refund texts.

Sources

• DVLA, top tips for avoiding scams: DVLA (GOV.UK), 'DVLA's top tips for avoiding scams' (first published 4 April 2025, updated 12 December 2025): "Latest figures show that in 2024, almost 20,000 customers called DVLA's contact centre to report fraudulent activity. ... Getting your driving licence is a big milestone, and you may be tempted to share your new shiny licence or V5C (log book) on social media. However, both documents contain key identifying details that scammers can use to steal your identity or even clone your vehicle. And before you know it, you could be receiving parking, congestion or speeding fines that you were not responsible for. ... Fraudsters will often send emails or text messages to unsuspecting victims asking them to confirm personal details, such as bank or payment information. They may even send messages that claim you are entitled to a hefty vehicle tax refund. DVLA will never ask you for your bank account details or ask you to confirm payment details. We will only ask you to confirm your personal details by email or text if you have a live enquiry with us. And vehicle tax refunds are issued automatically – never via an email with a link! If you receive one of these emails or texts, do not click on any links. Instead, report it to the National Cyber Security Centre and delete it immediately. ... The only place to access official information on DVLA and its services is GOV.UK. ... These sites will often charge additional fees for services you can get for free or at a lower cost on GOV.UK, including driving licence applications, vehicle tax transactions and Clean Air Zone (CAZ) payments." — https://www.gov.uk/government/news/dvlas-top-tips-for-avoiding-scams, read on 2026-09-30
• GOV.UK, vehicle tax refund: GOV.UK, Cancel your vehicle tax and get a refund: "You must tell DVLA that your vehicle has been: sold or transferred to someone else, taken off the road ... scrapped ... exported ... Your vehicle tax will be cancelled by DVLA. ... You'll automatically get a refund cheque for any full months left on your vehicle tax. ... The cheque is sent to the name and address on the vehicle log book." — https://www.gov.uk/vehicle-tax-refund, read on 2026-09-30
• Which? scam alerts, DVLA email (19 Aug 2026): Which? scam alerts, 19 August 2026: "An email claiming to be from the DVLA tells you that your vehicle tax renewal has not been completed and it is now expired. It threatens fines up to £1,000 for non-payment and includes a dodgy phishing link where it will ask for your personal and financial details." — https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/the-latest-scam-alerts-from-which-aBRLy2b02WkC, read on 2026-09-30
• Stop! Think Fraud, reporting: Stop! Think Fraud (UK Government campaign), Reporting fraud: "Report suspicious phone calls and text messages free of charge to 7726. To report a phone call, simply send a text to 7726 with the word 'Call' followed by the scam caller's number. ... If you've lost money or you think a fraudster has access to your bank account, tell your bank ... Always contact them directly using a known email or phone number, such as the ones shown on their website or the back of your card, or call 159. ... contact any other relevant organisation ... an organisation whose name was falsely used in the fraud (such as an energy provider or Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency) ... Before you delete the email, forward it to report@phishing.gov.uk ... Report suspicious websites to the National Cyber Security Centre" — https://stopthinkfraud.campaign.gov.uk/reporting-fraud/, read on 2026-09-30
• NCSC, forwarding to 7726: NCSC, Report a scam text: "Most phone providers are part of a scheme that allows customers to report suspicious text messages for free by forwarding it to 7726. If you forward a text to 7726, your provider can investigate the origin of the text and arrange to block or ban the sender, if it's found to be malicious." — https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/collection/phishing-scams/report-scam-text-message, read on 2026-09-29
• Report Fraud: Action Fraud / City of London Police press release, 4 Dec 2025: "From Thursday 4 December 2025, anyone needing to report cyber crime or fraud will be directed to our new Report Fraud service. Report Fraud has replaced Action Fraud, for use in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. People affected by cyber crime or fraud in Scotland should continue to call Police Scotland using the 101 telephone number. ... reportfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040." — https://www.wired-gov.net/wg/news.nsf/articles/Report+Fraud+service+goes+live+04122025143000; https://www.reportfraud.police.uk/, read on 2026-09-29