Parking fine scam text message warning issued by DVSA

Fleets and their drivers are being warned by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) that scammers are sending text messages about fake parking penalty charges.

DVSA says that the text message warns people that they have a ‘parking penalty charge’, and that if they do not pay on time, that they might be banned from driving, have to pay more and be taken to court.

An image of the scam text that people have been receiving

The text message reads “DVSA notice for you: You have a parking penalty charge due on 2024/9/30. If you do not pay your fine on time, your car may be banned from driving, you might have to pay more, or you could be taken to court.

“Please enter your licence plate in the link after reading the information, Check and pay parking penalty charge. Thank you again for your cooperation. DVSA.”

The initial text message has been followed up with scam reminders.

One reminder reads: “DVSA Fixed Penalty Office. Today is the last day to pay your ticket due to your long term delinquency, if you do not pay your ticket on time you may be required to pay more in the future and we reserve the right to prosecute you. Please be patient and open the link below to process your ticket. Thank you again for your co-operation.”

Another scam reminder says: “DVSA Fixed Penalty Office last notification. You have not paid your ticket within the stipulated time. Today is the last time to notify you to pay. We will ban your car from driving on the road starting tomorrow and transfer your parking ticket to the court. Please wait until you receive the information. Process your ticket as soon as possible in the link.”

Rod Dennis, from the RAC, says that this new text message trick is the latest in a series of "nasty scams" where criminals are catching drivers out by imitating online payment methods. 

“In the short-term, the cost is unnecessary and expensive as drivers end up paying a fine for an offence they didn’t commit,” he added. 

“The long-term implications can be even worse if scammers use their bank or personal details elsewhere. 

“It’s incredibly unusual to receive a text about a parking fine if there wasn’t a ticket on your car in the first place – and the ticket normally includes information on how to pay.

“To be safe rather than sorry, we’d advise any recipients of the text to first check if they need to pay a fine with the authority rather than following the URL in the SMS.

“If a fine is due, ask for the payment options and, if you choose to pay it online, make sure the website is the genuine one and that any details you enter are sent securely.”

DVSA does not issue or deal with parking fines. If you receive a message, it says that you can report it to the National Cyber Security Centre. 

You do not need to contact DVSA if you have received the text message.

If you’ve been tricked into sharing personal information with a scammer, you can take immediate steps to protect yourself. Further information can be found here. 

If you have lost money or have been hacked as a result of responding to a suspicious text message, report it to www.actionfraud.police.uk or call 0300 123 2040 (in England, Wales or Northern Ireland) or Police Scotland by calling 101 (in Scotland).