[Mark07]

I want to help spread the word about a scam that has been going around.

https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/...e-message.html

There are reports of texts supposedly being sent from DVSA accusing drivers of a parking penalty. The message then goes on to demand a fine be paid, or victims may face a driving ban - more info available in the linked news article.

Do not fall for it.

[TC1474]

My daughter nearly got caught by one of these.

She had a letter supposedly from Hampshire County Council saying that her recent fixed penalty for parking in Basingstoke had been cancelled, but she needed to log into a site and enter certain details to ensure that no other fines were outstanding, or she could phone a specific phone number..

Long story short. Hants County Council is based in Winchester. The letter came from a PO box address in Sheffield, but in any case she has never received a FPN.

Apparently Hants CC are looking into this as she was not the first and I doubt will be the last.

What gets me is that they (the fraudsters) accessed the DVLA database and obtained details of vehicles and legitimate owners.

The website is infected

The phone number when I checked is a premium line number connected to multiple phone scam operation run by some telecommunications firm (I cannot remember the name)

It must have cost then a fortune given the postal costs these days to send out snail mail, which suggests that quite a few people must have fallen for the scam and they are making a tidy profit from them..

[Drivingforfun]

I think the database is publicly available isn't it?? Isn't that how parking companies get your details?

They probably get a program to put in millions of number plates and just send out letters to the ones that come back as existing with a registered address

[TC1474]

Originally Posted by Drivingforfun

I think the database is publicly available isn't it?? Isn't that how parking companies get your details?

No it is not publicly available.

Anyone wanting to obtain details have to fill out a form V888 pay a fee to the DVLA and explain with good reason why they require the registered keeper details.

There are database sites which will give you accident history, MOT or tax details and whether it is insured, but DVLA are the only holders of the registered keeper information.

[Rolebama]

I have been told that a lot of these scams are perpetrated using automated dialling machines. The spelling mistakes are deliberate, as some people will text back pointing them out. This then proves the number is active. Similar to some of the internet scams.

[NMNeil]

Not sure if you saw it but we recently had a massive data breach where an estimated 2.9 billion Social Security Numbers (SSN's) and other personal information was leaked.
So now we are getting almost constant text's and e-mails saying "To check if you are one of those who's information was leaked enter your SSN, name, address and date of birth." 🤣

[Rolebama]

I occasionally deal with DWP, and my bank. If they phone me they always ask 'security' questions to verify they are talking to me and they point out that they will record and monitor the call. Fair enough. If I tell them I am recording the call, they say the conversation has to end, and hang up. If I ask them 'security' questions, they say they cannot pass that information. Is it any real surprise there are so many of these scams around?