Scammers exploiting desperate learning drivers in Burnley and Pendle and stealing their identities for cash

Unscrupulous brokers steal identities and sell test dates to other learners, sometimes for more than three times the price, claims a driving instructor.

He believes the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) must stop allowing people to change test dates between themselves to crack down on the black market.

The DVSA reveals that people are waiting at least four to five months on average for a practical test to become available due to increased demand. Low customer confidence in test availability has resulted in students booking them far earlier, compounding the problem.

Faced with the long wait, many learners instead turn to rogue players operating on social media to source a test.

The DVSA says a driving test should only cost £62 and that it is legal to sell them. However, a Burnley driving instructor who wishes to remain anonymous claims several people have offered to sell the tests to his students for as high as £200.

"It is robbing people. That upsets me. They have turned it into their own business. Everybody knows it is going on. It is a national problem."

But, he added, "I think the DVSA has got its head in the sand. People are frustrated."

The DVSA advises candidates to keep their driving licence number private to stop people from stealing their identity. It encourages learners to wait until their instructor agrees they are ready to book their driving test.

Peter Hearn, Director of Services – Driver for the DVSA, said: “GOV.UK is the only official way to book your practical driving test. Using GOV.UK will keep your data safe, help you stay informed, and save money.

“DVSA does not run, approve, or endorse any cancellation finder apps or services. Any tests booked outside of the official DVSA booking site could be a scam, may result in candidates not having a test slot, and run the risk of candidates losing their money.

“We urge people to report any social media channels or posts offering unofficial test slots or bookings to the social media network.”

The DVSA adds that scammers use automated software called bots to quickly buy up tests on the government website before anyone else.

The agency is deploying new AI technology that recognises bot patterns of behaviour and blocks their access to the website. Since January 2023, the DVSA has suspended 747 accounts and closed 700 others misusing the booking service. It has issued 296 warnings and removed 4,700 accounts.

It also created 145,000 additional tests from October 2023 until March 2024. But, our source believes the number of cancellations undermines the move.

The instructor has told the Burnley Express about one of his students from Padiham who booked a test from a scammer. She could not re-book after failing because the fraudsters had already made another booking in her name to sell to someone else.

Her instructor warned: "You don't know who these people are and what they can do with your information. Once they get your details, they can use it to book other tests."