The scam text, titled "UK Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) Final Compliance Reminder," claims you have an outstanding parking fine and threatens severe penalties if payment isn't made by a fabricated deadline of July 15, 2025.
How the Scam Tries to Trick You
The message uses alarming language to create a sense of urgency and panic, threatening consequences such as:
Immediate suspension of vehicle registration, affecting MOTs, sales, and renewals.
Revocation or freezing of your UK driving license, making future driving illegal.
Inclusion of the violation record in national traffic data, impacting future vehicle and driving applications.
Automatic calculation of hefty late payment, administrative, and court execution fees.
It then prompts you to "reply yes" to revisit a payment page or provides a suspicious link (e.g., https://rb.gy/hy2mlo) to complete the payment.
This is a SCAM!
The DVLA does NOT issue parking fines. Parking fines are typically issued by local councils or private parking companies. Furthermore, the DVLA will never threaten to suspend your vehicle registration or driving license over an unpaid parking fine via text message.
Scammers use these tactics to:
Steal your personal and financial information.
Pressure you into making immediate payments before you have a chance to verify the claims.
Install malware on your device if you click on malicious links.
What to Do If You Receive This Text
Do NOT reply to the text.
Do NOT click on any links.
Do NOT provide any personal or financial information.
Delete the text immediately.
You can report scam texts by forwarding them to 7726, a free service that allows your provider to investigate.
If you are concerned about a legitimate fine, contact the relevant authority (e.g., your local council) directly using official contact details, not those provided in a suspicious message.
Stay vigilant and help us spread the word to protect our community from these fraudulent schemes.
For further information visit https://www.bbc.co.uk/articles/cn05np5p70yo
