What the DVLA actually says: "We don't send emails or text messages that ask you to confirm your personal details or payment information, such as for a vehicle tax refund." The DVLA issues tax refunds automatically and will only ask you to confirm details by email or text if you contacted them first.
The two versions of the scam
Version 1
The refund lure
"We have recalculated your vehicle tax, you are owed [amount] due to overpayment." A link asks you to "claim" it — really a form harvesting your card details.
Version 2
The fine threat
Your latest vehicle tax payment "failed" due to incorrect details — a link is provided to "update" your details, or risk a fine of up to £1,000.
How to spot it
- Any link asking to "confirm" or "claim": The DVLA's own rule is explicit — it doesn't do this by text or email unless you contacted them first.
- A specific refund amount: Real DVLA refunds are issued automatically, without you needing to "claim" anything.
- A threatened fine tied to a link: A genuine payment issue would come through your official DVLA account, not an unsolicited text link.
What to do if you get this text
- Don't click the link, don't open any attachment.
- Report it: Forward scam texts to 7726, or forward scam emails to report@phishing.gov.uk.
- Check the real way: Log into your account directly at gov.uk, typed manually, to check your actual vehicle tax status.
Egidio: your automatic phishing detector
Both versions of this scam rely on a link you're meant to click without thinking. Egidio catches that moment.
Egidio screens incoming calls and scans links arriving through your messaging apps in real time. When it recognises a fake DVLA or government site, it blocks the page before it loads.
Install Egidio