DVLA SCAM

aprilthedog

Following is the text of an email, purportedly from the DVLA.  However I had declared SORN, because my car is to be scrapped, just the day before. 

Title is:

"Notification of cancelled Vehicle Tax | Direct debit is not available | Account (Ref:  ( I won't include this bit)   from Portal-GB - 03-October-2020"

This is an automatically generated email.

Please do not reply as the email address is not monitored for received mail.

Dear ( I've edited my e mail address out here )

The latest payment for your vehicle tax failed because there is not 
enough money on you debit card. Your vehicle is no longer taxed.
We have generated a new invoice, and we suggest you to use a credit card
instead of a debit, to avoid any other consequences that might appear in case
again won't be enough funds inside.

My Account (next there is a hyphen and what appears to be a link reading, LOGIN in blue ink.)

-the vehicle's registration number

-have your credit/debit card ready
-follow the instructions on your screen

It’s illegal to drive your vehicle until you’ve taxed it.

If you do not do anything
You’ll be fined £80 if you do not tax your vehicle or tell DVLA that it’s off the road. 
You’ll also have to pay for the time it was not taxed.

If you do not pay your fine on time your vehicle could be clamped or crushed, 
or your details passed to a debt collection agency.
Yours sincerely

Enforcement Officer
On behalf of the Secretary of State for Transport"

There the email ends.  1)  I do have enough funds in my account to pay any direct debit.  Also, I used to pay my car tax in full, I've never used direct debit to pay it.  2)  There is an oddly personal looking email address included, next to the official-looking DVLA sender information.  I won't include it here.

What's really bothering me is the fact that these things have happened a few times now - not just this DVLA "coincidence".  I'm sure somebody is monitoring my emails.  I use virus protection etc, but I really don't know much about internet safety. Then there's the 'Cookies' thing.  I know I always select "Accept All Cookies" because I never understand the endless details they give if you want to manage them wisely.  I'm not very tech-savy.  Please advise me as (believe it or not)  I'm the person in my family responsible for anything computer-related.  We're all luddites and I'm not only risking my online security but my sister's and my mother's.  Also, if I report it to Microsoft as an example of "Phishing", what happens?  Do the chancers get caught? 

CocoM2020

Nobody is monitoring your emails - we all get these scams either via email, landline or mobile. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/dvla-warns-motorists-to-be-aware-of-scams I had one via SMS from O2 the other day - I’m not even an O2 customer. A few weeks ago it was “HMRC”ringing me about not paying my taxes 😂. Little chance of catching them as well. They can hide their tracks extremely well. 

Grumpy_chap

This is a scam.
No-one is monitoring your e-mails.
They just send out so many different type things, some get through, some of those that get through will be coincidentally near to an actual event.
To get coincidentally near to an actual event is very easy with things like tax returns, as 31st January is just the date for many people.  With car tax, there is a 1 in 12 chance of getting near the actual date because, irrespective of when you purchased tax, it always expires on the last day of the month.

McKneff

Draw a line under it and forget about it. 
A long as you dont click on any links it is fine. 
I got one saying i was going to be arrested in 20 minites if i didnt pay my tax bill...
Just delete anything ever and move on.

facade

As long as your virus protection is upto date, and you don't click on links in emails like that you will be fine- if you hover the pointer over the link e.g. refundmytax dot com  you see the actual address in the status bar 

refundmytax dot comisafakeandwewillstealallyourmoney dot abroadsomewhere

They have no doubt stolen your email address from one of the data breaches which are legion. (or been sold it by some commercial enterprise)

I get no end of them as emails and texts, refunds from HMRC, failed payments to my TV licence, refunds from DVLA- I even get 'phone calls telling me my interweb will be disconnected if I don't press something- no idea what as I've hung up by them.

I just work under the principle that I never get refunds, and if my tv licence or tax expire- so what? They always write to you first anyway.

The latest warning on the local facebook is about some official looking traffic fine that doesn't have the car registration on, and is for a violation in "the UK".

onlyfoolsandparking

I seem to always get the 'you've been involved in a car accident' one with the automated voice. It doesn't respond too well to my best Norman Collier impression (showing my age there lol who remembers Norman Collier?) 

mobileron

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uA2aAFjQqL4

Abbafan1972

These things are rife at the moment, as they know a lot of people are in a vulnerable position and are likely to panic and act on it.  I have lost count of the times my TV Licence has expired in the last few weeks due to a direct debit failure, I have been reporting these to TV licence people though.  Also I've had texts from HMRC, O2, the list is endless.  I saw one that someone posted on Facebook supposedly from EE, the spelling and grammar was shocking on it.  As others have said just delete it and forget about it.  (Also be thankful that you didn't act on it and line these scumbags pockets). 

ETA:-  I have had an email from "Amazon" saying that my account is on hold until I verify my details!  DELETE!

Abbafan1972

For your reading pleasure

Biggus_Dickus

These loathsome parasites are crawling out of the woodwork en-masse at the moment;...we need to be ever more vigilant and also keep our not-so-savvy loved ones protected.

Homer_home

Don't forget to block the emails as well as delete them