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Warning - renewing driving licence over 70 years old

(52 Posts)
twinnytwin Fri 18-Oct-24 13:58:59

I received my renewal form yesterday from DVLA and decided to use the online service. I typed in the website and completed the form. However, at the end a form appeared with a credit card to complete and the statements "Government process fee £0" "Additional charge of £78 will be added for the use of our services".
I checked again that there should be no fee for over 70's and contacted AssistOnline which was shown on the website. No response, except for emails stating that my application had not completed.
Today however, I decided to dig a little deeper and it appears that when typing in the DVLA website address, the one I selected was a scam. All the questions were the same until the final credit card page. If I hadn't been suspicious it would have cost me £78.
I know there are other false websites but this one almost caught me out. Beware and be careful. My free new 10 year driving licence should be with me shortly.

NotSpaghetti Fri 18-Oct-24 14:02:44

I think this is well known for DVLA - and things like the new version of EHIC.

Good reminder though.

RosiesMaw2 Fri 18-Oct-24 14:04:50

Were you renewing at 70?
If so, it’s every 3 years thereafter.
Thank you for the reminder re checking it’s the genuine website though!

seadragon Fri 18-Oct-24 14:16:41

This has been going on for at least 4 years; www.gov.uk/government/news/dvla-warns-motorists-to-be-aware-of-scams . I feel that the government should have been dealing with this more effectively. There was an attempt to scam me when I was in the process of renewing my licence earlier this year so did it by post in the end......and would do it again even though it was touch and go to arrive in time for a trip away,,,,,

kittylester Fri 18-Oct-24 14:19:39

I have just done mine, I think. If you type in the address that is on the form that comes through the post it is fine. The only issue I found was that I haven't had an acknowledgement email. I have till January , though, so will see what occurs and start again if I don't get the licence.

welbeck Fri 18-Oct-24 14:59:58

An official website should end in .gov.uk

twinnytwin Fri 18-Oct-24 15:05:23

RosiesMaw2 - apologies, I got confused. The driving licence is renewed every 3 years. It's the photograph from my new passport that can be used for the next 10 years.
Kittylester - an acknowledgement email came immediately to my account. I should double check.
NotSpaghetti - the scam isn't so well known that I wasn't caught up with it.

Ilovedogs22 Fri 18-Oct-24 15:14:03

Thankyou twinnytwin for the heads up I had no knowledge of this scam.😉👍✊

HelterSkelter1 Fri 18-Oct-24 15:50:07

I think renewing your passport can result in the same scam. Of course you pay to renew, but just be very careful you are logged onto the correct site. That goes for everything on the internet....take time to make sure you are where you want to be.

welbeck Fri 18-Oct-24 15:52:49

Exactly. This has been going on since at least Y2K.

Visgir1 Fri 18-Oct-24 16:16:48

I had to renew as I hit 70, but I was sent the info from DVLA few months in advance.

Charleygirl5 Fri 18-Oct-24 22:19:42

I am now 81 and I renewed my licence online a few weeks ago and received my new licence about 4 days later.

This will be my last- I prefer to make the decision I am giving up driving than have it made for me.

FishandChips15 Fri 18-Oct-24 22:40:29

I remember renewing my licence at 70. If it has to be renewed every three years after that do the DVLA send a reminder?

MaizieD Fri 18-Oct-24 22:45:45

FishandChips15

I remember renewing my licence at 70. If it has to be renewed every three years after that do the DVLA send a reminder?

They do send a 3 year reminder. I got one a couple of months before my birthday.

Cabbie21 Sat 19-Oct-24 20:28:21

Yes, I have had a reminder. Unfortunately I have got to get new photos done. My passport is out of date, so its photos are not acceptable. I have still got enough time.
What I can’t decide is whether or not to renew my passport. It expired during lockdown so I didn’t bother renewing it, then with DH’s state of health we had no plans togo abroad. Now I don’t know whether I want to. Anyway I will get the photos done.

Patsy70 Sat 19-Oct-24 21:30:04

Thank you for the warning twinnytwin. I

Luckygirl3 Sat 19-Oct-24 21:49:55

Passports, GHICs etc - it's a massive scam. They charge you for their "service" and all they do is pass on the info that you have sent to them.

Nannarose Sun 20-Oct-24 08:35:31

Good that you spotted it!

The way to avoid this is DON'T GOOGLE (or any other search engine) for Government services. Type in gov.uk, and search within that site..

Aveline Sun 20-Oct-24 08:49:31

I've renewed online. It was refreshingly easy to do and the new licence arrived within the week. I was very impressed. I'd been expecting a right palaver but was all OK.

Redhead56 Sun 20-Oct-24 08:55:53

Thanks for the warning much appreciated.

Harris27 Mon 21-Oct-24 12:57:58

Thanks for the warning.

Goldieoldie15 Mon 21-Oct-24 13:02:37

Renewed recently and was a piece of cake. Absolutely correct about gov.uk

keepingquiet Mon 21-Oct-24 13:05:42

Yes, I had a similar thing happen when trying to get a visa.

springishere Mon 21-Oct-24 13:11:30

The same is true when applying for a US ESTA visa. You do have to pay for this, so it's easy to be scammed. I filled in all the details until asked for about $78 fee, when I became suspicious. The true fee was $14 when I last applied, so you have to be careful that you are on the real US Embassy website.

Bluesmum Mon 21-Oct-24 13:52:36

I had a phone call just last week from a friend who had accidentally entered one of these copycat versions of the dvla website! She was checking with me how much it had cost to renew my licence as, like Twinneytwin she was being asked to pay £78!!! I told her she was on the wrong site and, much to her relief, she then found and used the correct one! Be on your toes!