DVSA announce the release of 150,000 new driving test dates, it is hoped that these will contribute to the crackdown of test re-selling scams.
The AA reported that a major backlog on the DVSA booking system, caused by COVID-19 and DVSA strikes in November 2022, accumulated a wait time of six months for a practical test and drove eager learners impatient.
However, some found a way to use this to their advantage, by illegally selling driving test dates to anybody waiting and willing.
These profiteers claimed to be legitimate and sold test date slots for up to three-times the original price of £62.
After payment, many would then disappear, leaving the driving student with no test date, or money.
Right Picture: Getty Images
University of Kent student, Ezinne Okwesilieze, fell victim to this type of fraud after she saw a test re-seller advertising their services on social media. She is optimistic that the new releases will lessen the chance of others falling victim too.
She said: “I think that when you are really desperate for something, you are so blind-sided to what could go wrong”.
The twenty-year-old student was in a rush to sit her practical test before her theory test certification expired. This was when she discovered test re-selling through a TikTok video.
After looking into it, she came across an account on Snapchat, called ‘DVSAResell’.
“I saw testimonials on the account and really thought it was legit. I was a bit calmer after seeing them and believed that it wasn’t a fake. When I messaged the account to ask about reselling, they said a test date costs £250.” She explained.
“I pay half and then after the test date is sent to me, I will pay the rest. So, I sent the first half with my details and within the next fifteen minutes there was no reply. I went to message and all-of-a-sudden, my text was blocked from being delivered.”
Driving test fraud is said to be on the rise and according to The Mirror, DVSA has seen 4,500 accounts removed from the booking system. It is believed fraudsters have bots that block-book test dates which they then advertise at an inflated rate.
DVSA was asked for a statement but none have provided at the time.