Login
My Garage
New hero

Drivers scammed: black market for driving test slots soars to £200

By Mathilda Bartholomew | October 17, 2024

Share

Why not leave a comment?

See all | Add a comment

Third-party sites are reselling driving test slots at inflated prices, leaving learners waiting months and risking identity theft

Drivers scammed: black market for driving test slots soars to £200

Drivers in their twenties are being urged to avoid booking early driving tests through third-party websites, as some shady companies are reselling slots for up to £200 each. The DVSA is cracking down on this growing ‘black market’ for driving tests.

Since the pandemic, getting a driving test has been tough, with average wait times reaching 18 weeks earlier this year. This shortage has allowed some illegal businesses to book multiple tests and resell them at inflated prices. While a standard driving test costs £62, research by the RAC found some sites charging as much as £195 for a single booking.

To make matters worse, some apps are even charging for ‘cancellation alerts,’ with premium ‘VIP Packages’ costing over £100.

Identity theft is also a growing concern, with scammers using people's details to book and resell tests. One victim, Lara, paid £162 for a black-market test, only to fail. When she tried to rebook, the DVSA blocked her account because it appeared she had booked 52 tests.

Simon Williams, head of policy at the RAC, warned that criminals are “cheating the system” by using bots to reserve test slots faster than anyone else, making it difficult for real learners to book. He called for stricter action to stop bots from wasting test slots and leaving learners waiting months to qualify as drivers.

Related Articles

Why Choose an Electric Vehicle?
Electric cars are here to stay - with more models, better charging, and government targets, now’s the time to ask: why go electric?
How Long Does It Take to Charge an Electric Car?
One of the biggest EV questions is charging time. While it’s not as quick as filling a petrol tank, understanding the variables makes...
EV Batteries Explained: Life, Warranty and the Future
EV batteries often worry drivers, but they’re more durable than expected, with long lifespans, strong warranties, and improving...
How Far Can an Electric Car Go on a Single Charge?
Worried about EV range? Discover how far today’s electric cars can go, what affects range, and why modern models make range anxiety a...