Overview
- TSB reports a 211% year‑on‑year rise in fraud losses tied to driving lesson and test scams between January and August 2025, with the average victim losing £244.
- The DVSA calls the problem “serious and growing,” urges people to report suspicious accounts, and stresses that GOV.UK is the only official route for booking tests.
- TSB says almost all cases start on social platforms, with Facebook linked to the largest share of reported losses and activity also seen on Instagram, WhatsApp, TikTok and Snapchat.
- Victims describe paying upfront for packages or supposed test slots — such as £500 for lessons or £350 for a test — before scammers cut contact or block them.
- Guidance from TSB and the DVSA advises verifying instructors against official lists, checking websites are genuine, using cards or secure payments, and avoiding unofficial offers of fast‑tracked tests.