Accident spammers quoting DVLA phone number
Discussion
Just wanted to post about a new (to me anyway) twist on spam motor accident calls.
Somebody claiming to be from DSA, now part of DVLA he says, calls. He wants to know about the no blame accident I had in the last 3 years so he could update my driving licence records. He says it was an accident involving a pedestrian. Complete news to me this. The only claim I’ve had in the last 3 years was when I reversed into a metal post.
I ask why DVLA are interested in this as I can’t see the connection. He says they’re reconciling their records against the MIB database.
As it is confidential information he wants I ask for his phone number so I can call him back. That way I’ll know who I’m actually speaking to. He gives me the number 0300 790 6801. I say I’ll call him back. However before I can hang up, he says he wants to confirm my postcode. He gives me one which is incorrect and I tell him so. He then hangs up.
I call the number he gave, which is actually DVLA and surprise, surprise it is a spam call. DVLA have no interest in me at all.
However, after speaking to DVLA I dialled 1471 on my phone. Instead of “last call withheld”, the usual message from the spammers, the DVLA number comes up.
Anybody else experienced this.
Somebody claiming to be from DSA, now part of DVLA he says, calls. He wants to know about the no blame accident I had in the last 3 years so he could update my driving licence records. He says it was an accident involving a pedestrian. Complete news to me this. The only claim I’ve had in the last 3 years was when I reversed into a metal post.
I ask why DVLA are interested in this as I can’t see the connection. He says they’re reconciling their records against the MIB database.
As it is confidential information he wants I ask for his phone number so I can call him back. That way I’ll know who I’m actually speaking to. He gives me the number 0300 790 6801. I say I’ll call him back. However before I can hang up, he says he wants to confirm my postcode. He gives me one which is incorrect and I tell him so. He then hangs up.
I call the number he gave, which is actually DVLA and surprise, surprise it is a spam call. DVLA have no interest in me at all.
However, after speaking to DVLA I dialled 1471 on my phone. Instead of “last call withheld”, the usual message from the spammers, the DVLA number comes up.
Anybody else experienced this.
How long did you wait before calling back? There was a segment about this on R4 Moneybox last week; a mobile call will not be dropped until 2 minutes after you hang up, so when you call back on the correct number for your bank etc, you are still connected to the scammer.
Looks like an attempt at harvesting personal information for identity theft etc.
Looks like an attempt at harvesting personal information for identity theft etc.
Article also on either Fake Britain or Don't get done,get Dom. First message of importance -never phone back on the phone you were called on , use another.Then think about HOW DVLA or anyone associated would hold your phone number. I've never seen any DVLA form where it's required. There's lots of similar scams about. Some are text messages from a firm giving a Glasgow number asking you to get in touch about an account with British Gas/Sky /etc. Would strongly suggest you get caller display and a display unit/phone. Both BT & Virgin offer it, and I notice BT now charge for their privacy package ( free of course for a year if you sign up for another year contract), and Virgin also charge for caller display. ( Or rather did when I had it,but I notice from a google that on one forum it's free with Virgin). Also register with TPS and remind caller you are registered. The reply might be that calls to a mobile /from then are exempt. I always register all numbers and for calls, refer a complaint to both TPS and ICO. fOR TEXTS, tps don't want to know, but enough complaints to ICO and they will use their teeth.
TooMany2cvs said:
uknick said:
Anybody else experienced this.
It's about as straightforward to get a VoIP line to lie about the originating phone number as it is to get an email to lie about the sender's address.handpaper said:
How long did you wait before calling back? There was a segment about this on R4 Moneybox last week; a mobile call will not be dropped until 2 minutes after you hang up, so when you call back on the correct number for your bank etc, you are still connected to the scammer.
That is landlines, not mobiles. In the olden days one party not hanging up from a call could tie up the line for much longer, I assume it is automatically dropped sooner these days.
, that's why it's called DVSA (or some similar nonsense) nowadays - DSA isn't part of DVLA, as VOSA (including the DSA) and DVLA all recently merged!!
(Aimed at the caller 
.)Some good advice here. Especially about asking them to write.
Being of a very suspicious nature, I did wait to call DVLA and got through to their automatic answering switchboard and then spoke to Gareth who had a very Welsh accent. I assume he was genuine, or the spammers have gone to an awful lot of trouble.
Mind you, I was a little suspicious when he answered after I'd only been waiting for about 2 minutes
Being of a very suspicious nature, I did wait to call DVLA and got through to their automatic answering switchboard and then spoke to Gareth who had a very Welsh accent. I assume he was genuine, or the spammers have gone to an awful lot of trouble.
Mind you, I was a little suspicious when he answered after I'd only been waiting for about 2 minutes
I had a similar experience having just moved into my house, a knock at the door, someone asking to see our water tank, as it's old and needs replacing, weird as it was replaced in 2011....they are scammers who will try and get information from you and then sign you up to a contract you didn't want. I asked the person to write to me on headed paper confirming what she said, still waiting 2 yrs later.
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