Teesside driving instructor says fake lessons and tests scam is a 'serious problem'

A Teesside driving instructor says the number of learners falling for fake lessons and tests is a 'serious problem'.

It's thought backlogs in waiting lists could be helping to fuel these scams.

TSB says it recorded a 211 percent jump in total losses to this type of fraud between January and August this year compared to the same months in 2024, adding the average loss for a scammed learner driver is £244.

Chris Flower is a driving instructor in Middlesbrough and he said: "The money some learners are using is in some cases, really, really shocking. It's been a problem since Covid and it's gotten worse in the last few years.

"The industry is struggling with this. Our governing body is overwhelmed with the amount of cases that are happening. It's making honest instructors have to really work much harder to maintain the standards that we're trying to impart.

"I personally feel we have seen a massive increase in this type of fraud because of the waiting lists and because of the backlogs. Unfortunately people don't want to wait, people are unwilling to wait so they're trying to take a shortcut method and unfortunately getting stung in the process.

"I think some of the other reasons that people are falling victim for these scams unfortunately are a little bit of social pressure as employers now want people to be able to drive, and you also have the issue of the industry itself physically doesn't have enough instructors or examiners.

"We've got a current batch of unscrupulous people who seem to think this is very easy money and it's an easy way of getting money out of people and that's not the case at all. Qualified instructors actually go through a huge amount of training and what we're finding is, we've actually seen an increase in people pretending to be driving instructors and getting money.

"If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. The average price of a driving lesson in the UK, depending on where you are, varies from around £35 to £55 an hour, so if you're getting told that you can have a driving lesson for £20, I would be seriously questioning that.

"Talk to a qualified instructor first which you can find those on the direct Government website, ask friends, ask family, ask Facebook groups for recommendations, don't be taken by cheap offers, it's not always the best option as sometimes you'll be paying twice.

"Ask to see your driving instructor's badge. We're all licensed, we have to have them on display in the car whilst giving lessons and they come in two colours, green and pink, so if they can't produce it, then they shouldn't be giving instructions but it could also indicate that you have fallen victim to a fake instructor scam."

One scam saw someone pay £500 for 20 lessons up-front only for contact to dry up once the payment was made.

Another customer responded to a post promising a fast-tracked driving test and tried to pay £100, which TSB blocked and confirmed was fraudulent.

Fake DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency) websites have also been created, with several customers paying for a test, only to be blocked once the payment was made, the bank said.

Alex Robinson, head of fraud analytics, TSB, said: "Fraudsters have really upped their attempts to target learner drivers - with offers of driving lessons and fast-tracked tests that simply don't exist.

"Almost all of these scams start from social media platforms - so we'd advise only paying for a service if you can verify it first, and stick to official routes when booking your exam. Don't let a fraudster put the brakes on learning to drive."

A DVSA spokesperson said: "TSB's data shows that there is a serious and growing problem with this type of fraud.

"These accounts and sites are recognised scams that attempt to obtain payment or personal information and are not connected to DVSA.

"We take all allegations about test fraud extremely seriously and fully investigate reports of any individuals who attempt to circumvent the testing process.

"We urge people to report any suspicious social media accounts offering driving services to the relevant social media network."

Here are some tips from TSB for avoiding scams:

1. Verify the seller and service before exchanging funds and do not let desperation to get your licence push you into unofficial routes.

2. Popular messaging services are being used to target people with scams. Watch out for messages claiming to be from official organisations, or offering "fast-tracked" tests.

3. Always check a website is the official website as fraudsters can make very believable versions.