Driving test scam

Learning to drive isn't so hard but you may need a few extra lessons before you are confident in sitting the practical driving test. The theory test is easier to pass as it consists of multiple choice questions and combined with some driving experience, the answers are simple enough as you understand the questions better.

Driving test fraud has been rife for some years now but in the last year alone it has increased by a whopping 400%; impersonators are paid up to £2,000 to sit a test. £1,000 for the theory and another £1,000 for the practical driving test. In 2004 over 160 cases of impersonation were reported to the DSA but in the last year cases that have been reported are already reaching 800. The DSA believes that many drivers on the road today could have obtained their licence illegally but without enough evidence and manpower behind the investigation, it can be hard to prove.

The biggest offenders are foreigners who are Eastern European, Asian and African with some impersonating as much as 20 different people. Women who wear the veil are also required to remove it so that their identity can be confirmed before sitting a test but an investigation found that most places did not check the identity of the veiled female driver before the test took place.

Some impersonators have been found to do this as a full time job earning them thousands a year; one such man who was convicted was found to have £17,000 in cash at their residence with another £150,000 in the bank whilst also claiming benefits. This scam has become a problem in many areas of Britain with driving test centres calling for action to be taken and stronger checks to be made.

Another reason why this scam has to stop is because having a driving licence can help claim benefits, open bank accounts and get credit cards. So on top of committing driving fraud, some drivers can go on to become benefit fraudsters too. Another suspected fraud is because the theory test can be taken in many different languages, some people have hidden Bluetooth inside and received outside help in answering the questions.

Currently theory tests cost £31 and the practical driving test £62 but with many people willing to pay thousands for someone to impersonate them, it would seem that the costs of the tests are irrelevant. Impersonators can charge what they like and there are people out there who are willing to take a risk and use them. Not only are they dangerous for other drivers on the road but they can also cause accidents that cause fatalities to them and their families as well. If you know someone who may have committed fraud by impersonation, report them to the DVLA now.