Online / elderly / licence renew 'scam' - how can I sort this mess out please

[Boomtownsurprise]

Hi,

My dad is 76. In September He went online at home to renew his licence. He found the dvla website. Almost at the end he said the screen changed and a pop up requested his payment details for £85. A bit surprised but still noticing dvla branding he in putted his visa/saga card. Later he received an email from a third party thanking him for his details and to rate them in a questionaire.
Confused he phoned me. As soon as he started the story I guessed a scam. So in retrospect did he. He's contacted the dvla who say it's nothing to do with them. Saga have said the same ( which as a firm that makes money by selling products to the elderly I find abhorrent but appreciate that's beside the point). I thought that visa could stop payments for services, that some sort of insurance was in place but maybe not.

Dad has now received the licence. He's terrified it's fake. The dvla are yet to respond. I'm unclear if he's contacted the third party firm. He plainly feels very stupid and aggrieved. I'm bloody furious.

Does anyone have any advice of how I can help him sort this out? I don't know if I can get back his money. I have a feeling the third party firm would say it was a legitimate deal. Charging an admin fee is one thing, but £85 for a free item!!! That's just ridiculous.

I do feel that the dvla have a responsibility to ensure its site is protected. I also feel saga could be more helpful. But what if anything can I / we do practically please? I'm going in circles. And unsurprisingly he's upset.

I dont think the licence will be fake, he must have gone through a 3rd party site and they submit the details to dvla on his behalf. There are loads of these sites about - passport, EHIC cards, etc

what company sent the email?

Hi,

Looking at it further I can see what went wrong. He typed the dvla detailed website into the browser but inevitably the Internet went to the firm who pays for more word findings and sent him to "driving licences.org.uk" who are naff all to do with the Gov. He thought he did as directed.

So, nothing can be done. I'll send it all to our MP though as it seems ridiculous. And also note that dad might be older than I thought.

unfortunately this is a common one, nothing to do with DVLA or Saga, and as fast as these sites are closed down, they spring up. The info is in the small print, carefully placed to make sure people don't read it.

but that said, Saga don't like bad publicity so a stink created with them is worth a try.

remind him that if the DVLA have his national insurance number, he'll get a new free one sent every 3 years and he doesn't need to do anything else.

Some cards have a clause about misrepresentation and fraud, I'd try the card co again.

why do you mention Saga?

I'm assuring it was a Saga card used for payment ?

Unfortunately one to put down to experience - this is how they make their money - they are very clever scams