Social media continues to cause havoc with young people’s mental health and wealth.

Criminal gangs are exploiting TikTok to sell fake driving licences to young people desperate to get on the road.

It is prompting warnings from the police and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), and the problem is growing.

More young people are open to being exploited, especially with driving test waiting times at record levels.

Ready to roll

The scams, which have been circulating on the social media platform for months, promise full UK driving licences “without a test”, often for hundreds of pounds.

Instead, they leave victims out of pocket and at risk of prosecution.

The fraudsters typically post short videos showing counterfeit licences, official-looking paperwork, and testimonials from supposed “customers” claiming they received genuine DVLA documents.

In reality, the licences are fake, and in some cases, buyers’ personal details are harvested for identity theft.

Licensed to fool

The DVLA has urged drivers to be extremely cautious, confirming that no third party or online service can issue a legal driving licence in the UK.

All licences are processed directly through official government channels.

“These scammers are preying on vulnerable individuals — particularly young people — who are anxious about the cost and time involved in learning to drive,” said a DVLA spokesperson. “Anyone offering a licence without a test or without proper documentation is committing fraud. Those who buy from them risk wasting money, losing their personal data, and even facing criminal charges.”

Investigators say the scams often operate through fake TikTok profiles that direct users to messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Telegram, or Snapchat, where “agents” claim to work for the DVLA or to have “inside contacts.”

Victims are then asked to send photographs, addresses, and payments ranging from £500 to £1,500. In return, they either receive nothing or a poor-quality counterfeit card that fails basic checks.

Algorithms

Cybersecurity analysts say the problem has escalated over the past year as scammers adapt to TikTok’s algorithms.

Hashtags like #ukdrivinglicence, #nocardtest, and #dvlaapproved have been used to spread the fraudulent offers, sometimes disguised with emojis or misspellings to evade moderation.

According to Action Fraud, the UK’s national fraud reporting centre, reports of fake driving licence scams rose by more than 35% in 2024, with young men aged 17–25 the most frequent victims.

Some victims only discover the deception when stopped by police or when employers carry out background checks.

Sergeant Emily Reeves of the Metropolitan Police’s cybercrime unit said: “Using or possessing a fake driving licence is a criminal offence under the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981. Even if you were tricked into buying one, you could face serious consequences. We’ve seen people lose job opportunities, have bank accounts frozen, or even be arrested because they presented fake ID.”

 

Moving targets

TikTok has said it removes accounts and content that promote illegal goods or services, including counterfeit documents.

A company spokesperson told reporters: “We do not tolerate scams of any kind on TikTok. Our safety teams continuously monitor for and remove content that violates our community guidelines, and we work closely with law enforcement to tackle fraud.”

The DVLA reiterated that the only safe way to obtain a driving licence is through official channels — applying online via GOV.UK or by post using approved forms.

Learner drivers are also encouraged to report any suspicious offers or accounts to Action Fraud and TikTok directly.

“Passing the driving test might take time,” the DVLA spokesperson added, “but it’s far safer — and far cheaper — than putting your future in the hands of criminals.”