Waiting times for driving tests seem to take forever, with many complaining that their test date is far away or they cannot book one. In order to book your test, you'll need to have passed your theory first. But what happens when you fail this test and can't book your practical?
In this instance, many people turn to social media to find tips and tricks on how to pass, enabling them to proceed to the next steps. But some scammers on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram are taking advantage of this and are preying on vulnerable learners.
For instance, some scam accounts I came across claim that they can help remove bans and points, get rid of speeding tickets, fake theory test passes, fake practical test certificates and much more, with some even claiming you can get a license within 3 days just by sitting at home with no test needed.
View 5 ImagesI reported the scam accounts to TikTok(Image: Sophie Buchan)
I chose to report these accounts from my personal account, but TikTok claimed that they found "no violation" of a scam or any rule-breaking. Whilst we reported some accounts for "fraud and scams", these accounts were not removed. For safety reasons, we have blanked out these users' names.
After we contacted TikTok and informing them that these accounts remained active despite reporting them, they took immediate action and removed the accounts we sent to them. According to TikTok, they told us that their Community Guidelines are clear.
It does not allow the trade or marketing of regulated, prohibited, or high-risk goods and services. It also prohibits attempts to defraud or scam community members.
View 5 ImagesWe found this video on social media
As stated above, it has taken action against the accounts I shared for violating their Community Guidelines. Whilst they have removed these accounts, it stated that they may not be able to catch every instance of violative content, but they do try their best.
With this in mind, TikTok will continue to invest at scale in its Trust and Safety operations, it said. In their Community Guideline Enforcement Report, TikTok said it proactively removed 94.2% of content that violated our fraud and scam policies in Q2 2025.
It's not just people sitting their theory test that are experiencing this. People who are ready to sit their final test are also being told by scammers online that they can have their test moved up, with some buying slots online and selling them for more than the original cost of £62, taking advantage of learners desperate to sit their test and stop paying money for lessons.
On some scam accounts, we also noticed that they were taking videos that legitimate instructors had uploaded to social media and claiming them as their own to appear authentic.
As well as contacting TikTok, we also contacted Meta, who own Instagram. This is yet another platform that has such accounts on its platform. We got no response.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) provided us with a comment about this situation. A DVSA spokesperson said: "We’re making the driving test booking system fairer for everyone – we've closed almost 350 driving instructor accounts for breaching our terms of service this year, and from next Spring only learner drivers will be able to book tests.
“GOV.UK is the only official way to book a practical driving test. We urge people to report any channels or posts offering unofficial test slots or bookings to the social media network.
“We’re taking decisive action to reduce driving test waiting times by making more tests available. We carried out 74,847 more tests between June-November this year compared to 2024."
View 5 ImagesPeople wanting to banish the L plates have been issued a message(Image: Getty)
Consumer champions at Which? have urged people to consider the following:
- Evaluate "Too Good to Be True" Offers
- Verify the Sender's Identity
- Inspect All URLs Carefully
- Monitor Your Timeline
- Protect Personal and Financial Data
- Contact the Company Directly
Action on bots is one of the new measures announced by DfT on November 12, 2025. The changes will take effect in Spring 2026 and will aim to remove the flexibilities in the booking system that are exploited by bots, which will undermine their business model.
Learners should note that the DVSA does not run, approve or endorse any cancellation finder apps or services, and recommends that learners use the DVSA official channel to book their test. Any tests booked outside of the official DVSA booking site could be a scam and may result in the learner driver not having a test slot and losing their money.
Suspected scams should be reported to the platform advertising them, DVSA and Report Fraud.
Early intervention by DVSA staff can stop cheating before candidates reach the practical driving test stage. If cheating is identified after an imposter has taken a practical driving test, the candidate may have their licence revoked. DVSA’s fraud strategy focuses on striking the right balance between prevention and detection to deter fraud, safeguard road safety, and protect the integrity of the testing process.
Impersonators and people who use them can be:
Anyone can report someone they suspect to be impersonating a theory or driving test here - https://www.gov.uk/report-driving-test-impersonation. DVSA works alongside other government agencies to share information to keep the public safe and promote road safety. Information on fraudulent ADIs reported by the public is carefully reviewed and appropriate action taken.
