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The UK’s driving test crisis has reached a dangerous tipping point, spawning a lucrative "shadow market" where fraudsters exploit the desperation of over 600,000 learners stuck in a record-breaking backlog. Recent 2026 data from major lenders including TSB and Lloyds reveals a staggering 211% surge in driving-related fraud. Criminals are no longer just selling fake test slots; they are now masquerading as qualified professionals, providing illegal tuition that leaves students out of pocket and, more critically, unsafe on the roads.
The Case of Joanne Sharples: A 50-Student Deception
The scale of this issue was recently laid bare at Warrington Magistrates’ Court with the conviction of 40-year-old Joanne Sharples. A former office administrator, Sharples operated a sophisticated nine-month scam in the Manchester, Irlam, and Warrington areas. Despite her trainee instructor status being revoked by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) in February 2024, she continued to charge students for lessons, pocketing over £6,400.
Social media played a pivotal role in her deception, with a company Facebook page boasting that at least 48 learners had passed under her "tuition." The court heard how Sharples charged individual students between £668 and £1,300, an "abuse of power and trust" that only came to light when a suspicious student reported her. Sharples was sentenced to a 12-month community order and 120 hours of unpaid work, but she is far from alone. In August 2025, illegal instructor Mobashir Gujar was sentenced at Newport Crown Court for a similar scam, having operated on an expired licence while charging students over £1,900 for "certified" training.
The "Guaranteed Pass" and Examiner Bribery Racket
While some fraudsters focus on unlicensed tuition, a more sinister trend has emerged involving "Inside Man" scams. Investigations have uncovered criminals on WhatsApp and Facebook claiming they can secure a "guaranteed pass" by bribing DVSA examiners. These scammers often demand fees as high as £850, promising that the student will be "enrolled" in a test centre where they will be handed a pass certificate without even sitting the exam.
In reality, these "insider connections" are entirely fabricated. The DVSA has confirmed there is no evidence of staff involvement in these schemes. Learners who fall for these traps not only lose their money but also risk a 10-year prison sentence for possessing a counterfeit driving licence. This "black market" has become so pervasive that legitimate instructors are now being offered "kickbacks" of up to £250 just to sell their official DVSA login credentials to automated bots and resellers.
DVSA’s Digital Crackdown and 2026 Policy Shifts
In response to the escalating crisis, the government has announced radical changes to the driving test booking system set for Spring 2026. To neutralize the "touts" who buy up slots in bulk, the DVSA is moving to a system where only individual learners—not instructors—can book and manage car tests. Furthermore, a strict limit will be placed on how many times a test can be swapped or moved, effectively killing the resale value of hoarded slots.
Since January 2025, the DVSA has taken aggressive enforcement action, issuing 275 warnings and closing nearly 900 business accounts linked to suspicious booking activity. However, with wait times still reaching 24 weeks at 81% of UK test centres, the vacuum left by the backlog continues to be filled by illegal "ghost" instructors.
How to Verify Your Instructor and Protect Your License
The rise of "ghost instructors" has prompted urgent warnings from the Driving Instructors Association. Legitimate instructors must by law display an official badge in their windscreen: a green octagonal badge for fully qualified Approved Driving Instructors (ADIs) or a pink triangular badge for licensed trainees (PDIs).
Experts warn that any instructor who insists on "cash-only" deals, avoids providing a DVSA registration number, or claims to have a "special deal" with local examiners should be reported immediately to Action Fraud. As the Joanne Sharples conviction proves, the cost of a "fast-track" shortcut isn't just the financial loss—it’s the danger of being a licensed driver who was never actually taught the rules of the road.
