Hi all have waited to post this as needed to be sure about a couple of things. I had 2 driving assessments before I was happy and committed to a school. The first school photocopied my license(didn’t think anything of it). Didn’t feel comfortable with that school so went to another. Was happy and committed to them, when they came to book my test there was a test already booked in my name so they couldn’t book one. So I went to the online booking service and cancelled this test( after doing screen shots and printing page) so the school that I had paid could book. Rang the first school and they were adamant that they hadn’t booked it but they were the only people that had my details. So spoke to dvsa and police about identity fraud. The dvsa have confirmed that the first school had booked the test so I will be back onto the police Monday. Once this has been dealt with to my satisfaction I may name and shame after taking some legal advice. I have only posted this as a warning to others taking assesments, don’t let anyone copy your license as there is no need unless you actually commit and pay for training and tests.
Thought they still needed a copy for insurance?
I wouldn’t have thought so unless you had a bang.
I will wait to be corrected though.
That all seems a bit curious to put it mildly.
We copy all licences as a matter of course. In this day and age the paper trail is important in the event of an incident. But it’s much more likely to be used as an efficient way of booking tests accurately - but only when we’ve been asked to.
I don’t think folks need be concerned about having their licence copied by reputable trainers.
Pete 
More likely a simple mistake (clerk making the booking picked up wrong bit of paper, for example). Seems a bit of over-reaction to talk of “identity theft” and calling in the cops TBH.
Roymondo:
More likely a simple mistake (clerk making the booking picked up wrong bit of paper, for example). Seems a bit of over-reaction to talk of “identity theft” and calling in the cops TBH.
I would have said it was a mistake but the booking was made a month after the assessment, I had spoken to school on the phone and told them I wouldn’t be using them, so in my eyes my details should have gone through the shredder. Also why deny booking it? If I was told " yes very sorry we will cancel it now" then I probably wouldn’t have worried.
I was advised to "call in the cops"by dvsa. Very easy to say it is an over reaction when its not your details being used without your consent or knowledge.
The copying of license though Pete is it really necessary just for an assessment ? Surely a quick look and all is well, unless of course there is an incident.
I don’t think it would have been wise for them to shred your details straight away. They might need to be able to show who was driving several weeks later in the event of allegations of a collision or some other traffic offence for example.
I’m struggling to think how they would stand to benefit from using your details to make a fraudulent test booking though. Unless it is possible for them to use it as a “placeholder” to reserve a slot?
Even if they could benefit, they don’t need a copy of your licence to book a test anyway, just a note of the driver number…?
Sounds like this is getting out of hand, and all that is really wrong is that the first trainer shouldn’t have booked a test slot against that licence, and definitely shouldn’t have denied it. The booking may have been an error by the first trainer, but that doesn’t explain the denial, which could point to something fishy (or not) So the DVSA’s advice to inform the police, is probably purely to generate a record of the incident, in the event of there being further incidents, pointing towards something other than an error.
Job done!
Evil8Beezle:
Sounds like this is getting out of hand, and all that is really wrong is that the first trainer shouldn’t have booked a test slot against that licence, and definitely shouldn’t have denied it. The booking may have been an error by the first trainer, but that doesn’t explain the denial, which could point to something fishy (or not) So the DVSA’s advice to inform the police, is probably purely to generate a record of the incident, in the event of there being further incidents, pointing towards something other than an error.Job done!
Agreed. There’s no need to send anyone to the sherrif.
Oh - and also bear in mind that the advice to “call in the cops by the DVSA” quite possibly came not from anyone in authority but from a call handler in their contact centre. While these people do a sterling job fielding telephone enquiries, their expertise may be somewhat lacking once they have gone outside their pre-scripted questions and answers, with their advice (though 100% well intentioned) being little more than platitudes intended to clear the call.
The above could of course be total bullshine, with official DVSA advice having come from someone much higher up the pecking order - but I’d still be interested to know what benefit the training provider would have gained from such a fraud.
I’d still be interested to know what benefit the training provider would have gained from such a fraud.
The only “benefit” is that it screws up another trainers’ programme as he cant book the test. The trainer who has booked the test without instruction from the candidate will be able to get a refund a few days before the test appointment so looses nothing.
Personally I cant really subscribe to the likelihood of that. I prefer to think that this is a clerical error followed by an inefficient response when it was queried. But even that’s pushing it IMO.
I give up. I don’t know. Time for pipe and slippers!!
Pete