Fraudulent websites posing as the NCT booking system operated for several months, gradually shifting from charging inflated fees to carrying out outright scams.
Internal documents show that a number of fake websites were active, with new versions appearing soon after the Road Safety Authority (RSA) issued public alerts, reports RTE.
In one instance, an individual lost more than €600, while several others paid between €60 and €89 for appointments that never existed.
Following media coverage of the scam, an internal email noted that the RSA had succeeded in shutting down one website after receiving a “suite of complaints,” reports RTE.
A second fraudulent site continued operating, though the authority managed to prevent it from scraping vehicle data used to make the site appear legitimate.
A message noted: “This will significantly inhibit their website booking flow,” reports RTE.
The email further stated: “We had no further reports today from customers who may have been duped,” reports RTE.
Complaint records show numerous motorists were affected, including one person who lost €660 across two transactions.
One individual wrote: “Is this legit as I was charged €89. Should it not be €60? I’m concerned I have been the victim of fraud,” reports RTE.
Another described having two separate charges deducted from their account.
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“I followed the steps as per usual to book an NCT test for my car. I did the authentication, but it did not appear to go through, so I did it again. €600 was taken,” they said, reports RTE.
“Then I checked my account to check my balances and to my dismay €60 was taken and also a second amount of €600 was taken by a scam site. I can ill afford it,” they added, reports RTE.
The victim said they believed the RSA should be doing more to warn the public about such scams.
“Surely, NCT should be emailing all customers who are required to do a NCT test on their cars in 2026 to make them aware of potential scams,” reports RTE.
Another person said the fake site closely resembled the official page.
“You would not have noticed anything was amiss,” they said, reports RTE.
“Can I ask please that this information is made public to people so no one else is scammed as things are costly enough in the current climate?” reports RTE.
One motorist even arrived at an NCT centre with proof of payment, only to discover that their booking did not exist.
Shortly afterwards, a third website—described as “new and more advanced”—emerged offering fake bookings, reports RTE.
In internal correspondence, the Road Safety Authority said it was considering options for a “takedown” request to remove the site.
Responding to the records, a spokesperson said: “The Road Safety Authority is urging all motorists to remain vigilant when booking services on-line, as fraudulent websites are increasingly targeting unsuspecting drivers”, reports RTE.
“There is potential for highly convincing NCT clone sites to take payments for appointments that simply do not exist,” he said, reports RTE.
The spokesperson also advised the public to be wary of sponsored search results or third-party services claiming to offer “secure” bookings.
“Taking a moment to double-check the website address could prevent significant financial loss,” he added, reports RTE.
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