Hundreds of pensioners have lost money to websites that charge hefty fees for services that are free on official government websites, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has warned.

More than 800 pensioners have inadvertently found their way to unofficial webpages when trying to update their driving licenses.

The department, which has come under fire for severe delays in processing applications following a series of worker strikes, has issued a warning to avoid people paying through the nose. 

Over-70s, who are required to renew their entitlement to drive every three years due to their age, have been most susceptible to the copycat sites. The pages have a strikingly similar names to those of official Government sites but charge as much as £81 for normally free services, the licensing agency said. 

The true figure of people who have lost out is likely to be far higher, as large numbers fail to report the incident or are unaware they have been duped into paying. 

DVLA chief Julie Lennard said applications made through third-party sites would not be processed any faster, despite the high fees they charge. Drivers looking to renew their licence “should use our online service which is secure, free of charge, and also the quickest, easiest and way”, she said. 

“Customers usually receive their driving licence in just five days. Always remember to always use Gov.UK when using any of DVLA’s many online services,” she added.

The DVLA charges for some of its services, such as obtaining a license for the first time, or replacing a lost license, but changing the name, address or photo on a license is free. 

Copycat sites often appear high up in search results, resulting in web users inadvertently clicking on them and wrongly assuming they are going through an official channel. Other state departments such HM Revenue & Customs and the Land Registry have also been victim to middle-men sites charging for free services such as stamp duty tax refunds and the property alert service, which protects against fraud.

In many cases the sites are not technically breaking the law. However, government departments have previously jailed the individuals behind some websites found to have been operating illegally or challenged them for infringing the use of their name and brand.