Australian drivers are being targeted by a sophisticated online scam offering to magically erase traffic fines and demerit points for hefty fees, with authorities warning motorists could face penalties up to $11,000 for participating in the illegal scheme.
The Social Media Trap
Dozens of suspicious accounts on platforms like Facebook are actively promoting websites that promise to clear fines and demerit points within minutes. These operations lure desperate motorists with bold claims of making penalties disappear from official systems.
One particularly brazen service was caught charging customers $600 to remove a $544 red light fine and three demerit points. The process requires victims to hand over sensitive personal information including their full name and contact details, with payments processed through bank transfers or even cryptocurrency once the fine appears to be cleared.
Victims Left in Worse Position
Several motorists who fell for the scheme have reported temporary relief followed by severe consequences. One driver shared their experience of seeing their fine temporarily disappear, only to have it reappear in their Service NSW account two weeks later.
The aftermath was devastating - the motorist copped more than $7,000 in additional fines for making a false nomination, on top of having to pay the original penalty. This highlights how the temporary illusion of success quickly turns into a financial nightmare for those caught in the scam.
Authorities Take Action
A Transport for NSW spokesperson confirmed awareness of these illegal operations, stating unequivocally that this practice is illegal and carries severe penalties. "You can buy and sell many things online, but trading in demerit points could cost you much more than you think," the spokesperson warned.
Drivers caught falsely nominating someone else to take their demerit points face maximum fines of $11,000. Transport for NSW is working closely with enforcement agencies and social media platforms to stop the illegal trading of demerit points.
The department emphasised that the demerit points system exists to keep roads safe by ensuring repeat offenders are held accountable. "Defrauding this system undermines road safety for everyone," the spokesperson added.
International Licence Loophole Closed
In December 2024, the NSW Government announced significant progress in closing a major loophole that enabled demerit point trading, particularly involving international licence holders. A dedicated taskforce worked with Australian Border Force to address systemic weaknesses.
Authorities discovered extreme cases where individuals had accumulated staggering numbers of demerit points. One driver racked up more than 1500 demerit points, while two others exceeded 500 points before the system caught them.
Police investigations revealed one Sydney address had been used by 30 different licence holders to accumulate 2000 demerit points. Shockingly, as many as 40,000 drivers remained unknown to local authorities, with suspicions that some credentials may have been obtained on the dark web.
New laws taking effect from May 1, 2025 will require international licence holders to switch to NSW driver's licences after three months in the state. This measure, combined with closer collaboration with Australian Border Force, aims to significantly reduce illegal demerit point trading.
The reforms will enable authorities to quickly return fines and demerit points to drivers who falsely nominated someone else, particularly in cases where the nominated person wasn't even in Australia at the time of the offence.
