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Drivers are warned about a fake ITV website that charges drivers extra and makes false appointments.
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Residents of the Vega Baja have been warned about a new ITV scam which has already affected several citizens who attempted to book ITV test. A local Orihuela Costa citizen reported that a booking site for ITV tests, which appeared to be legitimate, was actually a scam. It charged him more than the actual ITV centres and booked a false test slot the next day.
What is an ITV Test?
The ITV Test, or Inspección Técnica de VehículosIt is mandatory to inspect a vehicle to determine if it is roadworthy. Driving with an expired ITV, according to new crackdowns by Spain’s traffic authority, the DGT, can result in various sanctions depending on the severity of the offence: a fine of up to €500, points deducted from the licence, insurance complications, and even the immobilisation of the vehicle.
New scam in town: ITV test sites tricking Vega Baja residents
According to the Orihuela Costa resident, the ITV booking website, which by all accounts seemed legitimate, provided him with a renewal appointment for the following day at the Pilar de la Horadada ITV centre, with a cost of €51. The resident was informed that they had neither received payment nor a confirmed appointment when he arrived at the centre. However, the centre had a slot available and did the ITV test on the vehicle anyway, at the real cost of €41.
Online scams: Beware!
The resident said that the moral of the story was to only book a slot for a test on Sitval.com, and pay only at the ITV testing centre. Do not pay online!
Orihuela Costa resident also noted that, because the tests only have to be performed every two years, or four years for new cars, it can be hard to remember them when the time comes to renew. Residents should therefore be aware of scams.
Drivers on the Costa Blanca – and indeed, in the whole of Spain – are reminded that appointments for ITV tests should only be booked on the official website, sitval.comPayments should be made only at the ITV testing centre and not online.
Fortunately for the Costa Blanca South resident who chose to see the positive side of the scam, his vehicle passed with flying colors and is now ready to be driven until February 20, 2028.
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