NCT Booking Scam 2026: Fake Websites Are Stealing Hundreds from Irish Drivers

€600 for an NCT Booking That Doesn’t Exist

In January 2026, The Irish Times broke a story that should worry every driver in the country. Fraudsters reportedly cloned the official NCTS website — pixel for pixel — and started charging motorists between €60 and €600 for NCT appointments that were never booked.

One driver paid €60. Then got a call asking for another €600. He got suspicious and rang the real NCTS. They confirmed: it was a scam.

A second driver wasn’t so lucky. Paid the full amount. Got nothing.

Sound familiar? It should. This isn’t even the first time it’s happened.

Two Types of NCT Scam Running in 2026

Here’s the thing most people don’t realise: there isn’t just one fake NCT website. There are at least two distinct scams that have targeted Irish drivers in the past 12 months.

The clone site is the dangerous one. It was reported to An Garda Síochána in Wexford, and the Irish Daily Star ran a front-page warning on 17 January 2026. According to The Irish Times, the fake site had not yet been taken down at the time of their report.

The “middleman” site (nctservices.org) is slightly different. It’s a UK-based website. According to media reports, some users who paid did receive bookings — but charges you €76 for something that costs €0 to do yourself on ncts.ie. CorkBEO, the Irish Mirror, and the Limerick Leader all covered it. Applus (the NCT operator) reported it to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), Google, and the Gardaí.

Why Are People Falling for This?

Because demand far outstrips supply. And scammers are exploiting that gap.

When you search “book NCT” on Google and the earliest real slot is in May — five months away — you’re desperate. You’ll click anything that promises a faster appointment. These fake sites have been appearing in search results — sometimes alongside the official one, according to multiple media reports.

Here’s the desperation in numbers:

If you’re in Dublin, you’re looking at a 4-month wait. Of course you’re going to Google “fast NCT booking.” And that’s exactly when the scammers catch you.

How to Spot a Fake NCT Website

The NCTS has one official website: www.ncts.ie. That’s it. There is no other legitimate booking portal. Here are the red flags:

🚩 The URL isn’t ncts.ie. If it’s nctservices.org, nct-booking.ie, nctireland.com, or anything else — close the tab. The only official address is www.ncts.ie.

🚩 They charge more than €60 (full test) or €40 (retest). The real NCT costs €60 for a full test. If you’re being asked for €76, €131, or €600 — it’s either a scam or a rip-off middleman.

🚩 They call themselves an “intermediary” or “booking service.” NCTS doesn’t use third-party booking agents. As their spokesperson told the Irish Mirror: “There is no need for anyone to pay a third-party website to book an NCT.”

🚩 They appear as sponsored results in Google. The real NCTS site is ncts.ie — look below the ads.

🚩 They ask for excessive personal or financial details. The real site needs your car reg and chassis number. If someone asks for your PPS number, mother’s maiden name, or requests card details over the phone — hang up.

“But What About NCT Bot — Is That a Scam Too?”

Fair question. And one we get asked a lot. So let’s be direct about it.

No. NCT Bot is not a booking service. We don’t book anything. We don’t sell slots. We don’t touch the NCTS system. We don’t take your money and promise you an appointment.

Here’s the difference in plain English:

Think of it like a flight price alert. Skyscanner doesn’t sell you the ticket — Ryanair does. We don’t sell you the NCT slot — NCTS does. We just tell you when one appears, so you can grab it before it’s gone.

This matters because every day, dozens of people cancel their NCT appointments. Those slots flash up on the official system for seconds before someone else grabs them. Our NCT cancellation slot scanner catches those moments and sends you a notification instantly. You then go to ncts.ie and book it yourself — directly on the official site.

For more on how our notification system compares to the official Priority List, see our breakdown: NCT Priority List 2026: Why You’re Still Waiting.

What to Do If You’ve Been Scammed

Act fast. If you’ve entered card details on a suspected fake NCT site:

1. Contact your bank immediately. Request a card block and chargeback. The sooner you act, the better your chances of getting the money back.

2. Report to An Garda Síochána. You can do this at your local station or online. Wexford Gardaí are actively investigating the January 2026 clone site.

3. Report to the CCPC. The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission handles online fraud complaints: www.ccpc.ie.

4. Book your real NCT on ncts.ie. If you actually need an appointment, the only safe place is www.ncts.ie. If there’s nothing available, add yourself to the Priority List or use our locations page to check all centres.

The Bigger Problem: 70 Complaints to the RSA in 2025

Scam websites aren’t the only issue. RTÉ revealed in February 2026 that 70 formal complaints about the NCT were submitted to the Road Safety Authority in the first 11 months of 2025 alone. Drivers reported cars being damaged during tests, unexplained warning lights appearing after inspection, and — in one bizarre case — one complaint describing a tester allegedly refusing to test a vehicle over safety concerns.

When the official system is this frustrating, people turn to Google for alternatives. And that’s where the scammers are waiting.

FAQ

How do I know if an NCT website is legitimate?

The only official NCT booking website is www.ncts.ie. Any other site claiming to book NCT appointments — especially ones charging more than the standard €60 test fee — is either a scam or an unauthorised middleman. Check the URL carefully and never click sponsored search results without verifying the domain.

Is NCT Bot legal to use?

Yes. NCT Bot is a notification service — not a booking service. We monitor publicly available appointment data and send you an alert when a slot opens at your chosen centre. You then book directly on the official ncts.ie website. We never access your personal data, and we never make bookings on your behalf.

How much is the NCT re-test fee in 2026?

A full lane re-test costs €40 if booked within 21 days of your original test. Minor visual re-tests (wipers, reg plate lights) are free — provided no test equipment is needed. If you miss the 21-day window, you’ll pay the full €60 again. Any site quoting different prices is not official.