Don't Get Conned By Copycat Websites
It's easy to be fooled by dodgy sites that overcharge you for government services, such as passports. Here we explain how to avoid and report them.
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Skip Google and start at Gov.uk Google may seem like the best place to find information about official documents and services such as the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), passport renewal, tax returns and driving test bookings, but it's actually the worst Adverts for 'shyster sites' (as MoneySavingExpert.com calls them) have long appeared above genuine government resources in Google's search results, giving the impression that they are the official services. Meanwhile other sites trick you with convincing names, web addresses and designs. For example, if you type !MC into Google, one of the top results is EHIC-UK (www.ehic-uk.org), which charges £49 for a first-time EHIC application. However as the real NHS page about the EHIC confirms, the card is "entirely free of charge" and always has been. Because Google fails to weed out many of these sites, you're better off bypassing the search engine altogether and starting at Gov.uk (www.gov.uk). This excellent portal brings together info and advice about every government department, and its search facility is fast and accurate. Most importantly, you can trust the links to external sites, such as the NHS page for the EHIC, to find out which documents and details you'll need, and how much you should pay.
DON'T
Pay inflated administration fees Although you need to pay to apply for or renew a passport or driving licence, don't be fooled by the extra charges dodgy sites attribute to "administration costs" for processing and checking your application, and to "additional benefits" such as customer support. Again, you should visit Gov.uk first for official information about current fees. For example. renewing or replacing your driving licence should only cost £20, and is free if you're over 70, but some sites charge up to £80 more for "services the government does not provide" (and that you don't actually need). It's true that the official application site is a little outdated - it's still on the old Directgov platform (direct.gov.uk) rather than Gov.uk - but at least you won't get ripped off.
DO
Look for the giveaway signs Aside from charges that are higher than any existing official fees, there are other ways to identify copycat websites. The more honest services clearly admit that they're "not affiliated" with the Post Office, DVLA, Passport Office, NHS or any other government department, and that you can save money by taking the official route. However, this disclaimer is often tucked away at the bottom of the page and doesn't stop misuse of the word 'official'. Copycat sites are not technically breaking the law because it isn't illegal to charge to check, forward and review applications. Which magazine's helpful article on this topic, entitled 'How to spot a copycat website', points out that you can't actually pay for a passport online, so you shouldn't trust any 'passport-processing' site that asks for your card details. If you do go through Google, use an ad-blocker such as AdBlock Plus to hide deceptive adverts. Also, don't be fooled by a site that contains '.org' in its web address; other than NHS resources, most official government sites have 'gov.uk' in their URLs. And, of course, as with paying for anything online, make sure you do so over a secure, encrypted server with an address that begins with 'https'.
DON'T
Think Bing and Yahoo are any safer Although Google is now working with the Government Digital Service to stop adverts for misleading services appearing above its search results (see sidebar for more info), Bing and Yahoo have yet to confirm how they plan to tackle the problem. When we looked for 'EHIC', 'driving licence application' and 'passport renewal', both search engines listed lots of copycat sites above and below the proper government resources. In Yahoo, the top result for driving-licence enquiries was an advert for a site called Driving Licence Application, which has "processing charges" two or three times higher than official fees, for example it asks for £60 to replace a lost or damaged licence. Next was an ad for an expensive DVLA helpline ("£1.53 per minute plus network extras"), providing advice you can get for free from Gov.uk. You can report your concerns about Bing adverts at http://advertise.bingads.microsoft.com/en-uk/report-spam-form. For dodgy Google adverts, fill in the 'Feedback on Ad Words Ads' form at https://support.google.com/adwords/contact/feedback/. The Government Digital Service suggests that reporting misleading ads to the search engine hosting them "may prove the swiftest and most effective way to fix this problem".
DO
Complain to and about the company If you do get tricked by a copycat site, it's worth trying to reclaim your money by contacting the company directly. Check the site's terms and conditions to see if it will refund you if you cancel your application before it's been processed. Unsurprisingly, the more devious sites make getting your money back as difficult as possible, with a common clause that "you agree and acknowledge that due to the nature of the service, the service charge shall be non-refundable". Try emailing the company before calling an expensive phone line, if that option is provided. MoneySavingExpert.com helpfully provides a Copycat Site Reclaim template letter, which phrases your refund request in firm but fair language. It's also suggested that you enclose as much relevant documentation as possible to support your claim. If the company refuses to refund or even reply to you, then report it. The Office of Fair Trading (www.oft.gov.uk) closed on 31 March, but you can still complain through Gov.uk (www.gov.uk/contact/govuk) and speak to the Citizens Advice consumer service (www.adviceguide.org.uk). If you were led to the site by an advert, other than reporting it to Google (or wherever else you saw it), you can contact the Advertising Standards Authority (www.asa.org.uk). The ASA recently issued a statement about copycat websites, saying that "a company should not imply they are offering an official service if that is not the case. We can and have taken action to have problem advertising amended". However, it also concedes that "there is no direct action which the ASA can take to prevent these websites from operating altogether". You can complain to the ASA online.
WHAT IS GOOGLE DOING ABOUT COPYCAT SITES?
In a blog post on 2 March, the Government Digital Service (GDS) said that following a "growing number of complaints" about copycat sites, it was working directly with Google to resolve the problem. Communications Minister Ed Vaizey has held talks with the search giant with the aim of removing from the top of search rankings "sites that don't add any value, cost people money and take their personal details". Google has complied by removing many adverts for government services from above its search results, although the copycat sites still appear high in the main list. We saw three that charge for the EHIC on the first page of results, and ads for paid-for tax-return services ("for a fixed fee of £70") appeared above and alongside 'tax return' results. Hopefully, the situation will continue to Improve, with Theo Bertram, Google UK's head of policy, saying its talks with the government have helped the search company "to better enforce our existing policies and protect users from misleading websites".
DO
DON'T
Pay inflated administration fees Although you need to pay to apply for or renew a passport or driving licence, don't be fooled by the extra charges dodgy sites attribute to "administration costs" for processing and checking your application, and to "additional benefits" such as customer support. Again, you should visit Gov.uk first for official information about current fees. For example. renewing or replacing your driving licence should only cost £20, and is free if you're over 70, but some sites charge up to £80 more for "services the government does not provide" (and that you don't actually need). It's true that the official application site is a little outdated - it's still on the old Directgov platform (direct.gov.uk) rather than Gov.uk - but at least you won't get ripped off.
DO
Look for the giveaway signs Aside from charges that are higher than any existing official fees, there are other ways to identify copycat websites. The more honest services clearly admit that they're "not affiliated" with the Post Office, DVLA, Passport Office, NHS or any other government department, and that you can save money by taking the official route. However, this disclaimer is often tucked away at the bottom of the page and doesn't stop misuse of the word 'official'. Copycat sites are not technically breaking the law because it isn't illegal to charge to check, forward and review applications. Which magazine's helpful article on this topic, entitled 'How to spot a copycat website', points out that you can't actually pay for a passport online, so you shouldn't trust any 'passport-processing' site that asks for your card details. If you do go through Google, use an ad-blocker such as AdBlock Plus to hide deceptive adverts. Also, don't be fooled by a site that contains '.org' in its web address; other than NHS resources, most official government sites have 'gov.uk' in their URLs. And, of course, as with paying for anything online, make sure you do so over a secure, encrypted server with an address that begins with 'https'.
DON'T
Think Bing and Yahoo are any safer Although Google is now working with the Government Digital Service to stop adverts for misleading services appearing above its search results (see sidebar for more info), Bing and Yahoo have yet to confirm how they plan to tackle the problem. When we looked for 'EHIC', 'driving licence application' and 'passport renewal', both search engines listed lots of copycat sites above and below the proper government resources. In Yahoo, the top result for driving-licence enquiries was an advert for a site called Driving Licence Application, which has "processing charges" two or three times higher than official fees, for example it asks for £60 to replace a lost or damaged licence. Next was an ad for an expensive DVLA helpline ("£1.53 per minute plus network extras"), providing advice you can get for free from Gov.uk. You can report your concerns about Bing adverts at http://advertise.bingads.microsoft.com/en-uk/report-spam-form. For dodgy Google adverts, fill in the 'Feedback on Ad Words Ads' form at https://support.google.com/adwords/contact/feedback/. The Government Digital Service suggests that reporting misleading ads to the search engine hosting them "may prove the swiftest and most effective way to fix this problem".
DO
Complain to and about the company If you do get tricked by a copycat site, it's worth trying to reclaim your money by contacting the company directly. Check the site's terms and conditions to see if it will refund you if you cancel your application before it's been processed. Unsurprisingly, the more devious sites make getting your money back as difficult as possible, with a common clause that "you agree and acknowledge that due to the nature of the service, the service charge shall be non-refundable". Try emailing the company before calling an expensive phone line, if that option is provided. MoneySavingExpert.com helpfully provides a Copycat Site Reclaim template letter, which phrases your refund request in firm but fair language. It's also suggested that you enclose as much relevant documentation as possible to support your claim. If the company refuses to refund or even reply to you, then report it. The Office of Fair Trading (www.oft.gov.uk) closed on 31 March, but you can still complain through Gov.uk (www.gov.uk/contact/govuk) and speak to the Citizens Advice consumer service (www.adviceguide.org.uk). If you were led to the site by an advert, other than reporting it to Google (or wherever else you saw it), you can contact the Advertising Standards Authority (www.asa.org.uk). The ASA recently issued a statement about copycat websites, saying that "a company should not imply they are offering an official service if that is not the case. We can and have taken action to have problem advertising amended". However, it also concedes that "there is no direct action which the ASA can take to prevent these websites from operating altogether". You can complain to the ASA online.
WHAT IS GOOGLE DOING ABOUT COPYCAT SITES?
In a blog post on 2 March, the Government Digital Service (GDS) said that following a "growing number of complaints" about copycat sites, it was working directly with Google to resolve the problem. Communications Minister Ed Vaizey has held talks with the search giant with the aim of removing from the top of search rankings "sites that don't add any value, cost people money and take their personal details". Google has complied by removing many adverts for government services from above its search results, although the copycat sites still appear high in the main list. We saw three that charge for the EHIC on the first page of results, and ads for paid-for tax-return services ("for a fixed fee of £70") appeared above and alongside 'tax return' results. Hopefully, the situation will continue to Improve, with Theo Bertram, Google UK's head of policy, saying its talks with the government have helped the search company "to better enforce our existing policies and protect users from misleading websites".
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