DO NOT USE THIS WEBSITE - I have been scammed

[ihavebeenscammed]

Aghhhhhhh so angry.

Needed to renew DD's passport, googled the passport website and clicked on the following link

uk-passport.net/

Was in a rush and filled out the form for a renewal for under 16, and put my credit card details in for 46 passport fee.

Form came back completed in the post a few days later and I took it to the post office with the photos and did check and send, paid again but didn't think anything of it as a message came up when I put my credit card details on the site saying they wouldn't charge my card until the form was submitted.

Anyway turns out it is a total scam, they are not related to the passport office and are just charging you the fee simply to send you out the form you complete online. I realised when checking my credit card bill and saw I had paid twice, once the fee to uk-passport.net and once the check and send fee so rang to find out.

There actually is a disclaimer at the top of the site saying they are unconnected to the passport office, but I didn't notice this. I feel such a fool as am normally so careful about this stuff but was in a rush needed to get a passport quickly.

The guy at the passport office said I was lucky I had done check and send as people have sent their forms back thinking they have paid but then they get delayed as they haven't actually paid and people have missed their holiday he said loads of people are getting sucked into this.

They can't shut this site down, and apparently they are doing the same with DVLA applications and other.

My credit card company are disputing the transcation for me so hopefully I will get the money back they were also aware of the site and have had lots of customers have the same problem.

So Mad!!!!!!

It's as open forum,op can of course post a cautionary tale.I don't seek to inhibit that
If it's useful,informative that's great.of course
And I can comment on the op post,I don't need to head tilt and say aww

Because it's pivotal Kim,she concedes disclaimer there but unfortunately in a haste

And?whats your point?

The home address of the gentleman who owns the website is in the public domain
I'd suggest making it MUCH better known.

Are you suggesting harassing him?why

Because it's pivotal Kim,op purchased a service,albeit she didn't read the disclaimer
In no way was the service misrepresented or pretending to be official
So no scam.no illegality,no hidden fees but op misunderstood the service offered

DH has just got stung for £47 for a fishing rod license which should have only cost him £20.
He is not stupid, so yes this is a good reminder to everyone.
I'd show him this thread but it will only fire him up again.

Labeling a company offering a legitimate service a scam is libel.

The OP conceded over 12 hours ago that scam was the wrong word. She understands what she did wrong. Harping on and on about it is mean and pointless.

I see no harping,I see an avoidance of the obvious,that op didn't understand service offered

The owner of that website owns lots of others past and present. He plays cat and mouse with the authorities.
He is not an ethical businessman.

Something similar happened to me.

My credit card company said they couldn't stop any payment but they would note it as disputed when the company came to "claim " the money.

I had e-mailed that I was cancelling straightaway. They then requested my bank details for a partial refund! No way was I giving those away - by this stage I knew I was dealing with an unscrupulous business.

Upshot was they never claimed the money from the credit card co. (Also my advice from the credit card advisor had been to dispute it as other people had got money back.)

We need to be getting angry with Google themselves. They are the ones who are allowing these scam artists to put their adverts right at the top of the search results. Google know exactly what is going on, but instead of putting a stop to it they are quite happy to take the scammers money.

Ethics?Plenty companies,have questionable ethics.all on high st
I see no posts suggesting one seek the home addressif Phil green et al
But given mr green is non uk resident fir tax,it's immaterial

True Spine.

These sites are cleverly designed and positioned to trap the unwary. Legal - yes, but unscrupulous.

It's not a scam.its an expensive service to fill out form.costing more than post office
However,the fees are transparent,they have disclaimer

I shop at BHS and they have never sold me an empty box or tried to fool me in any other way.

Op got the service she paid for. Trouble was she didn't understand what she'd paid for

Scottish. The OP understands that. She conceded that was the case over 12 hours ago!

and?