Driving licence application scam

[catmadcaz]

My daughter has decided to learn to drive so needs a Provisional licence. So yesterday she put dvla provisional licence in her computer and up came the sites. DVLA Provisional - drivinglicence.uk.com‎
www.drivinglicence.uk.com/ was the first 4 entries

So she used the first one applied paid with my card the £50.00 application fee... was emailed a ref number.. so far so good.

Today she realised she had been had it was a scam it is a driving licence checking site like the passport check only they charge £50.00 the same fee as a licence.

I wenr on the site and read it through throughly and she will have to another £50.00 for her yes you guessed her provisional, from the real DVLA.

All she has paid for is a FREE application form available from the post office.

I like a fool gave her my card to pay for it and didn't think to check the site as she is 19 and very computer savvy.

Anyone else been had?

[ohtowinthelottery]

Thanks Pacific. That's useful.
Good luck with sorting out the problem.

[ilovepowerhoop]

www.gov.uk/apply-first-provisional-driving-licence - proper website

[AnyFucker]

I got done by the EHIC scam this year

You don't have to be young, naive or thick for this kind of thing to happen {but it helps }

[ilovepowerhoop]

www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcareabroad/EHIC/Pages/about-the-ehic.aspx - EHIC application website

[Mutter3]

One of my twins paid the correct fee of £31.00 for the driving theory test. The other found a parasite site and paid £50.00. Apparently these (para)sites are not doing anything illegal. Please encourage everyone you can (local schools/colleges/papers) to make teenagers and their families aware that driving licences are £50.00; theory tests £31.00; practical driving tests £62.00 and the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) is FREE! The official sites (gov. / nhs) could make their status and their costs much clearer with very little effort. Teachers and driving instructors could warn teenagers to be wary of parasites preying on unsuspecting teens. Our rural internet connection is slow and it takes a lot of time and dedication to check you have not mistakenly chosen and paid a parasite.

[chocoluvva]

My daughter 'used' this website two days ago too.

I will try to cancel the payment but it was made from a debit card.

[Pacific]

choccoluvva, citizens advice said to send a recorded delivery letter quoting "Consumer Protection from Distance Selling Regulations 2000" saying it is deemed a distance contract and therefore covered. This allows you to cancel within 7 days.

I have done this but not received any money back yet, but it was only yesterday I sent the letter.

On a slightly lighter note, I received an email from them from 'Wayne'. I thought....hmmm, cowboy by name, cowboy by nature!

[chocoluvva]

Thank you for that info Pacific.

'Wayne' was probably sorry that you didn't phone instead of emailing - £1.50 per min of phone call - another nice little earner for the cowboys.

I'll try the 7-day cooling off thing. If the website isn't british I'm not hopeful that it will work but worth a try.

I don't know if it's possible to cancel transactions made on debit cards?

[Pacific]

Have PMed you Choccoluvva.

I am now in touch with my local Trading Standards who are taking it up with Sunderland Trading Standards which is where this scam company are based.

[Pacific]

Hi All. Got my money back! I cancelled within the 7 days but had to get trading standards involved.

[chocoluvva]

Well done.

[chocoluvva]

It's good to know that Trading Standards has some clout and took up your case. I'm very pleased for you Pacific

I've emailed 'Wayne' asking for a cancellation of contract and full refund in accordance with the distance selling regulations (as above). I added that Trading Standards will endorse my request so hopefully......

[Pacific]

Please let me know how you get on, Chocoluvva.

[chocoluvva]

Will do. I know it says clearly on the front page.... but DD didn't read the front page. Which was silly. Then again at the ripe of old age of 16, she didn't realise that you have to go through the DVLA directly. Apparently.

I'd heard about the European Health Card online 'checking' service, but not about this one.

[pedrito]

I've just been refunded my £50 as my 16 y.o. daughter used my credit card without my permission. If under 18 and the card is used without permission it is law to refund. You have to hassle them though, I sent loads of e-mails and a letter stating my daughter had used my card which they ignored. Then I said i'd send a registered letter to one of the following directors [ James Wyatt, Stephen Graham Oliver, Michael James Hughes]. I also said that if I did this and I was not refunded the next letter would be a solicitors letter and I would contact the Police to report them. Also these scammers have had many scam companies between them [with no company reports published. Not paying their taxes maybe] so I also threatened them with HMRC and Trading Standards.
Check out Companies House website for more details.
Just one thing they will threaten you with reporting your child to the Police for "fraudulent use" of your credit card. I doubt I will be hearing from the Police though.
Alternative address for the directors is 14 Foyle St, Sunderland.
good luck.

[chocoluvva]

Thank you for that info.

I will pass it on to my local trading standards. They were not hopeful as my request for a refund was made one week after the initial transaction - I was hoping to use the seven day 'cooling-off period' to get a refund. However this new info might enable them to apply some pressure.

[berno]

Son sent off for provisional licence before we went on holiday, we have just returned to find that we too have been scammed. He can't remember which site he used - when I searched on Google just now, page one organic results were all legit sites but the top result (sponsored ad) is a scam site.

[DorsetLass]

i cant believe that in a very tired state of mind I actually forked out £5 for changing my address and fell for the website- feel very stupid and luckily my credit card company contacted me as the suspected fraudulent activity. The company had actually subscribed me to a 'premium e-book comany' trading under the same name and were taking money daily from my card. Cards now cancelled but and I feel very stupid. Only £5 and £12 taken but I am normally quite a well functioning adult so no wonder teenagers fall for it. Make sure the companies are not continuing to take money from your cards!

[xyll313]

I stupidly paid for this service and then did as what people suggested to apply for a refund. I sent a few email back telling them my will to cancel the order and quoted "Consumer Protection from Distance Selling Regulations 2000" last friday and then sent everything back by recorded delivery on Saturday. I got an email this morning and they said they would provide me a 50% refund for 'good will'. Shall I just take it or do you think it's possible to get a full refund by taking further action?

[BerylThePeril44]

My husband has just fallen for this while trying to get a license for our son. I'm more worried about identity theft than losing the fee. He put in all personal details eg ni number. Will this have repercussions in the future? Does anyone know if you can change in number?

[Fosterjojo14]

My partner has just fallen for this, cannot believe "Wayne" who we emailed will not refund our money. Think this is a discussion for the BBC watchdog

[s11vyy]

I too am a victim. Have contacted Trading Standards, my bank and the police. I'm afraid we are dealing with very clever, ruthless people, I don't know how they sleep at night! My bank are trying to arrange a chargeback which will get me the refund I would like. They are DEFINTELY misselling to consumers. They have a hyper link saying "click here to apply for your licence" but you are only applying for an application form! Crooks!!!!!

[Laurad87]

Hi, can someone please put up a copy of what to say in an email. I have just fell for this con! Feel so silly now. Realised straight away when £50 came out my bank. Phoned my bank and they said it can't be reversed because I paid my debit card :(

[watchingout]

I fell for it too about six months ago but I wrote and said that my daughter had made the application ( she had but I should have checked it) and so because the "contract" was with a minor, (17) it was not enforceable.

Bit of blag, but it worked and I was refunded

[meesh765]

Hi guys,

So I don’t ever usually sign up to these forums but since I just found this one so helpful I had to!
Feel so stupid for getting caught out by this as soon as I started my working day! Luckily I smelt a rat straight away and googled the site and found this thread.
I sent them a few emails, the last one quoted trading standards and also the consumer protection line (thanks pacific and xyll313). I’m not sure if this helped or if it is just because it was within the 7 days but I got a full refund. So relieved.
Again, I know I should have been more careful and read it clearer but come on…that is cheeky!!
Now I feel like I can concentrate on my day again. Also I kinda feel like this was a good life lesson.
Thanks everyone!!!