ESTA Scam (Visa waiver programme US)

Roseanna

I have had a quick look and can't see anything on ESTA here, so apologies if it has already been dealt with.
As we are hoping to go to Florida very soon I was anxious to have the visa waiver, which has to be done online. After googling the site, I paid £20 each (for three of us) and was told the application had been received, but it would take up to 72 hours to process.
After talking to a friend I realised that there are a number of sites and started to worry, so I went online to the American Embassy and found I could get the ESTA's straight away and for free!
So we were waiting for no reason, having paid out £60 and having given credit card details, passport numbers, address, birth date and even dates when away from home!!

bloaty

Roseanna wrote: »

I have had a quick look and can't see anything on ESTA here, so apologies if it has already been dealt with.
As we are hoping to go to Florida very soon I was anxious to have the visa waiver, which has to be done online. After googling the site, I paid £20 each (for three of us) and was told the application had been received, but it would take up to 72 hours to process.
After talking to a friend I realised that there are a number of sites and started to worry, so I went online to the American Embassy and found I could get the ESTA's straight away and for free!
So we were waiting for no reason, having paid out £60 and having given credit card details, passport numbers, address, birth date and even dates when away from home!!

I am sure someone will give you some sound advice soon and have posted on another forum to see if anyone can help you and this will be sorted for you very soon.

In the meantime, might be worth you contacting your Visa Card company for their advice.

eslick

doesnt look good I am afraid, its actually free to do see this thread, not sure which site you used I would put it on here so the experts can check it out for you it might be a business trying to get paid for something that can be done for free but it could be......:(

below link is to the free page

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=846763&highlight=visa+waiver

Deedee73

if you paid by CC you could try calling your card issuer to cancel payment, worth a try, but unlikely.

M4RKM

Roseanna wrote: »

I have had a quick look and can't see anything on ESTA here,

click the search and type in ESTA.. MSE have made a link, there is a link from page one of the new york thread, to the official esta site...

we even wouldn't have minded you asking again, but i googled esta yesterday, and the first one on the list - https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/ is the official one so it is easy to find..

chalk up the £60 as a loss and enjoy your holiday

Roseanna

Thanks everyone. We contacted the credit card company and will be disputing the payment - as a matter of principle as much as anything else! They won't do anything until it shows on our statement though - even though it has been authorised.

I went to the correct site and got it all through straight away - don't know how long thos *** scammers would take!

terryya

To be honest I don't think you've really got any reason to dispute the payment. A company has offered a service that YOU chose to use and authorised them to debit your card for the amount agreed. The fact that it is free elsewhere is neither here nor there.

There are lots of things that you can do/get for free that other people will do for a fee.I agree that it is a bit misleading but as you were already on google it wouldn't have taken much longer to check just a bit further.

aaranj

Under U.S Law, it is perfectly legal for a company to do this on your behalf and to charge you for it. You have paid this company for a service (applying for the ESTA's) and as long as they have provided this service and sent you your ESTA Application number(s), then they have provided the service for which you paid them. If they haven't, then take the matter up with your card issuer but if they have then I doubt you have a leg to stand on.

Just accept that you made a mistake and enjoy your holiday. Just note for future reference that the official website (where you can get your ESTA for free) is https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/

whatusername

Put it down to experience and pass the word but most of all go and enjoy your holiday

bloaty

I was more concerned abaout it not being a legitimate company in light of the fact you had given them all of your personal details etc.

Pleased to see you have resolved this.

willow33

A friend told me about ESTA and so I googled it, the first link I found WASN'T the free govt approved site but one that looked like it, so I went ahead and completed the application and was asked for payment which I made. It was only later that someone pointed out that I should not have paid, but by then it was too late. I subsequently went back to the PROPER ESTA site and managed to successfully update my travel details. I've not yet received my credit card statement so will wait to see what happens. I've had another look at the subject and realise that there are AGENT sites that seem quite legit. But I don't believe it's moral for the US to allow such sites. Why isn't the US Govt approved site the ONLY one? Surely there's no need for others????