Theory Test Rip Off Warning

kevpartner

If you, or a loved one, is booking their driving theory test, PLEASE get them to book it direct with the DSA at [www].direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/Motoringtransactions/DG_066356 (sorry, as a new user, I'm not allowed to put the proper address in, just remove the square brackets from the above and paste it into your browser address bar)

Avoid like the plague the plethora of seemingly official booking services that do nothing more than interface with the DSA's system and then take an outrageous 50% commission for doing what you could just as easily do yourself. Given how many of these sites there now are, I guess there must be good money to be made.

Here is a current list of the culprits:Theorytest.net, BookTheoryTests.co.uk, BookTheoryTestOnline.co.uk, BookYourTheoryToday.co.uk and BookYourTheoryTestOnline.co.uk

Do NOT give these low-life exploitative vultures your money: book direct with the DSA themselves. The true cost of a theory test is £31 at present whereas the above services charge up to £48 for exactly the same service.

How the DSA allows this, I really don't know.

Lil306

Link for you below
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/Motoringtransactions/DG_066356

I agree with poster, I booked mine directly through DSA

Crabman

kevpartner wrote: »

How the DSA allows this, I really don't know.

Probably for a similar reason that the DVLA is happy to sell registered keeper details of vehicles to private parking companies without a care in the world as to the legitimacy of the request or use of the information.

DaveF327

kevpartner wrote: »

How the DSA allows this, I really don't know.

Crabman wrote: »

Probably for a similar reason that the DVLA is happy to sell registered keeper details of vehicles to private parking companies without a care in the world as to the legitimacy of the request or use of the information.

The difference there is that the DVLA profit from that service. The DSA don't get a penny from those companies charging a booking fee.

The fact is, DSA can't do a thing about it. The law can't do a thing about it providing the sites make their terms clear. If I want to buy a loaf of bread from a shop for £1, then set up my own stall and sell it on for £2, I can legally do so and the original shop can't stop me. As long as there are mugs out there happy to pay for my £2 loaves, I'll be quids in.

DCFC79

To be honest if you go through dvla then your covered so to speak

Crabman

DaveF327 wrote: »

The difference there is that the DVLA profit from that service. The DSA don't get a penny from those companies charging a booking fee.

The fact is, DSA can't do a thing about it. The law can't do a thing about it providing the sites make their terms clear. If I want to buy a loaf of bread from a shop for £1, then set up my own stall and sell it on for £2, I can legally do so and the original shop can't stop me. As long as there are mugs out there happy to pay for my £2 loaves, I'll be quids in.

They can change the booking conditions so that intermediary agencies can not be used and tests must be booked by the candidate themselves. Simple solution.

As for the reason - I'm referring to the incompetence, lack of commercial awareness and general uselessness that comes bundled with public sector organisations.

Having said that there are people who would buy your £2 loaf - yet the reasons are many - some would be too honest and trusting of you to question your pricing structure. Others would be unable to travel to the shop selling the more competitively priced bread, and some simply wouldn't be aware that the product can be obtained cheaper elsewhere.

anewman

DaveF327 wrote: »

If I want to buy a loaf of bread from a shop for £1, then set up my own stall and sell it on for £2, I can legally do so and the original shop can't stop me. As long as there are mugs out there happy to pay for my £2 loaves, I'll be quids in.

If you packaged it with new labels saying "momma's best home made" when it was made in a factory, then you would be brushing against the law, although the chances of anyone complaining or knowing the difference are slim.

geordie2010

They can change the booking conditions so that intermediary agencies can not be used and tests must be booked by the candidate themselves. Simple solution.

This may be a good idea in theory (pardon the punn) but impossible to put into place. as far as i am aware these companies ask you for their details and then someone will the book the test on your behalf.

I also fail to understand why people think the blame lies with the DSA. The DSA have an official site book tests and would only ever promote their own site and not draw attention to others.

Anyone who is learning to drive and plans to book their Theory and practical should be fully aware of who conducts the tests............individuals who use the wrong site for booking should take responsibility for this and not blame the DSA or government -they didnt ask you to use that site.

anewman

geordie2010 wrote: »

Anyone who is learning to drive and plans to book their Theory and practical should be fully aware of who conducts the tests............individuals who use the wrong site for booking should take responsibility for this and not blame the DSA or government -they didnt ask you to use that site.

The problem is people search in google for "theory test" and the first link they see (which is a Google advertisement) is for these scam companies. Many people automatically assume the first link is the correct and most appropriate. I can tell the difference between the advertisement links and the actual search hits, some people obviously cannot. The blame lays in part with Google too for putting an advertisement link directly above the search hits.

Here's an example. They even have the letters DSA, an obvious intention to mislead. If you miss the grey "Sponsored links" text then you fall victim to the scam.

geordie2010

The problem is people search in google for "theory test" and the first link they see (which is a Google advertisement) is for these scam companies. Many people automatically assume the first link is the correct and most appropriate. I can tell the difference between the advertisement links and the actual search hits, some people obviously cannot. The blame lays in part with Google too for putting an advertisement link directly above the search hits.

thats the dangers of the internet, well atleast for people who do not know what they are doing. I still feels that the person booking on one of these site needs to take responsibility for not getting gen'd up first. but thats my opinion.

anewman

geordie2010 wrote: »

thats the dangers of the internet, well atleast for people who do not know what they are doing. I still feels that the person booking on one of these site needs to take responsibility for not getting gen'd up first. but thats my opinion.

And I think I wish I could make money as easy. If people knew what was happening with the money they wouldn't book with them. It is clear the intention is to mislead people into thinking it is the genuine site (even if there is the majority of us who can tell the difference).

Out of interest would you also say people who had their bank account details phished, and lost lots of money were responsible for the subsequent loss of money? It's the same thing, message intended to look official, couple of clicks later.... (Side note, when I got phishing e-mails I used to put loads of fake log-in details in for fun, lol).