Driving test scams for teenagers!

claire49_2

BEWARE- if your teenage son or daughter is trying to book a driving test on line. If they type DSA driving test or similiar into a search engine(google in our case) they will be directed to a sponsored site "BookTest.co.uk". My daughter did not realise that it should have been a .gov website and has paid them £82 (driving tests cost £62). So far nothing from them and as she paid by debit card she cannot cancel the payment. So warn your teens! Apparently there are several of these sites operating. Some just take the extra money and do book the test though this does not appear to be the case here.

Inactive

Oh no not another one calling this a scam, which it is not.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=2311741

Users have a choice.

Crabman

Try using a search engine that has a conscience:

www.bing.com

Note that a search for DSA on bing brings up the real site as the top result. How's that for choice.

P.S: It is a scam - it is not a scam if the customer is informed on the scam site that they have the option to book directly with the DSA for a lower price.

Inactive

Crabman wrote: »

P.S: It is a scam - it is not a scam if the customer is informed on the scam site that they have the option to book directly with the DSA for a lower price.

It is not a " scam " because nobody has been tricked in to using these sites, they have a choice of using them at a premium, or using the DSA one.

But all of this has been discussed over and over in the link above.

custardy

Crabman wrote: »

Try using a search engine that has a conscience:

www.bing.com

Note that a search for DSA on bing brings up the real site as the top result. How's that for choice.

P.S: It is a scam - it is not a scam if the customer is informed on the scam site that they have the option to book directly with the DSA for a lower price.

its not that hidden on google

the182guy

Perhaps not a 'scam' but it's very misleading, many people will click on that link thinking it's the official DSA site. It's not clear in any way that this is a third party.

The company is probably losing money now anyway because everyone that visited this thread and searched/clicked the link will have cost them a few quid each. Karma? Could be!

Crabman

Inactive wrote: »

It is not a " scam " because nobody has been tricked in to using these sites, they have a choice of using them at a premium, or using the DSA one.

But all of this has been discussed over and over in the link above.

I doubt that customers were given the choice of going directly to the DSA to book at a lower price.

I'm surprised that anyone would seek to assert that this isn't a scam. What service is being provided here? What benefits are provided that aren't provided when booking directly with the DSA? Does the customer still have to enter all their details into a webform together with their payment details? If so, what is the advantage of booking with the scam site as opposed to directly with the DSA?

custardy

there are many things in life you can do cheaply by searching/doing it yourself
in this case the companies are preying on people not doing their research

kwaks

Its not a scam, however it preys on peoples naievity. A much worse example is the companies selling private registrations which can be bought direct from the DVLA for lower amounts

epatolles

i HATE sponsored links - I always tell technophobes... DO NOT CLICK ON THE SPONSORED LINK - most of the time it isn't even what you want! If it IS what I want I still won't click on it... just type it in the address bar - so they don't think the sponsored link is effective and stop doing it! lol

it isn't a scam as such it's just a quick money making thing to take advantage of people who are less internet savvy! think it's been on a watchdog type programme before actually! not sure if it was this company but the tv programme was sick of people clicking on the sponsored links and basically getting ripped off so they paid for their own sponsored link to inform people of where they SHOULD be going to!

- end of day - if the test is booked - its an expensive lesson to learn not to click sponsored links...

Inactive

Crabman wrote: »

I doubt that customers were given the choice of going directly to the DSA to book at a lower price.

I'm surprised that anyone would seek to assert that this isn't a scam. What service is being provided here? What benefits are provided that aren't provided when booking directly with the DSA? Does the customer still have to enter all their details into a webform together with their payment details? If so, what is the advantage of booking with the scam site as opposed to directly with the DSA?

It isn't about " advantage " it is about choice, customers have a choice before them, they choose to use a more expensive option, their choice.

Of course customers have a choice of using the official and cheaper DSA option, it is there in big print before their very eyes on Google.

We all have choices, if some people cannot be bothered to check before booking, who's fault is that?