EHIC Renewals Gotcha

teeldee

Hi
I have just been caught out when renewing my family EHIC cards. I googled EHIC renewal and came across the site

euhealthcard.org/

It looks all official with NHS logos etc so I renewed my families EHIC cards at a cost of £10.

I was a little unsure as I don't remember paying before, but I went ahead. I wasn't able to renew my son as a dependent as he is over 18, potentially costing another £10.

So I thought I would look around and found

ehic.org.uk/Internet/home.do

which does it for free.

Bit late for me, but hopefully this message could help others.

I just hope that the first one wasn't a scam and I have actually renewed my cards, not purchased shares in a Nigerian gold company lol :rotfl:

Tony LD

PS I had to remove the links as the site wouldn't let me insert the, just add www to the address

HXDave

Tony,

a quick look at the site you used does actually state that the card is free, and it is them that charge a fee for 'processing' your application. So whilst i dont think you have bought shares in a nigerian mine, it does seem that there is very little you can do.

Maybe best going through the 'official' site though, just to check that they have been renewed. Perhaps, if the company haven't, then you might just have a claim through your bank for non provision of service paid for.

HXDave

tori.k

I got caught out aswell last year, site looks very official i was in a rush and just filled the form out, stupid but taught me a lesson i'll remember, they did turn up tho

diddyangel

Sorry you got caught out but thanks for the warning.

Question, how often do you need to renew?

bryanb

diddyangel wrote: »

Question, how often do you need to renew?

There is an expiry date on the card, you can renew in the last 3 months of validity.

Pelican_eats_pigeon

This kind of scam is unfortunately legal, as far as I'm aware. The website does have plenty of red flags that should give the game away.

One thing they could possibly get into trouble for is using the NHS logo & EC logo without permission, which I'm sure they don't have.

teeldee

HXDave wrote: »

a quick look at the site you used does actually state that the card is free, and it is them that charge a fee for 'processing' your application.
HXDave

Thanks Dave, I read the stuff afterwards unfortunately. Like Tori.K I was in a hurry and got caught out

Tony

andy1832

I've just been caught on this also. Unfortunately when Googling a number of the unofficial sites come up first, no doubt they pay Google to get higher up the search list. The one I used turns out to be Universal Checking Service of London E18 and the scam is they charge you supposedly for "Reviewing and verifying" the information you enter all for just £9.99. Unfortunately in the usual haste to get these things done one tends not to read all the small print. This site even uses "NHS" in their website address as well as the NHS logo on their banner. Presumably they then just transfer all your own information onto the official NHS site and pocket the money - what an easy way of making a fortune for someone probably in their own home! There are dozens of these fringe bogus sites and one wonders what else in the way of free services they may have latched onto. I've tried emailing my bank to stop the payment but not sure if this will work.

headpin

What I find strange is that these cards (and the previous E111) are all free. So why do people gladly provide their payment details to someone for something that is free? Surely that should start alarm bells ringing?

bcl999

Been meaning to renew this since last year and have just done it now after seeing the correct web address in your post, teeldee. Thanks.

jammin_2

headpin wrote: »

What I find strange is that these cards (and the previous E111) are all free. So why do people gladly provide their payment details to someone for something that is free? Surely that should start alarm bells ringing?

Because these people do not know that they are free.