Beware EHIC scam

Tom_Meagher

These sites seem to come from the same little group of people, based at 4 Thorpe Court, Thorpe Waterville, Kettering, Northamptonshire, NN14 3ED. The company name is currently EuropHealth Ltd. The directors are Hiten Patel, Stephen (Graham) Oliver, Jamie Wyatt and Michael James Hughes.

Mr Oliver also runs 'Spanish EHIC Limited', NHSEhic, EuropHealth.ltd.uk and EuropeanHealth.org.uk. For those who would like to contact him and share their concerns, an alternative business address is 14 Foyle Street, Sunderland, United Kingdom SR1 1LB.

He is also involved in Synergy Asset Holdings and the Birmingham-based UK Pryolsysis Ltd - website designed by Mr Wyatt.

Mr Hughes is involved in another company with Mr Oliver, 'Who4 Limited', which invites people to pay for a national insurance number. The site states that 'neither WHO4 nor NationalInsurance.uk.com are affiliated/associated with HMRC or Job Centre Plus.' Don't call the site, or any of these sites with the numbers given: calls cost '£1.53 per minute plus network extras, with a minimum charge of £1.53. Calls from mobiles may cost more.'

Mr Wyatt gives the Thorpe Court address. He's also involved in SJ ECommerce Limited, another EHIC site.

Mr Patel is also known as Hitenkumar Bhikhubhai Patel. He can be contacted at the business addresses of Suite 36 88-90, Hatton Garden, London, United Kingdom, EC1N 8PN or Fort Dunlop Fort, Parkway, Birmingham, United Kingdom, B24 9FE. Mr Patel is involved in Pryolsysis and Synergy, as well as various motor companies such as Aa Tyres & Exhausts Ltd (Letts Road, Rothersthorpe Avenue Ind Estate, Northampton, tel 01604 877 760). He is also a director of Alton Motors Ltd in Wellingborough and Sixfield Tyres Ltd in Northampton (Tweet Road, tel 01604 759 791).

MrsGroovy

I nearly fell for this last week, they wanted £5.00 each for the 4 cards I needed renewing and an extra 4.50 for express service (which I would recieve the cards within 10 days), it was only a little thought in my head that stopped me (A thought popped in my head that I had got them free last time) so I googled it and went to the government site which informed me they were free. So glad I did that, and they came within 3 days.

greyhills

I've just been caught too... Ironically I read the travel advice on this website and immediately googled EHIC and went for the first link. The top three were all sponsored but the contrast on google now isn't that great so I didn't notice (until now).

I was in a rush and didn't scrutinize the site and ended up paying £24.99 for a "fast track" service for 3 EHICs cards. The company claim to check/review applications in order to speed up the process. On their website they also state that enough information to cover themselves i.e. that the service is free from the NHS, However, as I was in a hurry I didn't notice or read the full site.

I am now worried that they will use my personal details...

I phoned the official EHIC NHS Business line and they confirmed that my application had been received and was being processed.
I also contacted HMRC to track for any unusual activity on the NI numbers I had to supply to the site. I also spoke to Citizens Advice. It seems that little can be done.

I've emailed the company in question and asked for a refund and for my personal details to be deleted. The company is Europe EHIC Services Ltd and also displayed online as European Health Network.

What else can I do?

Maddieraz

I have just recently been scammed :-( How is it these companies are allowed to get away with it. If the NHS know they exist should they not do something about it?

jpsartre

I dearly hope the NHS has better things to use their ressources on than bailing out people who can't be bothered to spend a minute doing a bit of research. Most of these sites makes it clear what they do, the problem is many people don't read what's right in front of them.

Pollycat

Maddieraz wrote: »

I have just recently been scammed :-( How is it these companies are allowed to get away with it. If the NHS know they exist should they not do something about it?

Maddie

If you really, really believe that the website of the company you used was misleading, report them to Trading Standards (via CAB):
http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/advice/

but I suggest you re-read the information on the copycat EHIC website first as most of these companies now comply with the law and make it pretty clear what 'service' they are offering.

That's how they are 'allowed to get away with it'.

You should also be wary if looking at:

passport application/renewal
driving licence application/renewal
booking driving test
booking driving theory test
submitting tax return
ESTA

and any other Government service that they think will make them money.

Ruski

Is there any 7 day refund law on this, as my dear wifey fell for it only the other day....

Russ

ekeitout

Got taken in yesterday as in a rush. Looks like charge ended up as £49 each for partner and I. How could I have been such an idiot? I reported to my bank who said payment seems to have been made to a 3rd party called JUNOAPPS.co.uk. Bank are for now treating it as fraud I think primarily because the amount wasn't mentioned when I came to pay online. Bank are sending me paperwork to complete and return, so I may end up having to pay if my claim doesn't stand up.
The cheeky whatsits (not the Bank!) sent me a follow up email today saying they're the 'only genuine site' (and have craftily included NHS as part of their email address so it looks real), they are asking me to reply quoting my full name, address and postcode.
Obviously I won't be replying ..... but forumites DO BEWARE!
Who can we officially report this to? is it Trading Standards?

Pollycat

ekeitout wrote: »

Got taken in yesterday as in a rush. Looks like charge ended up as £49 each for partner and I. How could I have been such an idiot? I reported to my bank who said payment seems to have been made to a 3rd party called JUNOAPPS.co.uk. Bank are for now treating it as fraud I think primarily because the amount wasn't mentioned when I came to pay online. Bank are sending me paperwork to complete and return, so I may end up having to pay if my claim doesn't stand up.
The cheeky whatsits (not the Bank!) sent me a follow up email today saying they're the 'only genuine site' (and have craftily included NHS as part of their email address so it looks real), they are asking me to reply quoting my full name, address and postcode.
Obviously I won't be replying ..... but forumites DO BEWARE!
Who can we officially report this to? is it Trading Standards?

I replied to the post you made on another thread yesterday:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/2651817

So which website did you use?
As I said in my reply to you, I can't find the website you said you used.

If they are not the official website but are claiming they are (as per the email you say you received) , I would most definitely report them.

This link tells you how to do that:
http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/consumer_e/consumer_protection_for_the_consumer_e/protection_trading_standards_e/reporting_a_problem_to_trading_standards.htm


ETA:
I've already provided the link to report this company in my post just a couple of posts above yours.

DF225

Originally posted by Ekeitout.
I have also been fooled into paying £49.00 (end of July 2014) and I have just discovered that this card is free! The contact em is ehicuk.org [noreply@ehic-uk.org]
Although I was in a rush and ordered quickly, this address looks like the genuine article and is surely a deliberate effort to mislead.
Can this possibly be legal. I am going to try to reclaim this charge via my bank and will advise the outcome.