Driving Test Theory Test Scam

grahamtayl

My son has just been caught out by this scam. He is not stupid he has a degree and I would appreciate no 'smart Alec' remarks. He is a hard working young man struggling to learn to drive so that he can improve his prospects of getting a decent job. There is so much fraud on the internet and yet there seems to be nobody looking out for anyone else.

I have to ask why do Pearsons do nothing about this when it is so obviously a scam. Why do the DVLA not do anything? are they getting back handers????

My son paid £52 for theory test instead of £33. Money he can ill afford.

There seems to be a lot of smug people on this site that have obviously never been had by people that get rich on other peoples backs. Oh to be so clever!!! :A tell me whats your secret.

I feel frustrated and sad that there are so many devious people and that they seem to get away with it. Is there anybody out there that may be able to stop them I wonder, please let me know.:(

Internet is a wonderful tool for scammers can we please see it work for decent people that struggle to work and pay for things honestly.

anewman

grahamtayl wrote: »

There seems to be a lot of smug people on this site that have obviously never been had by people that get rich on other peoples backs. Oh to be so clever!!! :A tell me whats your secret.

I guess the secret is being net savvy. No doubt most of the people on these forums, including me, spend quite a bit of time on the net so know what to expect.

Clearly many people are easily scammed, otherwise there wouldn't be so many e-mails phishing for bank details going around, or other scam emails like the 419 Nigerian scams that are quite common. Scams related to car selling are also quite common. If they did not make money from it, they wouldn't do it.

I can tell simply by the site design (it doesn't have the clean look an official site would have) and the fact they use paypal as a payment method (an official site would use a proper card payment service). I wouldn't expect many other people I know to have this kind of insight though.

Yes the site is a scam, it really should make it clear what you are paying for, but that's part of the scam (if they wrote we charge £x administration fee, if you don't want to pay this fee go to www. then they wouldn't be making any money.

Also look on the parking board for info on Private Parking Company (PPC) scams. In brief they put a legally unenforceable invoice on your windscreen and send you letters threatening court action, bailiffs etc. Most people will be worried by this and pay up - this is what they rely on to make money as they never take anyone to court.

grahamtayl wrote: »

Internet is a wonderful tool for scammers can we please see it work for decent people that struggle to work and pay for things honestly.

Sites like this one can help very much on that front.

DCFC79

When parting with money you should always go direct to the website eg enter the web address yourself and dotn do it via google

newfoundglory

grahamtayl wrote: »

I have to ask why do Pearsons do nothing about this when it is so obviously a scam. Why do the DVLA not do anything? are they getting back handers???

I can understand your point, and it must be very frustrating. However, this website is offering a service and technically doing nothing wrong. I bet there are driving schools which do something similar... they will add a mark-up i'm sure to act as an agent for booking your various tests. It will just be hidden in the cost and not as open as this website is being about things.

I'm pretty sure there is a website which does something similar for the practical test... however I think that one aims to get you a test within a week or 7 days or something. Yes, its strange isnt it, some might say that a £20 charge is a scam, others would say an invaluable service. Some would argue that it is a price worth paying, as the current wait where I am is almost 10 weeks for a practical test booking.

DCFC79

grahamtayl wrote: »

My son has just been caught out by this scam. He is not stupid he has a degree and I would appreciate no 'smart Alec' remarks. He is a hard working young man struggling to learn to drive so that he can improve his prospects of getting a decent job. There is so much fraud on the internet and yet there seems to be nobody looking out for anyone else.

I have to ask why do Pearsons do nothing about this when it is so obviously a scam. Why do the DVLA not do anything? are they getting back handers????

My son paid £52 for theory test instead of £33. Money he can ill afford.

where did you get £33 when the direct.gov site says £31

geordie2010

you are definately right newfoundglory, there appears to be many of these sites popping up, there is noting that the DSA or Pearsons can do about it.

people need to be more aware when booking both types of tests. direct.gov is the correct site for booking online

[Deleted User]

dannymccann wrote: »

Isnt the biggest question that needs to be asked here : why are YOU booking something like this for your child :huh: If they are 16/17 + surely they are old enough to book it themselves and pay for it, maybe im old fashioned at 22 :wall:

It's the same when you hear about parents phoning their 16/17 year old child's employer to demand why they can't have a day off etc. :rotfl:

anewman

DCFC79 wrote: »

When parting with money you should always go direct to the website eg enter the web address yourself and dotn do it via google

That would be being web-savvy

DCFC79

anewman wrote: »

That would be being web-savvy

maybe a GCSE should be brought to educate people in using the internet

Inactive

grahamtayl wrote: »

I have to ask why do Pearsons do nothing about this when it is so obviously a scam. Why do the DVLA not do anything? are they getting back handers????

.

They are not running a " scam " they are providing a service, nobody is forced to use their service.

Now come on, be honest, a person with a Degree should have immediately spotted what kind of website that was, otherwise we are wasting our money on educating people.

It is nothing whatsoever to do with the DVLA, driving tests are run by the DSA.