Driving Licence Replacement Scam!

[Deleted User]

Pollycat wrote: »

The websites are designed to catch out the unwary.

Years ago, when this first started with - I believe - EHIC, the disclaimer that the website wasn't the official website was in very tiny print and hidden away.

Since then they have been forced to state the disclaimer prominently and some websites even provide a link to the official website.

I also understand that Google have been working to ensure that the official websites appear above these copycat websites.

There's a whole raft of 'services', not just driving licences.

These include:
Passport application/ renewal
Booking driving theory test
Booking driving test
Submitting tax return
EHIC
ESTA
Fishing licences

I'm in the wrong game! Maybe I should set some of this sites up and charge less than the others for a bit of competition. :rotfl:

Pollycat

rrtt wrote: »

Anyway, the better news this morning is that both the DVLA and police (actionfraud) reckon that it's 'just' conning people to unnnecessarily pay a fee, rather than being serious ID theft. The DVLA in particular said that Google wouldn't allow the org to be listed if they were actually criminal? (not sure about this myself ... I have my own website which is google-able, where I could be conning people for all Google knows? *hasten to say that I'm not though!! )

Well that is good news - and exactly what I said (twice) in response to your post:

Pollycat wrote: »

rrtt
I wouldn't worry too much about the personal information you've provided.
These types of companies are interested in getting money from people (in the form of the service charge) rather than using personal data for fraud.

Pollycat wrote: »

Of course I know how valuable my personal data is.

The point I was making is that these companies haven't so far been found to be using the personal data they collect - because that's not the business they are in unlike companies/individuals who specifically phish for personal details with a view to committing fraud.

If rrtt had said he'd given his personal details in response to a phishing email or to a bloke in the street, that part of my reply would have been very different.

At least you won't (I hope) fall into the same trap again.

Pollycat

Deleted_User wrote: »

I'm in the wrong game! Maybe I should set some of this sites up and charge less than the others for a bit of competition. :rotfl:

I'm sure there's more than the ones I listed.
The fishing licence one took me aback.

rrtt

Yes Pollycat, you did twice say so thanks - but

a) this particular site hadn't yet been discussed on here as far as I'm aware before I made my first post, so might have been a different kind of rogue (esp having rented that apparently well-known fraudulent geographical address) and

b) don't ever underestimate the shock and fear you experience when you suspect you've exposed yourself to total ID fraud. Total panic and trying to cover all bases are a normal reaction I'm afraid!

PS Yes, it's been a useful warning shot across the bows - don't do this stuff when in a rush, tired or distracted - or ever take your eye off the ball for a minute. Another factor is that my old laptop with Avast security on had just died, and I've swapped to a new mac book with no malware detector on - my next job will be to download Avast onto it. I think the mal detector on the old lappie might well have warned me, or at least asked if I trusted the site.

Pollycat

rrtt wrote: »

Yes Pollycat, you did twice say so thanks - but

Sorry - I didn't mean it to sound like that.

My second post about ID theft being unlikely was actually in response to strider590.

rrtt wrote: »

Yes Pollycat, you did twice say so thanks - but

a) this particular site hadn't yet been discussed on here as far as I'm aware before I made my first post, so might have been a different kind of rogue (esp having rented that apparently well-known fraudulent geographical address) and

b) don't ever underestimate the shock and fear you experience when you suspect you've exposed yourself to total ID fraud. Total panic and trying to cover all bases are a normal reaction I'm afraid!

PS Yes, it's been a useful warning shot across the bows - don't do this stuff when in a rush, tired or distracted - or ever take your eye off the ball for a minute. Another factor is that my old laptop with Avast security on had just died, and I've swapped to a new mac book with no malware detector on - my next job will be to download Avast onto it. I think the mal detector on the old lappie might well have warned me, or at least asked if I trusted the site.

The worst that's happened to us was our credit card being cloned and used for various purposes but it was spotted by the cc company and quickly sorted out with no loss to ourselves but I can imagine the panic if you've given out personal data and then found out that the site is not what you thought.

Iceweasel

rrtt wrote: »

Another factor is that my old laptop with Avast security on had just died, and I've swapped to a new mac book with no malware detector on - my next job will be to download Avast onto it. I think the mal detector on the old lappie might well have warned me, or at least asked if I trusted the site.

I doubt very much if any malware detector is clever enough to spot evil intention and a desire to hoodwink the unwary.

AFAIK there is no virus, hidden app, or other tecky type of thing wrong with these fraudulent sites, which would trigger an alarm by Avast, Avira, McAfee, etc.

Although you can't rely on them 100% and have a false sense of security, you can't operate without such extra protection.

Avast on it's own isn't enough in my experience.

In these days it absolutely essential to install things like malwarebytes, ccleaner, and so on asap after you purchase a new computer.

Mrs Iceweasel recently bought a new lap-top and within hours it was infested with unwanted adverts, pop-ups on every page and spy stuff.

As soon as we installed the above protection kit programmes we managed to delete literally hundreds of suspect files and unwanted 'add-ons'.

Stopping the ads that you may not recognise as ads is just the first step.

Stay aware!

[Deleted User]

Iceweasel wrote: »

I doubt very much if any malware detector is clever enough to spot evil intention and a desire to hoodwink the unwary.

AFAIK there is no virus, hidden app, or other tecky type of thing wrong with these fraudulent sites, which would trigger an alarm by Avast, Avira, McAfee, etc.

Although you can't rely on them 100% and have a false sense of security, you can't operate without such extra protection.

Avast on it's own isn't enough in my experience.

In these days it absolutely essential to install things like malwarebytes, ccleaner, and so on asap after you purchase a new computer.

Mrs Iceweasel recently bought a new lap-top and within hours it was infested with unwanted adverts, pop-ups on every page and spy stuff.

As soon as we installed the above protection kit programmes we managed to delete literally hundreds of suspect files and unwanted 'add-ons'.

Stopping the ads that you may not recognise as ads is just the first step.

Stay aware!

Or just use Linux. Although you'll still be recommended to practice some security measures as it is not completely fool proof.

smithers123

I fell for it was in a rush thought it was the .gov web site said the payment was going to be £20 and was £50


BUT why when you ring your visa card comp. cant they stop payment or just get it back its wrong


This site is set up to deceive colour is like .gov


I hope the scum bags rot in hell


Yes expensive lesson learned

smithers123

Has any one put them in the small claims court ?

smithers123

Another thing why has VISA and MASTER CARD not stopped them taking payments