MSE News: Extra cash to tackle copycat Government websites

Former_MSE_Helen · 4 March 2014 at 1:52PM

"Extra funding is being given to crackdown on misleading websites that try and palm themselves off as government services..."

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Extra cash to tackle copycat Government websites

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Herbalus · 4 March 2014 at 3:09PM

On page eight of their Annual Business Plan, the National Trading Standards Board appears to have £919,746 to tackle "E crime", which is the closest match to combating misleading websites. £120,000 seems like a small amount of money in a press title about government funding, but it's an additional 13% of the allocated budget.

My favourite part of the Annual Business Plan was finding out that they have "Scambusters Teams" with a budget of £3 million!

imoneyop · 4 March 2014 at 3:27PM

Herbalus wrote: »

My favourite part of the Annual Business Plan was finding out that they have "Scambusters Teams" with a budget of £3 million!

The Internet anti-scam community has an annual budget of ZERO, but is probably more effective at highlighting and dealing with scams than these "Scambusing Teams".

scotsbob · 4 March 2014 at 11:46PM

The middle aged, middle classes should have to pass a test before they are allowed to use the Internet.
Why should tax payers have to stump up because people can't read properly?

lancashirelassie · 5 March 2014 at 12:03PM

I got duped by this type of activity. I would normally consider myself reasonably savvi. We all make mistakes.
This could have turned out really badly for my son who was actually driving with no licence for many months.
I paid 60.00 for replacement licence. The site I found when I had inputted DVLA driving licence, thinking it would take me to the right place. I did see the charges list - paid duly with my credit card details and that was it.... nothing.
What really naffs me off it actually was to cost nothing and all they want is the money and didn't even forward on.....as I don't remember taking a reference for the request I cant even contact them. there is no phone number nor address
Absolute robbers - any way baby Jesus will pay back!!!!!
I have now stopped my credit card and am liasing with my cc company to see what they can do, they are obviously aware of this scam as their operator admitted to. Perhaps the cc company need to block attempted payments to them?? and get their cc user to contact them direct. or is that too easy

imoneyop · 5 March 2014 at 12:10PM

lancashirelassie wrote: »

I have now stopped my credit card and am liasing with my cc company to see what they can do, they are obviously aware of this scam as their operator admitted to.

Unlike most people who happily hand over money without checking they are giving it to the right people, you probably have a chance of a refund. Did you make it clear to your card company that the company you signed up with did not provide the service that you paid for? If you're just complaining that you used the wrong website and paid the wrong people then you'll get nowhere.

lancashirelassie wrote: »

Perhaps the cc company need to block attempted payments to them?? and get their cc user to contact them direct. or is that too easy

Why should credit card companies block authorised payment requests from legititmate companies? It is not their job to police how their customers chose to spend their money.

Jdrlmr · 6 March 2014 at 4:09PM

I have been filing my tax returns now online for some 8 years .
Every time I have used the government website which is free and normally takes me 15 mins.
I have a very simple tax return as I am 'pay as you earn' ,I don't have any other income such as house lets, interest gathering bank accounts ,shares, off shore accounts etc etc....

So this year i thought I was doing exactly the same tax return procedure........
However when I went on line , put tax return into google, instead of getting on the GOV website ,I mistakenly went on tax return gateway web site which I 100 % thought was the normal gov site I had been using for the last 8 years ....
Your website at the time appeared exactly the same as the gov website .....mainly green in colour and the same appearance and wording ......NOW as from 6th Feb it is in red and details everything that someone wanting to use the site should know .....not the case in January ...funny thing ?????

So I fill in my tax return (15 mins ) then at the end it states I owe £450 ..."pay now or you tax return will not be filed" ...again I 100% thought I was paying my additional tax bill NOT paying your website for a service I did not need nor know I was getting .

Do you honestly think I would pay this money if I thought I was paying your company .the answer is NO .
I payed on credit card .i am in touch with the company trying to get my money back .this is the first time in 15 years I am disputing a payment ...I payed the money in good faith I was paying the government NOT TRG.

I feel I have been conned and I wish to have my £450 back .
If you look on Google ,put in tax return gateway about 5 sites down you will see several newspaper reports on TRG .
These all detail stories exactly the same as mine .
Many many people have lost lots of money as a result of TRG .
I don't know how much you earn per week but I suspect £450 is a great deal of money to you.

I simply want my money back and put an end to this experience with copy cats .