Passport Renewal

szam_

Afternoon.

I need to check this because I've never had to do it (yet), but my OH made a payment for a passport renewal (child to adult as it expired years ago) the other month.

I'm pretty sure it was the .gov.uk site as I checked over when she was doing it, she was asking me questions about the questions on the site. It looks perfectly official, the correct style it has at https://www.gov.uk

She filled in all the data provided, received the forms and completed them.

The confusion now is why they are asking for another payment for the same amount.

I've had a look around for some sort of spoof passport site that looks similar, if not the same, but I have to go back to work soon, so I can't trawl the net for that. I am 99% sure she made the payment on the .gov.uk site anyhow, but will be looking at her history later on to check.

If this turns out to be a spoof site, is there anything that can be done regarding this? I presume you can get a refund for what I can only describe as defrauding someone by using an identical, official government site, one of which I looked around myself just before the payment? Also seems strange that she received the forms from a site that is identical to gov.uk site, if it was a spoof site, why would they bother to send anything? The bigger concern is the personal details entered are now in someones untrustworthy hands.

There is also a chance that when she rang up, she mentioned the guy she talked to was being really quite abrupt about it, suspicion is he didn't even check to see if a payment was made and just presumed this is what has happened.

Any advice appreciated.

OlliesDad

szam_ wrote: »

Afternoon.

I need to check this because I've never had to do it (yet), but my OH made a payment for a passport renewal (child to adult as it expired years ago) the other month.

I'm pretty sure it was the .gov.uk site as I checked over when she was doing it, she was asking me questions about the questions on the site. It looks perfectly official, the correct style it has at https://www.gov.uk

She filled in all the data provided, received the forms and completed them.

The confusion now is why they are asking for another payment for the same amount.

I've had a look around for some sort of spoof passport site that looks similar, if not the same, but I have to go back to work soon, so I can't trawl the net for that. I am 99% sure she made the payment on the .gov.uk site anyhow, but will be looking at her history later on to check.

If this turns out to be a spoof site, is there anything that can be done regarding this? I presume you can get a refund for what I can only describe as defrauding someone by using an identical, official government site, one of which I looked around myself just before the payment? Also seems strange that she received the forms from a site that is identical to gov.uk site, if it was a spoof site, why would they bother to send anything? The bigger concern is the personal details entered are now in someones untrustworthy hands.

There is also a chance that when she rang up, she mentioned the guy she talked to was being really quite abrupt about it, suspicion is he didn't even check to see if a payment was made and just presumed this is what has happened.

Any advice appreciated.

It definitely sounds like a "copycat" website was used. They basically offer to check the application on your behalf before it is sent to the Passport office.

Unfortunately, although they are disliked by the government, they are not actually illegal as they are offering a service and it does state in the small print that they are just a checking service. Some people have reported getting refunds from the bank, however that is goodwill rather than a legal obligation.

szam_

Thanks.

I did see a number of sites offering services such as the one you mention in checking applications, however this was sent direct to the passport offices.

I don't ever recall the site mentioning that there was any such service of checking the application, I'm pretty confident it mentioned something along the lines over the fee covers the cost of the application process. I guess the only way I'm going to solve this is check her site history, and the conformation email when I get it.

Valli

They are not spoof sites. They offer a 'service' and that's what they charge for.

How they work is you enter all your details and they send out your forms having 'checked' them. They charge for the checking service. You are probably now being asked to pay for the cost of the passport for which you are applying.

The genuine .gov site does not charge more than the passport fee for the new or replacement passport.

If you feel you have been misled then complain to your MP. It's unlikely, this far down the line, that you could get a refund for their 'service' but you could try.

peachyprice

If you paid online it was definitely a 'checking service', you can't pay online on the official .gov.uk website.

You only fill in the form online which they then print out and send to you for signing, you then have to pay at the post office or send your debit card details with the application.

rustyboy21

As Peachy has said, you cannot pay for your passport or renewal passport online. It has to be paid by cutting out one of the back pages of the booklet which accompanies your paperwork to sign. Did it for OH earlier this year.

There have been a lot of these posts over the past 12 months, with people saying the sites are spoof, or a scam. Every one I have looked at, makes it blatantly obvious from the front page of the site, that you will be charged for using them, as they offer a service. You cannot blame the websites for using names near to the dept you are trying to access. You wouldn't click on a site called ''www.samspassports.co.uk'' would you if you really want to buy an official document

People really need to start to use their eyes, instead of just going in blindly. They also need to stop blaming other people for their own faults.

Same goes for

EHIC cards
Prescription pre payment
Driving Licence
Tv License
etc

wen2202

You now pay for your renewal online at the .gov.uk site, you print out the declaration and then send the form off with your 2 photographs.

It worried me when i was asked to pay and i had to check and check again that i was on the right site.

Unfortunately it does seem that you ended up on a copy cat site, horrible people who should be outlawed.

marliepanda

Okay so I googled 'new passport' 'passport renew' and 'passport renewal'

All three searches returned the .gov.uk site as the top one.

The next link (after 3/4 .go.uk links) was a website that had passports in its link. On the first page it says:

A similar checking service can be obtained from a Post Office at a reduced fee or you can apply without a checking service where there will be no checking fee payable.
We are not affiliated with Post Office, HMPO or any government body.

Not in tiny print, in the MAIN big picture on the front page.

So not sure how they are misleading, horrid, or copycat. They tell you right there that they are NOT the govt.

Pollycat

These websites used to appear at the top of the list on a Google search but apparently the Government have been working with Google to stop these ads appearing at the top.

In fact, someone on another thread even says that Google

"has a team of engineers working round the clock to stop copycat ads getting displayed by these perpetrators"

but I'm not sure we believe that, do we, Valli? :rotfl:

Historically, these type of websites (and there others for lots of different things) hid the fact that they weren't the official website in small print and T&Cs.
Trading Standards closed a number of EHIC websites down back in 2010 but they have just become smarter and most now have a disclaimer saying they are not affiliated to the official website in large type.
These are not operating illegally.

Some websites offer a refund (less an admin fee).
Some people have managed to get a refund from their Bank, some haven't.
One person was refunded by their bank, then had the money taken back as the bank said the transaction was valid.
One person threatened to take a company to court and got a very bullish reply saying basically 'Go ahead. We are operating legally, can prove it and will defend it in court'.

It does sound to me that the OP's wife didn't use the official website.
He needs to find out which site she used and check if they have a refund policy.

pmduk

Check the bank statement to see what was charged and by whom?

rustyboy21

wen2202 wrote: »

You now pay for your renewal online at the .gov.uk site, you print out the declaration and then send the form off with your 2 photographs.

It worried me when i was asked to pay and i had to check and check again that i was on the right site.

Unfortunately it does seem that you ended up on a copy cat site, horrible people who should be outlawed.

You don't pay online on the official site. You get the forms sent back to you, with a thickish leaflet, which towards the back has a form you fill in, with your card details. You send this back with the forms, after you sign them and the payment is then taken with the info off the forms.


Unless this has changed since February, it appears you may have used an unofficial website.