Paid road tax scam site with debit card

£Wise

Hi guys

Foolishly I did a Google search for the online road tax web site and did not thoroughly check the results before proceeding to purchase online roadtax through this scam site.

https://www.directgov.uk.net/

They basically charge £40 to for road tax renewal with the DVLA on your behalf, and they made the site look very similar to the official government web page.

I first realised I had been scammed when I was randomly checking my bank statement and saw the inflated price for the tax and weird looking payee.

Anyway, I complained to my bank and they said that a Chargeback through Visa could be issued, but because I had entered my Visa Verified password during the checkout procedure, I would have to give the scammer 15 days to deliver their 'service'.

This didn't sound correct to me, (the support woman didn't fill me with confidence when she didn't realise that First Direct was part of HSBC).

The scam site say you should receive your road tax within 5 days.

I have waited a week now and still no road tax, so I think the scammers have just run off with the money and the site doesn't even deliver their so called extortionately priced 'service'

Does anyone here know whether Visa Verified affects the rules on Visa Chargeback?

Thanks.

[Deleted User]

If they provide you with a tax disc, then there won't be a case for a chargeback, as they will have delivered the service you paid for.

However, it implies on the site that you can apply for a refund of the £40, less an £8 admin fee. I would suggest going down that route, once you receive the disc.

grumbler

See MSE's 60-second guide to shyster sites

Also: Google cracks down on copycat government websites

OhReally_2

£Wise wrote: »

Hi guys

Foolishly I did a Google search for the online road tax web site and did not thoroughly check the results before proceeding to purchase online roadtax through this scam site.



They basically charge £40 to for road tax renewal with the DVLA on your behalf, and they made the site look very similar to the official government web page.

I first realised I had been scammed when I was randomly checking my bank statement and saw the inflated price for the tax and weird looking payee.

Anyway, I complained to my bank and they said that a Chargeback through Visa could be issued, but because I had entered my Visa Verified password during the checkout procedure, I would have to give the scammer 15 days to deliver their 'service'.

This didn't sound correct to me, (the support woman didn't fill me with confidence when she didn't realise that First Direct was part of HSBC).

The scam site say you should receive your road tax within 5 days.

I have waited a week now and still no road tax, so I think the scammers have just run off with the money and the site doesn't even deliver their so called extortionately priced 'service'

Does anyone here know whether Visa Verified affects the rules on Visa Chargeback?

Thanks.

Welcome back after 5 years :think:

So you used a site that says in the top RHS



and then on the application states:

Our service is not connected to or affiliated with the GOV.UK or Driving Vehicle Licence Agency and acts as an agent processing the application. These services are available from other government sources for no fee. The additional benefit of using this website include, instant email confirmation, 24/7 online support, application checked for errors & omissions, telephone application service and full compliance with data protection act.

How is this a scam?

Perhaps you should attempt to take advantage of the benefit of the support you purchased to find out where your tax disc is?

System

Firefox wouldn't even let me load that website!

FireWyrm

Hmm...perhaps you should get Firefox as Heng Leng says...might save you some grief in future.

For future reference, the legitimate site is https://www.gov.uk and carries this symbol :

Or you can go direct to here : https://www.taxdisc.direct.gov.uk/EvlPortalApp/app/home/intro?skin=directgov

GingerBob_3

OhReally wrote: »

How is this a scam?

Because their site is made to look like the real thing. Why do you think they might do that?

Bravestar

Heng_Leng wrote: »

Firefox wouldn't even let me load that website!

FireWyrm wrote: »

Hmm...perhaps you should get Firefox as Heng Leng says...might save you some grief in future.

You get a warning in Internet Explorer too.

It's only because the URL starts https
Try it with http and you will avoid the warning that you are attempting to connect to a secure site

yangptangkipperbang

FireWyrm wrote: »

For future reference, the legitimate site is https://www.gov.uk and carries this symbol :

The problem with that is: the "Crown Copyright" logo only appears at the very bottom of the page, which you don't see until you have scrolled down to the bottom. Not well thought out !

There should be a distinct (well advertised !!) Government copyrighted logo at the top centre of every Gov't website home page. It should be a criminal offence for anyone else to use this logo.

Bravestar

GingerBob wrote: »

Because their site is made to look like the real thing. Why do you think they might do that?

I went in Aldi yesterday. They got a shop full of own label stuff all made to look like big-label brands. Are they a scam too?

Why do you think they might do that? :cool:

FireWyrm

yangptangkipperbang wrote: »

The problem with that is: the "Crown Copyright" logo only appears at the very bottom of the page, which you don't see until you have scrolled down to the bottom. Not well thought out !

The logo is 2.5 x 2.5 inches...how big do you want it exactly? Yes, you have to scroll down, it is in the footer, but it isnt exactly inconspicuous.

yangptangkipperbang wrote: »

There should be a distinct (well advertised !!) Government copyrighted logo at the top centre of every Gov't website home page. It should be a criminal offence for anyone else to use this logo.

It is well advertised, every advert I've ever seen for tax credits and other government sites gives you the correct URL. The URL is pretty simple, if it doesnt have GOV.UK it isnt a government site, end of story. Also, when you search for 'tax disc renewal gov' in Bing, the correct website is the very first on the list! I dont see how much more obvious they have to make it. Yes, these sites are naughty and should be shut down, but equally, people ought to take a second or two to look and verify the correct site before they go barging in.