Over 70 drivng licence renewal?

fzbob

NottinghamKnight said:

Rich Ba***rds, caveat emptor. 

Yep, that'll teach me

fzbob

Mickey666 said:

Search Engine Optimisation is a service offered by many companies.  Basically, you pay them to ensure your company comes up near the top of the results page.  It’s a service that many companies pay for because, as demonstrated by this thread, few people bother looking beyond the first page of search results.  It’s also a lucrative service to offer because the search engines (mainly Google I guess) often change their search ranking criteria, so if you want to ensure your website always comes up at or near the top of any search you basically have to permanently subscribe to such a service.
A friend started a small but specialised business and was spending around £5k per year for such a service.  It worked but he felt it was too expensive to maintain so now does it himself, though it takes a lot of his time.

I still can't help feeling this is wrong.

AdrianC

fzbob said:

Mickey666 said:

Search Engine Optimisation is a service offered by many companies.  Basically, you pay them to ensure your company comes up near the top of the results page.  It’s a service that many companies pay for because, as demonstrated by this thread, few people bother looking beyond the first page of search results.  It’s also a lucrative service to offer because the search engines (mainly Google I guess) often change their search ranking criteria, so if you want to ensure your website always comes up at or near the top of any search you basically have to permanently subscribe to such a service.
A friend started a small but specialised business and was spending around £5k per year for such a service.  It worked but he felt it was too expensive to maintain so now does it himself, though it takes a lot of his time.

I still can't help feeling this is wrong.

Which bit?

That companies exist to help other companies get better placements in search results?

Or that companies charge a fee to do basic things, marketing at those who don't know how to interpret search results?

There's nothing new about these "services". They've been around for years.
2013 - https://www.theguardian.com/money/2013/nov/17/google-drivers-licence-passport-fees

Biggus_Dickus

Deleted_User said:

Don't know what you managed to do but the first option on Google for me is the Gov.uk site, then a second one, then Age UK etc. There is no site charging £79 on there. I checked this on Edge as well, as I have no add-ons for ad blocking on that and can't see a site that charges you

If I search ‘driving licence renewal’ using my Windows-10 laptop it gives me the following results as 1st pick:

Google Chrome: https://www.gov.uk/renew-driving-licence

MS Edge (uses Bing to search): https://www.gov.uk/renew-driving-licence

Internet Explorer (uses Bing to search): https://drivinglicencerenewals.co.uk/

I didn’t go too far into it but I assume ‘driving licence renewals’ are one of the sites that charge an exorbitant ‘fee’ for an otherwise ‘free’ service from Her Majesty.

It’s easy to see how the unwary can be drawn in by these bloodsucking parasites.

 

AdrianC

Biggus_Dickus said:

Internet Explorer (uses Bing to search): https://drivinglicencerenewals.co.uk/

I didn’t go too far into it but I assume ‘driving licence renewals’ are one of the sites that charge an exorbitant ‘fee’ for an otherwise ‘free’ service from Her Majesty.

It’s easy to see how the unwary can be drawn in by these bloodsucking parasites.

From near the top of the first page of that site...

"Apply For Your Driving Licence Renewal

With our straightforward, mobile friendly online application for customers that are unable to process their Driving Licence renewal application via the DVLA website. "

...and from the bottom of the first page...

 "Disclaimer

Drivinglicencerenewals.co.uk is a third party ‘check and send’ service. Applications can be made directly on the DVLA website without any service fee. We cannot assist with applications that are processed directly through the DVLA website. For full T&Cs, click here. Drivinglicencerenewals.co.uk is in no way affiliated with the UK Government or the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)."

Biggus_Dickus

AdrianC said:

Biggus_Dickus said:

Internet Explorer (uses Bing to search): https://drivinglicencerenewals.co.uk/

I didn’t go too far into it but I assume ‘driving licence renewals’ are one of the sites that charge an exorbitant ‘fee’ for an otherwise ‘free’ service from Her Majesty.

It’s easy to see how the unwary can be drawn in by these bloodsucking parasites.

From near the top of the first page of that site...

"Apply For Your Driving Licence Renewal

With our straightforward, mobile friendly online application for customers that are unable to process their Driving Licence renewal application via the DVLA website. "

...and from the bottom of the first page...

 "Disclaimer

Drivinglicencerenewals.co.uk is a third party ‘check and send’ service. Applications can be made directly on the DVLA website without any service fee. We cannot assist with applications that are processed directly through the DVLA website. For full T&Cs, click here. Drivinglicencerenewals.co.uk is in no way affiliated with the UK Government or the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)."

...and your exact point being?

[Deleted User]

Biggus_Dickus said:

Deleted_User said:

Don't know what you managed to do but the first option on Google for me is the Gov.uk site, then a second one, then Age UK etc. There is no site charging £79 on there. I checked this on Edge as well, as I have no add-ons for ad blocking on that and can't see a site that charges you

If I search ‘driving licence renewal’ using my Windows-10 laptop it gives me the following results as 1st pick:

Google Chrome: https://www.gov.uk/renew-driving-licence

MS Edge (uses Bing to search): https://www.gov.uk/renew-driving-licence

Internet Explorer (uses Bing to search): https://drivinglicencerenewals.co.uk/

I didn’t go too far into it but I assume ‘driving licence renewals’ are one of the sites that charge an exorbitant ‘fee’ for an otherwise ‘free’ service from Her Majesty.

It’s easy to see how the unwary can be drawn in by these bloodsucking parasites.

 

OP said they googled it not Bing. Search engine results are also affected by the data they hold on you and previous searches

I tested at work on chrome using Bing and the top site you mentioned (driving license renewals) is clearly marked as an Ad. It would seem OP believed that an advert was actually the first result and missed the gov.uk link that was the top result

AdrianC

Biggus_Dickus said:

AdrianC said:

Biggus_Dickus said:

Internet Explorer (uses Bing to search): https://drivinglicencerenewals.co.uk/

I didn’t go too far into it but I assume ‘driving licence renewals’ are one of the sites that charge an exorbitant ‘fee’ for an otherwise ‘free’ service from Her Majesty.

It’s easy to see how the unwary can be drawn in by these bloodsucking parasites.

From near the top of the first page of that site...

"Apply For Your Driving Licence Renewal

With our straightforward, mobile friendly online application for customers that are unable to process their Driving Licence renewal application via the DVLA website. "

...and from the bottom of the first page...

 "Disclaimer

Drivinglicencerenewals.co.uk is a third party ‘check and send’ service. Applications can be made directly on the DVLA website without any service fee. We cannot assist with applications that are processed directly through the DVLA website. For full T&Cs, click here. Drivinglicencerenewals.co.uk is in no way affiliated with the UK Government or the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)."

...and your exact point being?

That they do not hide their light under much of a bushel.

Of course, "the unwary" may very well not actually bother to read the site they're giving their money to.

Biggus_Dickus

Deleted_User said:

Biggus_Dickus said:

Deleted_User said:

Don't know what you managed to do but the first option on Google for me is the Gov.uk site, then a second one, then Age UK etc. There is no site charging £79 on there. I checked this on Edge as well, as I have no add-ons for ad blocking on that and can't see a site that charges you

If I search ‘driving licence renewal’ using my Windows-10 laptop it gives me the following results as 1st pick:

Google Chrome: https://www.gov.uk/renew-driving-licence

MS Edge (uses Bing to search): https://www.gov.uk/renew-driving-licence

Internet Explorer (uses Bing to search): https://drivinglicencerenewals.co.uk/

I didn’t go too far into it but I assume ‘driving licence renewals’ are one of the sites that charge an exorbitant ‘fee’ for an otherwise ‘free’ service from Her Majesty.

It’s easy to see how the unwary can be drawn in by these bloodsucking parasites.

 

OP said they googled it not Bing. Search engine results are also affected by the data they hold on you and previous searches

I tested at work on chrome using Bing and the top site you mentioned (driving license renewals) is clearly marked as an Ad. It would seem OP believed that an advert was actually the first result and missed the gov.uk link that was the top result

 “the unwary” (who these sites are specifically designed to exploit) will most likely choose the top-pick regardless of the microscopically small ‘Ad’ notation.

It’s very easy for seasoned and savvy (some may say sanctimonious) internet users to be dismissive of naive and overly trusting souls who unwittingly find themselves fleeced like the OP has been. Hopefully threads like this can help educate at least one person!

Those websites operate perfectly legally because recent legislation has forced them to provide a disclaimer link to the DVLA which ensures they keep within law,...that being said one would assume they’d still view the over-70’s applying for a new licence as a sector having particularly lucrative potential.

   

AdrianC

I think that screenshot shows pretty much the opposite of what you want it to, tbh.
"Ad" is the same size as the text describing the page - and the very next result is blatantly obviously the gov.uk one.

Yes, let's hope threads like this do continue to educate the people who've missed the last decade's worth of coverage.