Driving licence replacement scam!

SkippyP1995

I paid on a credit card, do you know if I can still block them from taking any further charges on a credit card? 

zagfles

SkippyP1995 said:

I paid on a credit card, do you know if I can still block them from taking any further charges on a credit card? 

Yes. See https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/banking/recurring-payments/

zagfles

Also I presume you've seen this?

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2021/06/dvla/

born_again

zagfles said:

Ask your bank to do a chargeback. They might challenge it, but this is what happened when a passport shyster did:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5185879/bbc-passport-website-sues-its-customers-richard-howard-britishpassportservices/p2

You could only do a chargeback if you do not get the service.

zagfles

born_again said:

zagfles said:

Ask your bank to do a chargeback. They might challenge it, but this is what happened when a passport shyster did:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5185879/bbc-passport-website-sues-its-customers-richard-howard-britishpassportservices/p2

You could only do a chargeback if you do not get the service.

OP didn't get "the service" he thought he was paying for.

Not that a chargeback is a given, the bank may reject it. But it's worth a try. If it fails there's loads in the linked articles & threads, and the legal judgements linked, inc the FO route.

born_again

zagfles said:

born_again said:

zagfles said:

Ask your bank to do a chargeback. They might challenge it, but this is what happened when a passport shyster did:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5185879/bbc-passport-website-sues-its-customers-richard-howard-britishpassportservices/p2

You could only do a chargeback if you do not get the service.

OP didn't get "the service" he thought he was paying for.

Not that a chargeback is a given, the bank may reject it. But it's worth a try. If it fails there's loads in the linked articles & threads, and the legal judgements linked, inc the FO route.

At no point has the OP said they have not got their licence, which is the service being paid for. If they had said I want a refund, that cancels the service .So NO non receipt chargeback option.

If OP has not got their licence, and has not cancelled/asked for refund the service, then after 15 days they could start the non receipt chargeback.

zagfles

born_again said:

zagfles said:

born_again said:

zagfles said:

Ask your bank to do a chargeback. They might challenge it, but this is what happened when a passport shyster did:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5185879/bbc-passport-website-sues-its-customers-richard-howard-britishpassportservices/p2

You could only do a chargeback if you do not get the service.

OP didn't get "the service" he thought he was paying for.

Not that a chargeback is a given, the bank may reject it. But it's worth a try. If it fails there's loads in the linked articles & threads, and the legal judgements linked, inc the FO route.

At no point has the OP said they have not got their licence, which is the service being paid for. If they had said I want a refund, that cancels the service .So NO non receipt chargeback option.

If OP has not got their licence, and has not cancelled/asked for refund the service, then after 15 days they could start the non receipt chargeback.

That's what Richard Howard thought. As did loads of MSE posters.

Several court cases proved them all wrong

born_again

zagfles said:

That's what Richard Howard thought. As did loads of MSE posters.

Several court cases proved them all wrong

Chargebacks have nothing to do with courts. They are card regulations. Which are over and above your legal rights.

zagfles

born_again said:

zagfles said:

That's what Richard Howard thought. As did loads of MSE posters.

Several court cases proved them all wrong

Chargebacks have nothing to do with courts. They are card regulations. Which are over and above your legal rights.

Customer claims they were misled. Bank may or may not agree, but as courts have decided in favour of people that were misled by similar shyster sites, it's worth trying. Otherwise there's small claims. Or asking for a refund, which apparently often works.

Pollycat

zagfles said:

born_again said:

zagfles said:

That's what Richard Howard thought. As did loads of MSE posters.

Several court cases proved them all wrong

Chargebacks have nothing to do with courts. They are card regulations. Which are over and above your legal rights.

Customer claims they were misled. Bank may or may not agree, but as courts have decided in favour of people that were misled by similar shyster sites, it's worth trying. Otherwise there's small claims. Or asking for a refund, which apparently often works.

IIRC, at the time of the court case the fact that these websites were not the official GOV.UK passport renewal website was hidden in the small print.

Now the websites seem to be very up-front that they are not the official website, although some people are still missing that important disclaimer.

I also remember that some people recovered their money from their bank only for it to be clawed back by the bank.

But it is worth a try (although the OP appears to have settled for a partial refund so I'm not sure if that is an option).

For anyone reading this thread whose friends and family may be looking to book a driving test, driving theory test, apply for a new passport, renew their passport, renew their driving licence or apply for an ESTA (US travel) should make sure those people are aware that they are on the right website.

And I'm sure that this list ^^^ is not exhaustive.

And the next big thing is GHIC!

UK Global Health Insurance Card.

Already websites up and running ready to take the unwary (or in a rush) person's money.

Websites providing EHIC (which were free) at a cost were making a killing.

There's a thread dating back almost 10 years about it:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3336932/ehic-and-google

If people take more care, it will eventually become not worth their while for these companies to operate.

I hope it doesn't take 10 years..