Driving licence replacement scam!

Pollycat

zagfles said:

Pollycat said:

zagfles said:

Pollycat said:

zagfles said:

Don't know, it was MSE's advice, and those clever google engineers have removed these ads in the past. I'd go for "violates other google ads policies"

In fact I've just searched "driving licence renewal uk" and without the uk, and same for passports, and ZERO ads!

So looks like they've already sorted it!

Result!

I've just searched 'driving licence renewal' and vehicleonlineservice and driveronlinesupport came up - with Ad at the side - before gov.uk.

So maybe they've not sorted it.

Result - not.

I get gov.uk as the first 3 results, then a few more genuine results, inc some newspaper reports, and right at the bottom of the page there are a couple of ads. So pretty pointless, nobody's going to scroll to the bottom when the genuine gov.uk results are at the top. Are you looking at your screen upside down

Don't think so.

But even if I am looking at my screen upside down, I wouldn't fall for it.

The_Fat_Controller said:

First 4 results are Ads, gov.uk was number 5 (Chrome)

2 Ads (Ad is very small and not in bold), gov.uk third (Bing)

^^^^ Proves my point.

On Bing, I get 2 Ads at the top - both different to the ones I mentioned on page 4.

Maybe those clever google engineers aren't as clever as the website designers...

Maybe ads are targetted based on cookies. Using google on Firefox (my normal browser) I get the proper gov.uk links at the top, but in IE (still using google) I get ads, so possibly down to cookie settings targetting those who think might fall for them

I use Google on Firefox too.

I get the Ads at the top - I've checked just this minute and there is still 1 ad before GOV.UK.

Over the last 2 days in 2 different searches, there were 4 different companies above GOV.UK (2 per search).

AdrianC

Pollycat said:

zagfles said:

Pollycat said:

The_Fat_Controller said:

First 4 results are Ads, gov.uk was number 5 (Chrome)

2 Ads (Ad is very small and not in bold), gov.uk third (Bing)

^^^^ Proves my point.

On Bing, I get 2 Ads at the top - both different to the ones I mentioned on page 4.

Maybe those clever google engineers aren't as clever as the website designers...

Maybe ads are targetted based on cookies. Using google on Firefox (my normal browser) I get the proper gov.uk links at the top, but in IE (still using google) I get ads, so possibly down to cookie settings targetting those who think might fall for them

I use Google on Firefox too.

I get the Ads at the top - I've checked just this minute and there is still 1 ad before GOV.UK.

Over the last 2 days in 2 different searches, there were 4 different companies above GOV.UK (2 per search).

Why on earth are you not using adblockers?
uBlockOrigin on Chrome and Firefox.

If you're using IE or Edge, don't - use Chrome or Firefox.

Pollycat

AdrianC said:

Pollycat said:

zagfles said:

Pollycat said:

The_Fat_Controller said:

First 4 results are Ads, gov.uk was number 5 (Chrome)

2 Ads (Ad is very small and not in bold), gov.uk third (Bing)

^^^^ Proves my point.

On Bing, I get 2 Ads at the top - both different to the ones I mentioned on page 4.

Maybe those clever google engineers aren't as clever as the website designers...

Maybe ads are targetted based on cookies. Using google on Firefox (my normal browser) I get the proper gov.uk links at the top, but in IE (still using google) I get ads, so possibly down to cookie settings targetting those who think might fall for them

I use Google on Firefox too.

I get the Ads at the top - I've checked just this minute and there is still 1 ad before GOV.UK.

Over the last 2 days in 2 different searches, there were 4 different companies above GOV.UK (2 per search).

Why on earth are you not using adblockers?
uBlockOrigin on Chrome and Firefox.

If you're using IE or Edge, don't - use Chrome or Firefox.

It doesn't matter to me.

I understand what Ad means at the side of a search.

I've been banging on about understanding what Ad means on this forum for a long time on threads such as these and other threads where people have bought goods from companies that aren't what they purport to be.

AdrianC

Pollycat said:

AdrianC said:

Pollycat said:

zagfles said:

Pollycat said:

The_Fat_Controller said:

First 4 results are Ads, gov.uk was number 5 (Chrome)

2 Ads (Ad is very small and not in bold), gov.uk third (Bing)

^^^^ Proves my point.

On Bing, I get 2 Ads at the top - both different to the ones I mentioned on page 4.

Maybe those clever google engineers aren't as clever as the website designers...

Maybe ads are targetted based on cookies. Using google on Firefox (my normal browser) I get the proper gov.uk links at the top, but in IE (still using google) I get ads, so possibly down to cookie settings targetting those who think might fall for them

I use Google on Firefox too.

I get the Ads at the top - I've checked just this minute and there is still 1 ad before GOV.UK.

Over the last 2 days in 2 different searches, there were 4 different companies above GOV.UK (2 per search).

Why on earth are you not using adblockers?
uBlockOrigin on Chrome and Firefox.

If you're using IE or Edge, don't - use Chrome or Firefox.

It doesn't matter to me.

I understand what Ad means at the side of a search.

You don't find websites a lot more pleasant when there's no ads interrupting the flow of a page?

Pollycat

AdrianC said:

Pollycat said:

AdrianC said:

Pollycat said:

zagfles said:

Pollycat said:

The_Fat_Controller said:

First 4 results are Ads, gov.uk was number 5 (Chrome)

2 Ads (Ad is very small and not in bold), gov.uk third (Bing)

^^^^ Proves my point.

On Bing, I get 2 Ads at the top - both different to the ones I mentioned on page 4.

Maybe those clever google engineers aren't as clever as the website designers...

Maybe ads are targetted based on cookies. Using google on Firefox (my normal browser) I get the proper gov.uk links at the top, but in IE (still using google) I get ads, so possibly down to cookie settings targetting those who think might fall for them

I use Google on Firefox too.

I get the Ads at the top - I've checked just this minute and there is still 1 ad before GOV.UK.

Over the last 2 days in 2 different searches, there were 4 different companies above GOV.UK (2 per search).

Why on earth are you not using adblockers?
uBlockOrigin on Chrome and Firefox.

If you're using IE or Edge, don't - use Chrome or Firefox.

It doesn't matter to me.

I understand what Ad means at the side of a search.

You don't find websites a lot more pleasant when there's no ads interrupting the flow of a page?

It really doesn't bother me.

Sometimes I see an advert that piques my interest.

zagfles

Pollycat said:

zagfles said:

ontheroad1970 said:

zagfles said:

Don't know, it was MSE's advice, and those clever google engineers have removed these ads in the past. I'd go for "violates other google ads policies"

In fact I've just searched "driving licence renewal uk" and without the uk, and same for passports, and ZERO ads!

So looks like they've already sorted it!

Result!

Because MSE's advice is always 100% helpful (not). Like the advice to just throw away letters from parking companies.  Great advice - not.  Much of MSE's advice is good, but not all.  

Well it's worked in the past, so reporting does work. They seem to have eliminated the passport equivalents.

Google say they will remove ads which don't offer genuine added value - see here https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2014/04/google-cracks-down-on-copycat-government-websites/

OP - suggest you report using the google link in here https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2021/06/dvla/

Great news!

Oh...hang on a minute...that article is dated 23rd April 2014.

So here we are - 7 years on - and we still have the same issue with these websites.

From the article in your link:

Google says it will now inspect these sites more closely and axe ads for those not offering "added value". It adds that it's working closely with the Government and other organisations to review how it ranks results for its users so that people do not mistakenly click through to these unofficial sites.

The MSE article warning about driving licence renewals posted a few days ago:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6279210/warning-issued-to-motorists-over-copycat-dvla-websites-that-charge-a-premium-for-services#latest

states that

Motorists have been warned by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) to avoid copycat websites that charge a premium for services you can get for free or at a much lower cost via official Government websites. Here's what to look out for and what to do if you've paid over the odds.

The warning comes as new figures reveal that the motoring body has been contacted more than 1,200 times, since January 2020 by people reporting sites that are not affiliated with it, but are claiming to offer its services.

so why aren't DVLA 'working closely' with Google (and other search engines) to stop these websites.

18 months on from January 2020 and people are still seeing these ads pop up above GOV.UK in searches.

Some people may feels that government departments and companies such as Google are safeguarding their money by removing these ads but I disagree - based on the fact that less than 2 days ago in 2 separate searches I saw 4 different companies offering a 'value-add' service for driving licence renewals.

The only person you can rely on to safeguard your money from these 'morally wrong' companies is looking at you in the mirror.

As google says, value-add services are fine, it's those that don't offer any value add that they remove. As they have for passports. Can you find any ads for passport renewals? The clever engineers seem to have sorted that.

It's obviously arguable whether these licence sites offer any genuine value add. I'd be tempted to report them to google anyway - it doesn't take long.

zagfles

Pollycat said:

zagfles said:

Pollycat said:

zagfles said:

Pollycat said:

zagfles said:

Don't know, it was MSE's advice, and those clever google engineers have removed these ads in the past. I'd go for "violates other google ads policies"

In fact I've just searched "driving licence renewal uk" and without the uk, and same for passports, and ZERO ads!

So looks like they've already sorted it!

Result!

I've just searched 'driving licence renewal' and vehicleonlineservice and driveronlinesupport came up - with Ad at the side - before gov.uk.

So maybe they've not sorted it.

Result - not.

I get gov.uk as the first 3 results, then a few more genuine results, inc some newspaper reports, and right at the bottom of the page there are a couple of ads. So pretty pointless, nobody's going to scroll to the bottom when the genuine gov.uk results are at the top. Are you looking at your screen upside down

Don't think so.

But even if I am looking at my screen upside down, I wouldn't fall for it.

The_Fat_Controller said:

First 4 results are Ads, gov.uk was number 5 (Chrome)

2 Ads (Ad is very small and not in bold), gov.uk third (Bing)

^^^^ Proves my point.

On Bing, I get 2 Ads at the top - both different to the ones I mentioned on page 4.

Maybe those clever google engineers aren't as clever as the website designers...

Maybe ads are targetted based on cookies. Using google on Firefox (my normal browser) I get the proper gov.uk links at the top, but in IE (still using google) I get ads, so possibly down to cookie settings targetting those who think might fall for them

I use Google on Firefox too.

I get the Ads at the top - I've checked just this minute and there is still 1 ad before GOV.UK.

Over the last 2 days in 2 different searches, there were 4 different companies above GOV.UK (2 per search).

I don't know whether it's cookies or some other setting or the firefox version, but when searching for most stuff I get ad links at the bottom, but when searching for obvious products, I get a horizonal list of boxes with places that sell them at the top (ads) but then non-ad links, and then at the bottom some ad links.

Maybe you need to upgrade your firefox or check settings. Unless you like seeing ads of course!

Pollycat

zagfles said:

Pollycat said:

zagfles said:

ontheroad1970 said:

zagfles said:

Don't know, it was MSE's advice, and those clever google engineers have removed these ads in the past. I'd go for "violates other google ads policies"

In fact I've just searched "driving licence renewal uk" and without the uk, and same for passports, and ZERO ads!

So looks like they've already sorted it!

Result!

Because MSE's advice is always 100% helpful (not). Like the advice to just throw away letters from parking companies.  Great advice - not.  Much of MSE's advice is good, but not all.  

Well it's worked in the past, so reporting does work. They seem to have eliminated the passport equivalents.

Google say they will remove ads which don't offer genuine added value - see here https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2014/04/google-cracks-down-on-copycat-government-websites/

OP - suggest you report using the google link in here https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2021/06/dvla/

Great news!

Oh...hang on a minute...that article is dated 23rd April 2014.

So here we are - 7 years on - and we still have the same issue with these websites.

From the article in your link:

Google says it will now inspect these sites more closely and axe ads for those not offering "added value". It adds that it's working closely with the Government and other organisations to review how it ranks results for its users so that people do not mistakenly click through to these unofficial sites.

The MSE article warning about driving licence renewals posted a few days ago:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6279210/warning-issued-to-motorists-over-copycat-dvla-websites-that-charge-a-premium-for-services#latest

states that

Motorists have been warned by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) to avoid copycat websites that charge a premium for services you can get for free or at a much lower cost via official Government websites. Here's what to look out for and what to do if you've paid over the odds.

The warning comes as new figures reveal that the motoring body has been contacted more than 1,200 times, since January 2020 by people reporting sites that are not affiliated with it, but are claiming to offer its services.

so why aren't DVLA 'working closely' with Google (and other search engines) to stop these websites.

18 months on from January 2020 and people are still seeing these ads pop up above GOV.UK in searches.

Some people may feels that government departments and companies such as Google are safeguarding their money by removing these ads but I disagree - based on the fact that less than 2 days ago in 2 separate searches I saw 4 different companies offering a 'value-add' service for driving licence renewals.

The only person you can rely on to safeguard your money from these 'morally wrong' companies is looking at you in the mirror.

As google says, value-add services are fine, it's those that don't offer any value add that they remove. As they have for passports. Can you find any ads for passport renewals? The clever engineers seem to have sorted that.

It's obviously arguable whether these licence sites offer any genuine value add. I'd be tempted to report them to google anyway - it doesn't take long.

Maybe Google have decided that these driving licence renewal companies really do offer value-add services.

In which case, why are DVLA warning about them?

They are either:

acceptable to Google (so stay as paid Ads)

not value-add (so those clever engineers from Google should be removing them and preventing them from reappearing in another guise)

I can't see how they can be both.

As for passport renewals, you posted:

zagfles said:

Well it's worked in the past, so reporting does work. They seem to have eliminated the passport equivalents.

I merely pointed out that it was highlighted as an issue by MSE 7 years ago.

So I would not expect to see any ads for passport renewal.

I'd expect those clever engineers at Google to have sorted it out in 7 years.

Regarding reporting, I would need to be 100% sure that a service wasn't value-add before I reported it, on the same basis as I wouldn't report anyone I suspected of benefit fraud. I would need to be 100% sure.

Without looking at each website that pops up before GOV.UK to see exactly what they offer for the fee they charge, I can't say if they offer a value-add service or not.

Perhaps DVLA should be doing that and getting the clever engineers at Google to remove them.

Pollycat

zagfles said:

Pollycat said:

zagfles said:

Pollycat said:

zagfles said:

Pollycat said:

zagfles said:

Don't know, it was MSE's advice, and those clever google engineers have removed these ads in the past. I'd go for "violates other google ads policies"

In fact I've just searched "driving licence renewal uk" and without the uk, and same for passports, and ZERO ads!

So looks like they've already sorted it!

Result!

I've just searched 'driving licence renewal' and vehicleonlineservice and driveronlinesupport came up - with Ad at the side - before gov.uk.

So maybe they've not sorted it.

Result - not.

I get gov.uk as the first 3 results, then a few more genuine results, inc some newspaper reports, and right at the bottom of the page there are a couple of ads. So pretty pointless, nobody's going to scroll to the bottom when the genuine gov.uk results are at the top. Are you looking at your screen upside down

Don't think so.

But even if I am looking at my screen upside down, I wouldn't fall for it.

The_Fat_Controller said:

First 4 results are Ads, gov.uk was number 5 (Chrome)

2 Ads (Ad is very small and not in bold), gov.uk third (Bing)

^^^^ Proves my point.

On Bing, I get 2 Ads at the top - both different to the ones I mentioned on page 4.

Maybe those clever google engineers aren't as clever as the website designers...

Maybe ads are targetted based on cookies. Using google on Firefox (my normal browser) I get the proper gov.uk links at the top, but in IE (still using google) I get ads, so possibly down to cookie settings targetting those who think might fall for them

I use Google on Firefox too.

I get the Ads at the top - I've checked just this minute and there is still 1 ad before GOV.UK.

Over the last 2 days in 2 different searches, there were 4 different companies above GOV.UK (2 per search).

I don't know whether it's cookies or some other setting or the firefox version, but when searching for most stuff I get ad links at the bottom, but when searching for obvious products, I get a horizonal list of boxes with places that sell them at the top (ads) but then non-ad links, and then at the bottom some ad links.

Maybe you need to upgrade your firefox or check settings. Unless you like seeing ads of course!

Already answered:

Pollycat said:

AdrianC said:

Pollycat said:

AdrianC said:

Pollycat said:

zagfles said:

Pollycat said:

The_Fat_Controller said:

First 4 results are Ads, gov.uk was number 5 (Chrome)

2 Ads (Ad is very small and not in bold), gov.uk third (Bing)

^^^^ Proves my point.

On Bing, I get 2 Ads at the top - both different to the ones I mentioned on page 4.

Maybe those clever google engineers aren't as clever as the website designers...

Maybe ads are targetted based on cookies. Using google on Firefox (my normal browser) I get the proper gov.uk links at the top, but in IE (still using google) I get ads, so possibly down to cookie settings targetting those who think might fall for them

I use Google on Firefox too.

I get the Ads at the top - I've checked just this minute and there is still 1 ad before GOV.UK.

Over the last 2 days in 2 different searches, there were 4 different companies above GOV.UK (2 per search).

Why on earth are you not using adblockers?
uBlockOrigin on Chrome and Firefox.

If you're using IE or Edge, don't - use Chrome or Firefox.

It doesn't matter to me.

I understand what Ad means at the side of a search.

You don't find websites a lot more pleasant when there's no ads interrupting the flow of a page?

It really doesn't bother me.

Sometimes I see an advert that piques my interest.

zagfles

Pollycat said:

zagfles said:

Pollycat said:

zagfles said:

ontheroad1970 said:

zagfles said:

Don't know, it was MSE's advice, and those clever google engineers have removed these ads in the past. I'd go for "violates other google ads policies"

In fact I've just searched "driving licence renewal uk" and without the uk, and same for passports, and ZERO ads!

So looks like they've already sorted it!

Result!

Because MSE's advice is always 100% helpful (not). Like the advice to just throw away letters from parking companies.  Great advice - not.  Much of MSE's advice is good, but not all.  

Well it's worked in the past, so reporting does work. They seem to have eliminated the passport equivalents.

Google say they will remove ads which don't offer genuine added value - see here https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2014/04/google-cracks-down-on-copycat-government-websites/

OP - suggest you report using the google link in here https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2021/06/dvla/

Great news!

Oh...hang on a minute...that article is dated 23rd April 2014.

So here we are - 7 years on - and we still have the same issue with these websites.

From the article in your link:

Google says it will now inspect these sites more closely and axe ads for those not offering "added value". It adds that it's working closely with the Government and other organisations to review how it ranks results for its users so that people do not mistakenly click through to these unofficial sites.

The MSE article warning about driving licence renewals posted a few days ago:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6279210/warning-issued-to-motorists-over-copycat-dvla-websites-that-charge-a-premium-for-services#latest

states that

Motorists have been warned by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) to avoid copycat websites that charge a premium for services you can get for free or at a much lower cost via official Government websites. Here's what to look out for and what to do if you've paid over the odds.

The warning comes as new figures reveal that the motoring body has been contacted more than 1,200 times, since January 2020 by people reporting sites that are not affiliated with it, but are claiming to offer its services.

so why aren't DVLA 'working closely' with Google (and other search engines) to stop these websites.

18 months on from January 2020 and people are still seeing these ads pop up above GOV.UK in searches.

Some people may feels that government departments and companies such as Google are safeguarding their money by removing these ads but I disagree - based on the fact that less than 2 days ago in 2 separate searches I saw 4 different companies offering a 'value-add' service for driving licence renewals.

The only person you can rely on to safeguard your money from these 'morally wrong' companies is looking at you in the mirror.

As google says, value-add services are fine, it's those that don't offer any value add that they remove. As they have for passports. Can you find any ads for passport renewals? The clever engineers seem to have sorted that.

It's obviously arguable whether these licence sites offer any genuine value add. I'd be tempted to report them to google anyway - it doesn't take long.

Maybe Google have decided that these driving licence renewal companies really do offer value-add services.

In which case, why are DVLA warning about them?

They are either:

acceptable to Google (so stay as paid Ads)

not value-add (so those clever engineers from Google should be removing them and preventing them from reappearing in another guise)

I can't see how they can be both.

As for passport renewals, you posted:

zagfles said:

Well it's worked in the past, so reporting does work. They seem to have eliminated the passport equivalents.

I merely pointed out that it was highlighted as an issue by MSE 7 years ago.

So I would not expect to see any ads for passport renewal.

I'd expect those clever engineers at Google to have sorted it out in 7 years.

Regarding reporting, I would need to be 100% sure that a service wasn't value-add before I reported it, on the same basis as I wouldn't report anyone I suspected of benefit fraud. I would need to be 100% sure.

Without looking at each website that pops up before GOV.UK to see exactly what they offer for the fee they charge, I can't say if they offer a value-add service or not.

Perhaps DVLA should be doing that and getting the clever engineers at Google to remove them.

Would you only report a suspicious package on a train if you were 100% sure it was a bomb

Seriously though, it's the people who went on these sites and who were misled into thinking they were the DVLA site and weren't after any value add service should be reporting them. Like the OP, so please OP, or anyone else this happens to - report it. Not really up to DVLA.

Many people don't because they feel stupid, that it's all their fault, that others won't be so stupid. It doesn't matter whether a load of sanctimonious keyboard warriors enjoy sneering at you, if a lot of people are misled then the site is misleading by definition. Spotting something when you're expecting it is easy, but missing it when you're not also is. This is a classic example:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGQmdoK_ZfY

"it's obvious, it's right there in front of you, how could you miss it" etc etc. But about half do.