Is this site genuine?

UKSBD

DullGreyGuy said:

UKSBD said:

RichardD1970 said:

Founded by Alastair Gordon . Found this letter to the Church Stretton (lovely place) Parish Clerk, https://www.churchstretton-tc.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/156/2023/01/Appendix-I-Parish-UK.pdf

Using that Church Stretton page as an example

Everything about it looks like a .gov.uk website

It then says on it "Welcome to the Church Stretton Town Council website" which is strange as I thought this was https://www.churchstretton-tc.gov.uk/

Next it tries to get people to register as a resident

Just who are you sending that info to if you register?

If this isn't an official website it is one of the best phishing systems I have ever seen.

Even worse if they get parish councillors thinking it is an official website as that would be a great way of getting more people registering with them.

If you go onto the various parish sites the copy is different and so its not just them inserting the name of the parish into otherwise boilerplate text. As such it could be whoever did the Church Stretton one that they forgot to add the word Parish into that sentence. Looking at a random selection of others they dont make similar claims and are clear its Parish only.

Personally very much in two minds as to what the site is... certainly a better scammer site if thats what it is. 

More concerning if you look at Wayback Machine it has very limited snapshots for the site and the earlier shot (https://web.archive.org/web/20221202215650/https://parish.uk/) it back then claimed to be a governmental website down in the footer. 

I think it is far too good to be a scam site

They are being very crafty with the footer though, implies it is .gov.uk but without saying it

Pollycat

UKSBD said:

p00hsticks said:

UKSBD said:

fatbelly said:

Seems quite a useful site for taking you through to local parish info

Yes, it looks really good and very useful.

Just concerned that they ask for information, take payments, but we have no clue who they are, and the site looks like an official .gov.uk

What are they taking payments for ?

Listings in the business directory

Businesses that haven't been asked to be listed but extracted data from elsewhere to seed their directory

Are you intending posting a listing in their business directory?
Are you intending to give them your financial details?
If you read the small print (you should), it says they are not a government website.

UKSBD

Pollycat said:

UKSBD said:

p00hsticks said:

UKSBD said:

fatbelly said:

Seems quite a useful site for taking you through to local parish info

Yes, it looks really good and very useful.

Just concerned that they ask for information, take payments, but we have no clue who they are, and the site looks like an official .gov.uk

What are they taking payments for ?

Listings in the business directory

Businesses that haven't been asked to be listed but extracted data from elsewhere to seed their directory

Are you intending posting a listing in their business directory?
Are you intending to give them your financial details?
If you read the small print (you should), it says they are not a government website.

 My business is already in their directory, they obviously pulled in the data from elsewhere as I never added it.
They then send out an email saying it is up for renewal

If they made it clear who they were, I may have renewed it.

As they make it so hard to find out who they actually are, no way.

It's not a gov website but is built with the GOV.UK Design System - https://design-system.service.gov.uk 

It would be interesting to know if they are allowed to use that for commercial use?

born_again

UKSBD said:

DullGreyGuy said:

UKSBD said:

RichardD1970 said:

Founded by Alastair Gordon . Found this letter to the Church Stretton (lovely place) Parish Clerk, https://www.churchstretton-tc.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/156/2023/01/Appendix-I-Parish-UK.pdf

Using that Church Stretton page as an example

Everything about it looks like a .gov.uk website

It then says on it "Welcome to the Church Stretton Town Council website" which is strange as I thought this was https://www.churchstretton-tc.gov.uk/

Next it tries to get people to register as a resident

Just who are you sending that info to if you register?

If this isn't an official website it is one of the best phishing systems I have ever seen.

Even worse if they get parish councillors thinking it is an official website as that would be a great way of getting more people registering with them.

If you go onto the various parish sites the copy is different and so its not just them inserting the name of the parish into otherwise boilerplate text. As such it could be whoever did the Church Stretton one that they forgot to add the word Parish into that sentence. Looking at a random selection of others they dont make similar claims and are clear its Parish only.

Personally very much in two minds as to what the site is... certainly a better scammer site if thats what it is. 

More concerning if you look at Wayback Machine it has very limited snapshots for the site and the earlier shot (https://web.archive.org/web/20221202215650/https://parish.uk/) it back then claimed to be a governmental website down in the footer. 

I think it is far too good to be a scam site

They are being very crafty with the footer though, implies it is .gov.uk but without saying it

Footer says >>The PARISH.UK Network is a Community Action Initiative and does not form part of HM Government.<<

No implication with the NOT in there.

Strange how there is no physical address listed.

I would contact the Community action initiative to find out more.
Details on their website.

400ixl

Its trying to generate revenue from publicly available information.

Can't see the point to it as a citizen. It does not represent our parish in any way other than pulling in some generic information. Most people will search for their own specific parish and get a link to the legitimate site. Few are going to end up on this site and even fewer are going to look at it for a local company directory.

Save your money, it will not drive any return on investment.

UKSBD

400ixl said:

Its trying to generate revenue from publicly available information.

Can't see the point to it as a citizen. It does not represent our parish in any way other than pulling in some generic information. Most people will search for their own specific parish and get a link to the legitimate site. Few are going to end up on this site and even fewer are going to look at it for a local company directory.

Save your money, it will not drive any return on investment.

They are contacting parish councils asking the parish councillors to sign up.
If they do, and they are like ours, they will probably then email the members of the parish telling them to register there.