You must apply for an ESTA online to enter the USA after 12 Jan 2009

colonelhall

I just got ripped off. I googled Esta and went to the first site that came up: estauk.com, which announced " Welcome to the U.S. ESTA Application Website."
I went through the procedure and paid my £20 fee.

£20 FEE ???!!!

When I told my wife, she replied that she wasn't charged a fee and that I had got the wrong site.

Sure enough, there are loads of so called "agencies" out there offering to apply for the ESTA for a fee.

I'm £20 down, but the real worry is that they've got my details.

BEWARE

hansi

This has been mentioned on this board before. Sorry you were caught but you probably should done a bit more research on this board.

psy

ESTA website - it it just me or are other people having problems accessing the website.

I've been trying to make an application for the past 3 days without any success. I just get a message 'Page not available'.

I'm travelling on the 13th May and I'm starting to get slightly worried.

Anyone able to set my mind at rest!

medical

apply now. i have just got mne and familys done
medical

M4RKM

colonelhall wrote: »

I just got ripped off. I googled Esta and went to the first site that came up: estauk.com, which announced " Welcome to the U.S. ESTA Application Website."
I went through the procedure and paid my £20 fee.

£20 FEE ???!!!

When I told my wife, she replied that she wasn't charged a fee and that I had got the wrong site.

Sure enough, there are loads of so called "agencies" out there offering to apply for the ESTA for a fee.

I'm £20 down, but the real worry is that they've got my details.

BEWARE

no.. don't beware, but, as a general rule of thumb, everyone everywhere should just ignore anything under SPONSORED LISTINGS, which is what people have paid for to be there.. ignore the yellowy box at the top, ignore the things on the right hand side.

google.com esta and the first thing that comes up is the esta site.
google.co.uk esta and the first thing that comes up the usembassy page with a link to the esta site

or, come here, search esta, read page 1 of this thread and apply on the right website.

if you're technologically inept enough to click on the first link, and hand over your card details etc, then it is entirely your own fault, and really no reason to whinge here... especially if you're wife has applied for one and not paid anything, surely you could have asked her... "hey, did you pay £20 for your esta?"

*shakes head*

colonelhall

Markymoo
I really object to the tone of your reply.

1. I am not whinging, I am just sharing my experience, as I normally find the people on this site quite friendly and helpful.

2. I could have asked my wife if she had paid £20, but she was not around at the time.

3. I could have done more research, but as my wife had just gone through the process, I didn't think that it would be a problem.

4. I should have looked more carefully at the small print, but I didn't. The prime position at the top of Google lead me astray.

5. As a very experienced user of the internet, I thought that I was immune from such scams,, but it just goes to show. I'll put the £20 down to experience and in future keep quiet about it, thus avoiding unhelpful comments from the like of you!

M4RKM

colonelhall wrote: »

Markymoo
I really object to the tone of your reply.

5. As a very experienced user of the internet, I thought that I was immune from such scams,, but it just goes to show. I'll put the £20 down to experience and in future keep quiet about it, thus avoiding unhelpful comments from the like of you!

Feel free to object.... it is a free world..

as a very experienced user of the internet, do you always click the first link, under a sponsored section, when really would a government pay money to be in a sponsored section, without checking any of the other results first?!

and yes, IMO you were whinging, and it is not a scam, you bought and paid for a service, and you have received this service. If you were unable to fill in the form correctly, this service would have made you aware of the error, and then you could have corrected it. Double checking before submitting and at least you're safe in the knowledge that your ESTA is correct before submitting, by letting someone else cast their eye over it.

90% of people don't need to pay, but prefer the security of someone else double checking, and this is what you paid for and received.



M

omelette451

markymoo wrote: »

90% of people don't need to pay, but prefer the security of someone else double checking, and this is what you paid for and received.

Exactly. It's the same with the Post Office passport-checking scheme - the vast majority of people don't need to pay an extra fee because they're clever enough to read the form and its guidelines in the first place but there are always some who prefer to pay extra to have someone else check it for them. ESTA agencies are exploiting the same thing, and, as with the Post Office, unfortunately there are some people who just don't realise (through lack of research or whatever) that there is a free alternative available by going direct. Colonelhall - yes it's unfortunate that you're £20 down, but I wouldn't worry too much - it's not necessarily a 'scam', and there's no especial need to worry about having given out your details to a third-party company. Perhaps do read the Ts&Cs next time though (and check the website before clicking on it - just as all our government departments use ...gov.uk so to do US ones use ...gov).

colonelhall

For those who are interested. I am surprised that the company has not taken any money from my credit card. It is now well over the three days that they said it would take. I have contacted my credit card company and cancelled my card. They say that there should be no problem, especially as they haven't delivered.

colonelhall

....by the way. I have already said that the loss of £20 is not the issue. I was more concerned that this company, which I consider to be less than ethical, has my details. Also I was trying to be helpful, here. I cancelled my card as a precaution and also I would prefer not to give £20 to a company that has not provided a service. I would say that no communication for five days is not providing a service.
I agree that this company is operating within the law. However, in my opinion, they have done everything possible to make their site look official. From using phrases such as "The US ESTA application website for UK passport holders visiting the US" to the design of the page, I would say that it is clear that they are trying to get money out of anyone daft enough to ignore the small print.
Maybe the word "scam" is too strong a word. However I am less concerned about maligning the likes of these operators as I am with helping others to make the same mistake.