MSE guide discussion - shyster sites

the_juggler_2 wrote: »

I have just been stung painfully by a Shyster ESTA site.I have just paid $95 for a $14 waiver application.I could cry now just seeing that difference in print.I have asked for a refund and cancellation but they have aggressively argued they are a third party agency acting legally.They are just within the law and a cats whisker away from being called a scamming organisation.Please be very carefully when applying on line as this is the only way you can apply for a USA visa waiver.I am trying the bank tomorrow and the American Embassy to see if there is anything I can do.I know deep down this is a costly and painful error and I would hate anyone else to get caught out.

I Googled "ESTA uk citizen" and the first one on the list is esta.us/uk.html, the official site is 3rd on the list. Out of interest I clicked through (there's a post above saying that the bogus site owner would have to pay per ad click) and filled out an application with some bogus data (old passport number etc).... the bogus site's fee is $119 !!!!! Google have a lot to answer for here as they know full well which are the culprit sites and using the excuse 'it's not illegal' is not ethical considering the current fee for an ESTA is $14. Has anyone on here tried to start a petition on the Parliament site for legislating against social media advertised misleading sites making them liable for compensation? I've not checked Facebook for the same scam (as mentioned in another post) as I don't often go on there much because I don't need to update friends on what I had for breakfast this morning :rotfl::rotfl:

Fairly good advice is that if you feel you have been misled by one of these sites is to report it though the Citizen's Advice Helpline, where it should then be referred to the Local Trading Standards office. The sites are effectively hugely reliant on Google keyword advertising, and paying huge sums of money for this. The number one spot in the search is worth twice as much to them in revenue than number two. To comply with Google they have to have a secure credit facility for payments on their sites. The way to damage these shyster companies is forcing them to process too many refunds, where the credit facility company cancels their contract and they lose the ability to continue to use Google key word advertising. This Achilles heel is linked to the fact hardly any of the shyster companies comply with the Distance Selling Regulations, in that 14 day cancellation rights and the clear break down of what the customer is actually paying for needs to be provided in a 'durable medium.' Either paper or email. Hiding all the key material in obscure areas of the website or using hyperlinks from the receipt isn't good enough. Therefore Trading Standards usually have a clear way to effectively put a dent in the shysters. Once the company compies with the Distance Selling Regulations of course the number of refunds they get faced with goes through the roof, and the company may die without its key word Google advertising.

I've literally just forked out £44 to change my address on my licence that I could have done for free.. The Shyster website said that if I contacted them within 24 hours to cancel them I would get a full refund. I have sent them over 10 emails and forms to cancel and they haven't got back to me. I found out who the director was and company information. They said they will get back in touch within one day and they haven't. Is there anything I can do other than pester them?