AmigoJack wrote: ↑Tue Jul 06, 2021 1:32 amWho reminded you of what? Who gave you "the forms" and in which format? How did everything led to doing it online, and who was linking to the website?
The reminder and the forms (printed) and information came from the
DVLA via the postal service as normal. There are two options to either fill in the forms and post them back or to do it online.
AmigoJack wrote: ↑Tue Jul 06, 2021 1:32 amHow do you know the "proper" website? And why now and not right away? Why even using a "search bar" when knowing the address?
That’s part of the point, in the documentation you are given the correct address and it warns you that the service is free and if, at any point, you’re asked for a payment to leave the site. It was only then I looked at the url I was on and saw the bogus address. It was at this point I bailed.
It’s obvious the DVLA know about the scam and are warning you not to pay and leave the site.
In the first place I typed in the Google address bar:
- DVLA dr (no need for more) - a list appeared which included “driving licence renewal” which I clicked on.
- The very first hit after that was “Apply online - renew over 70 years old” which I clicked on.
- The bogus site came up and I started to fill in the required details.
Note that using the address bar as above the correct .GOV.UK is fifth in the search list which makes me wonder how much the bogus site has paid for it’s ranking.
In the Google address bar I typed the address given in the documentation in full by hand and I got to the correct place that had .GOV.UK in the address.
Mick wrote: ↑Fri Jun 25, 2021 1:43 pmwhy are these sites allowed to exist it must be easy to shut them down?
AmigoJack wrote: ↑Tue Jul 06, 2021 1:32 amFor the same reason people can disguise as others
Indeed and I was fortunate enough, even though I partially fell for it, to come away unscathed.
AmigoJack wrote: ↑Tue Jul 06, 2021 1:32 amdeception alone is not a crime
No but impersonating a government body is in the UK.
Mick wrote: ↑Fri Jun 25, 2021 2:36 pmwhen you type in “GOV.UK renew 70 year olds licence” and get to a site that is, in actual fact, better than the real thing and looks very legit
AmigoJack wrote: ↑Tue Jul 06, 2021 1:32 amBut you can't tell me you easily fall for how something looks. And moreover judging legality from optics alone. How a website is supposed to identify as legal is beyond my imagination - and until then I rather ask at some bureau for the address or fill out forms by post
I agree but there it is, as I said, I nearly fell for it and I consider myself webwise enough not to fall for such things and fortunately I didn’t. I did say if there’s any doubt use the postal forms even though they can be daunting at times. There are lots of folks out there falling for it daily and not just the elderly and not just in the UK. As far as I can tell and have read since there’s nothing malicious about the site, it’s not trying to swipe grannies pension, it’s acting as an intermediary and charging you £80 for a normally free service, you still get your new driving licence.
Hopefully the more this is discussed (I don’t use social media so I can’t comment if it’s being talked about there but I expect it is) the more hindsight will be generated and the perpetrators will get theirs eventually.