The internet may have brought us an easy-access knowledge bank and helped us communicate with people around the world, but it has also given scam artists a wealth of new ways to try and part us from our money. However, if you at least know what to look out for, you should be safe. Here’s a quick guide.
Don’t pay more than you have to for travel documents
For years now there have been websites offering to help you sort out a visa in exchange for ludicrously high fees. But in the past month this scam has stepped up in scale.
In early August, the US Government announced that, from 8 September, British visitors to the United States would need to pay $14 for online security clearance before travelling. The advanced security clearance is a great idea, as it means if for some reason it turns out you aren’t going to be allowed to enter the US, you can find out from an email while you are still at home rather than from a scary security guard at an airport in America.
But as a result of this announcement websites have sprung up left, right and centre offering to help you sort out your Esta (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation) as the advanced security clearance is known. However, none of these websites charges $14. Far from it – some charge as much as $49.50 and do nothing more than send you an utterly useless guide to the application process. Applying through the official website takes two minutes and is idiot-proof. Also, the good news is that if you apply before 8 September it’s free and will last for two years. So if there is any chance of you heading to the US soonish, it’s worth quickly filling in the form now.
It isn’t just the US visa system that scammers are taking advantage of. Any time you need a visa, be very careful where you buy, as there is always a risk you’ll be paying more than you need. Sometimes paying extra for a visa service might help if someone else is prepared to trail down to the correct embassy and get the paperwork sorted out when you are short of time perhaps. But make sure you know what you are paying for. You can check how much each visa should cost by visiting the Foreign & Commonwealth Office website. There you can check the entry requirements for any country via their travel advice pages and it will tell you how much the official visa charge is.
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Another target of the rip-off websites is the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), reports the BBC MoneyBox programme. These cards replaced E111 forms a few years ago and entitle the holder to free healthcare within the European Union (I’ve written about them in more detail here: Insurance: only a fool travels without it.
An EHIC card is completely free but there are websites charging a £9.95 processing fee to get you one. And the worst things about them is that these sites often appear as ‘sponsored links’ on Google meaning you can see them above the official website in the search listings and click on the wrong site. If you need an EHIC card apply for it through the official NHS website.
How to research your family tree without spending a fortune
Another big scam area surrounds family documents. The popularity of shows such as Who Do You Think You Are? has meant that more and more of us are attempting to trace our family history. As a result, some genealogy websites are making big profits. While these websites can be very useful, think twice before you hand them any cash in return for documents such as birth, marriage or death certificates. Some websites charge more than £20 for them but, should you need to for either hobby or identification purposes, you can get the certificates for £9.25 each from the General Register Office website.
Note too that whether you are looking for a birth certificate for your great aunt Enid or the title deeds for your home you can find out which government department you need to contact by looking at the DirectGov website. If you search there you can be safe in the knowledge you have the official site rather than an official-looking con.
For more general tips on how to avoid online scams visit the government¹s online safety website getsafeonline.org.
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