| Author |  Topic  |
baz
United Kingdom
9 Posts
Joined: 16 Apr 2007
Status: offline |  Posted - 30 Jun 2009 : 11:26:34  
| | Can't seem to find where you officially fill in the ESTA form. There seems to be plenty of official looking websites (and those that charge) but it would be helpful if someone could let me know where the real official website is! This might be a good idea for a sticky as well. Apologies if it is elsewhere and I'm just to dumb or lazy to find it! |
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Sniff
Germany
665 Posts
Joined: 03 May 2006
Status: offline | Posted - 30 Jun 2009 : 11:56:08
| quote:
Originally posted by baz
Can't seem to find where you officially fill in the ESTA form. There seems to be plenty of official looking websites (and those that charge) but it would be helpful if someone could let me know where the real official website is! This might be a good idea for a sticky as well. Apologies if it is elsewhere and I'm just to dumb or lazy to find it!
As far as I'm aware, the Dept of Homeland Security website is the "official" one. It's the one I used, no charges and no problems.
https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov
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Keith |
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Nielsen
United Kingdom
434 Posts
Joined: 10 Sep 2003
Status: offline | |
julieann
225 Posts
Joined: 06 Jun 2005
Status: offline | Posted - 26 Jul 2009 : 15:01:42
| Just heard of guests paying £20 each for esta. Is this something we should be warning our guests against. Are the charging website legitimate and getting people to pay them but offering real esta numbers?
Tks Julie |
http://www.villasflorida.com/florida-vacation-rental-611.aspx
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Edited by - julieann on 26 Jul 2009 15:02:28 |
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MJG
United Kingdom
180 Posts
Joined: 09 Aug 2008
Status: offline | Posted - 26 Jul 2009 : 15:42:03
| | Cost me zilch when I did it earlier in the year - sounds like a scam to me |
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thefergies
United Kingdom
24 Posts
Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Status: offline | Posted - 26 Jul 2009 : 16:30:05
| | It's a scam all right. Just done mine half an hour ago on official site as mentioned above |
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Albert the Frog
 United Kingdom
601 Posts
Joined: 18 Jun 2006
Status: offline | Posted - 26 Jul 2009 : 18:36:06
| quote:
Originally posted by julieann
Just heard of guests paying £20 each for esta. Is this something we should be warning our guests against. Are the charging website legitimate and getting people to pay them but offering real esta numbers?
Tks Julie
Julie if i was a first time visitor i would appreciate you pointing out to me that i should only get an esta from the official site and that it is free-good idea |
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Katys Grandad
United Kingdom
2233 Posts
Joined: 11 Oct 2004
Status: offline | Posted - 26 Jul 2009 : 19:04:57
| The problem is that Google has a 'sponsored link' to one of these outfits so it's very easy for the unwary to be directed to them from a simple search for 'ESTA'. It's been like that ever since ESTA went live.
As far as I can tell, they just complete the form for you - not a scam as such but it sounds like easy money to me. |
Edited by - Katys Grandad on 26 Jul 2009 19:05:25 |
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MJG
United Kingdom
180 Posts
Joined: 09 Aug 2008
Status: offline | Posted - 26 Jul 2009 : 21:50:55
| quote:
Originally posted by Katys Grandad
The problem is that Google has a 'sponsored link' to one of these outfits so it's very easy for the unwary to be directed to them from a simple search for 'ESTA'. It's been like that ever since ESTA went live.
As far as I can tell, they just complete the form for you - not a scam as such but it sounds like easy money to me.
KG,
a scam is a scam, how can 'they' complete the form more proficiently for you when all they need is the info. you need to complete yourself.
As I said I completed the info. at no cost.... so why is anybody paying $20 a pop... simpels... it's a scam. |
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Lyn
 United Kingdom
1112 Posts
Joined: 14 Mar 2004
Status: offline | Posted - 26 Jul 2009 : 21:54:28
| | It is very easy to get the wrong site, when doing ours for the first time I filled in all the required information before I got to the page that asks you to pay. The site was a very official looking site and anyone not nowing any better would think that this was the only site available and that you had to pay. You do not have to pay and anyone visiting for the first time should be made aware of this. You do not need help to fill the form in, it is quite easy, you just need your passport and your 1st nights address. |
Lyn |
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Katys Grandad
United Kingdom
2233 Posts
Joined: 11 Oct 2004
Status: offline | Posted - 27 Jul 2009 : 05:33:41
| quote:
Originally posted by MJG
quote:
Originally posted by Katys Grandad
The problem is that Google has a 'sponsored link' to one of these outfits so it's very easy for the unwary to be directed to them from a simple search for 'ESTA'. It's been like that ever since ESTA went live.
As far as I can tell, they just complete the form for you - not a scam as such but it sounds like easy money to me.
KG,
a scam is a scam, how can 'they' complete the form more proficiently for you when all they need is the info. you need to complete yourself.
As I said I completed the info. at no cost.... so why is anybody paying $20 a pop... simpels... it's a scam.
Ever bought a financial product or insurance through a broker? Ever booked a holiday through a travel agent? Ever sold a house through an estate agent? etc etc etc..... You can do all these things yourself for free but if you use 'agents' it will usually, directly or indirectly, cost you money for doing so. Varying levels of expertise necessary, but all perfectly legitimate.
I completely agree that it's a very simple task to complete the ESTA form yourself (I've done it several times) and the way it's portrayed on Google is a bit questionable. Even so, if somebody thinks they can make a few quid by doing it for you then I don't see it as a scam if people use the service, however unnecessary it might be.
Google seem to be comfortable with what's happening but, as you obviously have strong feelings on the subject, have you considred sharing your thoughts with them and the Advertising Standards Authority? |
Edited by - Katys Grandad on 27 Jul 2009 06:42:03 |
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Robert5988
United Kingdom
1871 Posts
Joined: 15 Apr 2004
Status: offline | Posted - 27 Jul 2009 : 07:59:22
| Some friends of mine - 2 adults and 4 children - have just returned from Florida. They booked their expensive tickets on Virgin from a travel agent who charged them a booking fee and an additional 6 x £15(£90)for ESTA.
They were unaware that it could be done on line for free; and it was implied that it had to be done by an 'official' agent who would check their passport. In the time it took them to take in the passports to the agent and provide details of address they were staying at etc, they could have done it on line in a fraction of the time and saved £90.
Still as they are both lawyers, and having myself paid lots of money to solicitors for dubious services, I did think it rather ironic! |
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MJG
United Kingdom
180 Posts
Joined: 09 Aug 2008
Status: offline | Posted - 27 Jul 2009 : 08:10:24
| KG,
Think we may have to agree to disagree on what constitutes a scam and what doesn't.
2 things to note when you do Google ESTA:-
The official link comes up as-
Welcome to ESTA - the Official U.S. Government Web Site, its currently 2 from the top, excluding the advertising links at the very top.
All the others seem to be links to, well shall we call them 'helpfully providing you with a service for something you can do yourself but at a cost' sites.
These is also a couple of links to websites warning about ESTA scams - so somebody else thinks there is some scamming going on out there. |
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Sniff
Germany
665 Posts
Joined: 03 May 2006
Status: offline | Posted - 27 Jul 2009 : 10:54:36
| quote:
Originally posted by MJG
2 things to note when you do Google ESTA:-
The official link comes up as-
Welcome to ESTA - the Official U.S. Government Web Site, its currently 2 from the top, excluding the advertising links at the very top.
Google really has nothing to do with it - it's just one search engine amongst many, and it's just another form of advertising. You would probably find that a different search engine gave different results (the official website doesn't appear at al on the first two yahoo pages). How you find your way to the ESTA website is immaterial really...
Edit: on my google search it's 3 from the top if you count the (clearly identified) sponsored links. The next two links are CBP websites which are 'legit'. And the words 'official' and 'free' and clearly visible.
quote:
Originally posted by MJG
All the others seem to be links to, well shall we call them 'helpfully providing you with a service for something you can do yourself but at a cost' sites.
As KG says, that's business. There are many many things I could do myself, but for which I am prepared to pay someone else to do, for whatever reason. That doesn't make them all scams. I pay my local garage 20 Euros twice a year to switch my winter/summer wheels. I could do that myself, but I don't want to - it doesn't mean my garage is running a scam.
You seem to forget that there are still people out there who do not have access to the internet, or are not comfortable with PCs. In that case paying your travel agent or a 3rd party to do it for you seems sensible. Whether you think it's value for money is a different matter.
For internet/PC literate people it does seem crazy that people would pay 20 pounds for something they could do themselves. But caveat emptor.
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Keith |
Edited by - Sniff on 27 Jul 2009 11:03:04 |
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florida4sun
 United Kingdom
8523 Posts
Joined: 16 Feb 2002
Status: online | |
Katys Grandad
United Kingdom
2233 Posts
Joined: 11 Oct 2004
Status: offline | Posted - 27 Jul 2009 : 12:29:55
| quote:
Originally posted by florida4sun
The top two web sites are clearly designed to deliberately look official and cajole you into handing over an average of £100 per family.
If someone does not have access to the internet how can these sites help them?
These sites are clearly designed to deceive folks and to be honest I was had by one myself over green card applications. It is one of the links that comes up on google, we won a class action lawsuit against them. Yet they continue!!!
Just out of interest, was the site US or UK based? I ask because consumer protection tends to be much more all encompassing in UK/EU countries.
I agree that it's easy to be caught out by these sites and only last week warned some friends about the way they operate. But whether the information is deliberately misleading (as apart from 'economical with the truth') or not might be a different matter. |
Edited by - Katys Grandad on 27 Jul 2009 12:30:54 |
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florida4sun
United Kingdom
8523 Posts
Joined: 16 Feb 2002
Status: online | Posted - 27 Jul 2009 : 12:44:31
| It was USA based. Keep in mind they are nit breaking the law if they do what they say they are going to do. Which is basically have you fill in a form of their site that automatically fills in a form on the official site. Money for old rope.
quote:
Originally posted by Katys Grandad
quote:
Originally posted by florida4sun
The top two web sites are clearly designed to deliberately look official and cajole you into handing over an average of £100 per family.
If someone does not have access to the internet how can these sites help them?
These sites are clearly designed to deceive folks and to be honest I was had by one myself over green card applications. It is one of the links that comes up on google, we won a class action lawsuit against them. Yet they continue!!!
Just out of interest, was the site US or UK based? I ask because consumer protection tends to be much more all encompassing in UK/EU countries.
I agree that it's easy to be caught out by these sites and only last week warned some friends about the way they operate. But whether the information is deliberately misleading (as apart from 'economical with the truth') or not might be a different matter.
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Martin
Resident Ticket Guru
www.park-tickets.com
http://www.uscarhire.co.uk/sat-nav.aspx
www.orlandovillas.com
www.villasflorida.com
www.onlinefloridavillas.com
www.flightsflorida.com
www.floridahire.com |
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Katys Grandad
United Kingdom
2233 Posts
Joined: 11 Oct 2004
Status: offline | Posted - 27 Jul 2009 : 12:56:10
| quote:
Originally posted by florida4sun
Money for old rope.
Indeed - but probably legitimate. |
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Sniff
Germany
665 Posts
Joined: 03 May 2006
Status: offline | Posted - 27 Jul 2009 : 17:00:57
| quote:
Originally posted by Katys Grandad
quote:
Originally posted by florida4sun
Money for old rope.
Indeed - but probably legitimate.
I would say absolutely legitimate...otherwise the US Govt would have closed them down by now. |
Keith |
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florida4sun
United Kingdom
8523 Posts
Joined: 16 Feb 2002
Status: online | |
MJG
United Kingdom
180 Posts
Joined: 09 Aug 2008
Status: offline | Posted - 27 Jul 2009 : 18:15:20
| quote:
Originally posted by Katys Grandad
quote:
Originally posted by florida4sun
Money for old rope.
Indeed - but probably legitimate.
Legitimate maybe but still a scam in my books - they will know full well that people can undertake this task just as easy direct and themselves.
The analogy with a travel agent and the like you made earlier is not IMHO valid as the agent is providing a service, often searching for hols at the best price, booking the car for you etc etc,
Yes you can do this yourself but I generally find it is more time consuming to do it yourself (but something I'm quite happy to do personally).
Simply providing something that captures a series of data entry/key strokes and then transferring it to another site is not providing a service it is conning people into thinking they are getting something which they are not. Even though it is legal in my view it is still a con.
Just MHO though |
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