View Full Version : Official Website?
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!
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">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!
[/quote]
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
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote: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[/quote]Samw here [msnsmile]
TOM
julieann
26-07-2009, 19:01
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
Cost me zilch when I did it earlier in the year - sounds like a scam to me
thefergies
26-07-2009, 20:30
It's a scam all right. Just done mine half an hour ago on official site as mentioned above
Albert the Frog
26-07-2009, 22:36
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">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
[/quote]
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[clap]
Katys Grandad
26-07-2009, 23:04
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.
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">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.
[/quote]
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.
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.
Katys Grandad
27-07-2009, 09:33
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by MJG
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">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.
[/quote]
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.
[/quote]
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?
Robert5988
27-07-2009, 11:59
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!
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.
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">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.[/quote]
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.
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">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. [/quote]
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.
florida4sun
27-07-2009, 16:09
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!!!
Katys Grandad
27-07-2009, 16:29
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">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!!!
[/quote]
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.
florida4sun
27-07-2009, 16:44
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.
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Katys Grandad
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">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!!!
[/quote]
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.
[/quote]
Katys Grandad
27-07-2009, 16:56
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by florida4sun
Money for old rope.
[/quote]
Indeed - but probably legitimate.
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Katys Grandad
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by florida4sun
Money for old rope.
[/quote]
Indeed - but probably legitimate.
[/quote]
I would say absolutely legitimate...otherwise the US Govt would have closed them down by now.
florida4sun
27-07-2009, 21:22
It took them 5 years to close down the site we had the law suit against and they simply reopened under a different name. The site was a near copy of the official site....
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Sniff
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Katys Grandad
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by florida4sun
Money for old rope.
[/quote]
Indeed - but probably legitimate.
[/quote]
I would say absolutely legitimate...otherwise the US Govt would have closed them down by now.
[/quote]
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Katys Grandad
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by florida4sun
Money for old rope.
[/quote]
Indeed - but probably legitimate.
[/quote]
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
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by florida4sun
It took them 5 years to close down the site we had the law suit against and they simply reopened under a different name. The site was a near copy of the official site....
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Sniff
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Katys Grandad
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by florida4sun
Money for old rope.
[/quote]
Indeed - but probably legitimate.
[/quote]
I would say absolutely legitimate...otherwise the US Govt would have closed them down by now.
[/quote]
[/quote]
Hi Roger...I'm not disagreeing with you, but it does seem that if they can detain people in Gitmo for years with no reason, shutting down a couple of websites should be a piece of cake :D
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by MJG
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Katys Grandad
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by florida4sun
Money for old rope.
[/quote]
Indeed - but probably legitimate.
[/quote]
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
[/quote]
I think the key here is in the acronym you mentioned...IMHO.
In my opinion people who pay interior designers are being scammed, but some people make an awful lot of money out of it :D
Like I said, you are obviously computer literate and have no problem with it. But how is it any different than people who go to a travel agent and book a flight - the agent will simply collect your requirements and enter them into the airline website...which you could do yourself. Do you consider that a scam?
I cannot conceive of ever going into a travel agent to book a flight, (there is nothing a TA can do that I cannot do myself) but clearly millions of people do it.
Anyway, hopefully more people will come to forums like this, and realise you don't have to pay someone to get registered for ESTA [clap]
Sniff,
We can prolong this for as long as you like but as I've said before and say yet again our definitions of a scam are very different,
I think the only thing I agree with you on is the fact that this thread has highlighted the fact you do not need to pay to enter your info. on ESTA.
Robert5988
28-07-2009, 02:56
Keith,
I don't often disagree with you or KG, but I am not sure I follow your logic here.
There is no dispute that if you get someone to provide a service, however much they overcharge, that is your fault - as you say caveat emptor.
However the issue here is someone(obviously computer savvy) goes onto the internet to complete ESTA and finds websites that are specifically designed to fool the unwary into paying for a service that can be obtained for free. It is not as if that service assists you in any way - makes it easier - as you enter exactly the same detail and then payment details on top.
In my book that is a con or scam; albeit apparently not illegal.
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Robert5988
Keith,
I don't often disagree with you or KG, but I am not sure I follow your logic here.
There is no dispute that if you get someone to provide a service, however much they overcharge, that is your fault - as you say caveat emptor.
However the issue here is someone(obviously computer savvy) goes onto the internet to complete ESTA and finds websites that are specifically designed to fool the unwary into paying for a service that can be obtained for free. It is not as if that service assists you in any way - makes it easier - as you enter exactly the same detail and then payment details on top.
In my book that is a con or scam; albeit apparently not illegal.
[/quote]
This is what I was trying to say but far more eloquently put if I may say so...
Katys Grandad
28-07-2009, 10:41
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Robert5988
Keith,
I don't often disagree with you or KG
[/quote]
Which of course ensures that, at least most of the time, you're going to be right Robert.[msnwink]
Perhaps the key is whether you can make an informed decision as to whether to pay the fee or not. If you know you can do it for free and go ahead then it can't be other than perfectly reasonable. On the other hand, if you aren't aware, then it's at the very best, questionable.
The definition of 'scam' appears to be subjective. Personally, I can't equate the term with a lawful activity, even when it's close to the limits of dishonesty.
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Robert5988
Keith,
I don't often disagree with you or KG, but I am not sure I follow your logic here.
There is no dispute that if you get someone to provide a service, however much they overcharge, that is your fault - as you say caveat emptor.
However the issue here is someone(obviously computer savvy) goes onto the internet to complete ESTA and finds websites that are specifically designed to fool the unwary into paying for a service that can be obtained for free. It is not as if that service assists you in any way - makes it easier - as you enter exactly the same detail and then payment details on top.
In my book that is a con or scam; albeit apparently not illegal.
[/quote]
In my book, it can't possibly be a scam if some people find the service useful.
Anyway, I think we've done this one to death :D
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Anyway, I think we've done this one to death :D[/quote]Indeed [clap]
flakmagnet
26-08-2009, 01:03
Hi there,
I fell for this one too a while back, now I'm worried that the ESTA itself isn't legitimate, is there an easy way to check?
Thanks,
Matt
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by flakmagnet
Hi there,
I fell for this one too a while back, now I'm worried that the ESTA itself isn't legitimate, is there an easy way to check?
Thanks,
Matt
[/quote]
The easiest way would be to go to the official ESTA website:
https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/
and then follow the instructions to "Update or Check the Status of a Previously Submitted Authorization to Travel to the United States"...it's about half-way down the page on the righthand side.
You'll need to know your Application number, your DoB and your passport number. I assume that if it displays OK, then it is legitimate.
My worry about those sites is that you are giving your personal information out to a third party.
Andrena