Official Website?

[Katys Grandad]

<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]

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!

[MJG]

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.

[Sniff]

<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]

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]

<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]

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]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by florida4sun
Money for old rope.


[/quote]

Indeed - but probably legitimate.

[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.

[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]