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Old 14 Aug 18, 07:21 PM  
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#11
KeithOP
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Originally Posted by Geordie boy 57 View Post
Google is also partly to blame
If you type just ESTA into the search bar then the official site is 5th one listed
When I tried it the site OP used came up first

Hope you get a refund Chris
absolutely agree. Unfortunately, Google is the entry point to the Internet for most people now and you expect the top entry to be the most relevant. In fact Google spend a lot of effort trying to make this happen and boast how good they are at it.

It's ok to say buyer beware and that's always good advice, but google owes us a duty of care which is why they try to flag or strip out malware afflicted sites. It's ok for us regulars, but for some people all they get told is "google esta and pay the fee" :/

As to not being a scam? welllllllll if I stood outside the post office with a fake sign "P05T Office official Driving License applications here" and charged you 10 times the going rate for taking your form and passing it into the post office, I think you'd feel pretty ripped off.

Looks like a scam... smells like a scam... etc etc.
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Old 14 Aug 18, 07:24 PM  
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floridasarah
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Originally Posted by Chris7cc View Post
Just been seriously ripped off with my ESTA application, I typed ESTA into google and clicked on the the link and started my application and went to payment and it was $99 so paid not even thinking that it was to much as it is for 2 years, then spoke my wife who said that it shiould be only $14 now found out that I have used a 3rd party https://www.estavisaus.org
and just paid $396 for something that should have cost $48.

I cant even cancel the transactions as i have already had the ESTA pdf sent through and confirmed.

Just for anyone else this is the correct link esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/

Really hope that this post stops anyone else being ripped off by the scumbags who do this.
This happened to me once luckily I was only doing one, my friend also did the same. It has happened to the best of us.
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Old 14 Aug 18, 07:27 PM  
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RickT
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its not a scam though, there are providing you a service for something you can get cheaper else where... A scam is where your money is taken for no service. It just like using a broker for insurance rather than going direct or using a travel agent for flights when you can book direct.. these are offical companies.. even Thomas Cook for Turkey Visas send you to one of these companies when its cheaper direct..

In regards to google, its all about Google Ad's, these are clearly marked with a green AD icon next to them to show they are adverts linked to your search rather than the site you may want.

It is a very easy mistake to add, but under the distance selling law now, you should be able to get a full refund (for the admin fee's) minus the cost of the ESTA.

Fingers crossed for you OP.
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Old 14 Aug 18, 07:31 PM  
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Not a scam and not Google's fault either. Sites pay to be placed top of the listings. And none of the non-governmental sites claim to be official. The closest they come is advertising that you can get official Estas through them. Agreed it can be misleading but there have been enough warnings about this: the buyer has to take responsibility to ensure they are on the official site.
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Old 15 Aug 18, 03:28 PM  
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Originally Posted by RickT View Post
its not a scam though, there are providing you a service for something you can get cheaper else where... A scam is where your money is taken for no service. It just like using a broker for insurance rather than going direct or using a travel agent for flights when you can book direct.. these are offical companies.. even Thomas Cook for Turkey Visas send you to one of these companies when its cheaper direct..

In regards to google, its all about Google Ad's, these are clearly marked with a green AD icon next to them to show they are adverts linked to your search rather than the site you may want.

It is a very easy mistake to add, but under the distance selling law now, you should be able to get a full refund (for the admin fee's) minus the cost of the ESTA.

Fingers crossed for you OP.
I see what you're saying, but the broker or TA does add some value. They might use their connections and deals with the parties they deal with to get better rates, for example.

I don't think the unofficial sites actually add anything? They just submit the application for you.

Not a scam as there's nothing illegal about it, but a shady practice praying on those who don't realise.
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Old 15 Aug 18, 04:08 PM  
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Originally Posted by Geordie boy 57 View Post
Google is also partly to blame
If you type just ESTA into the search bar then the official site is 5th one listed
When I tried it the site OP used came up first

Hope you get a refund Chris
but the first four are very cleary ads and not the official website
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Old 15 Aug 18, 04:14 PM  
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Originally Posted by tspill View Post
Not really ripped off though? Think you are being unfair as you chose the site and paid the money.
Helpful. Don't you think it's unfair sites like this can charge unsuspecting people $99 for something they can get for $14? I think it definitely is a rip off.
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Old 15 Aug 18, 04:30 PM  
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you poor thing! I knew about these bad websites so I used the link on here. Just to be sure!
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Old 15 Aug 18, 04:31 PM  
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Originally Posted by filharmonic View Post
Helpful. Don't you think it's unfair sites like this can charge unsuspecting people $99 for something they can get for $14? I think it definitely is a rip off.
But a can of coke is more in some shops than another... doesn't mean you are being ripped off.

Take responsibility for actions, type in ESTA and its pretty clear which is the official one, it says official!
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Old 15 Aug 18, 04:47 PM  
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Geordie boy 57
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Originally Posted by cambsno View Post
But a can of coke is more in some shops than another... doesn't mean you are being ripped off.

Take responsibility for actions, type in ESTA and its pretty clear which is the official one, it says official!
I totally agree with what you are saying and most Dibbers are well aware
It's the newcomers doing their first Disney holiday that get caught out
It's so easy to miss the ad box next to the first 4 that come up on google
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