What is a copycat website scam?
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In short: An unofficial site that mimics a government service — such as passport applications, driving licences, or visa fees — and charges you extra for something you could do cheaper or free on the official gov.uk site.
Last reviewed:
Reviewed by Kaiser Khan
Copycat websites pay to appear at the top of search results for terms like 'passport renewal' or 'ESTA visa'. They look official but are private businesses that charge a handling fee on top of — or instead of clearly showing — the real government charge.
They are not always illegal if they disclose they are a third-party service, but they are misleading in practice and cost consumers millions each year. You may pay £50 to £100 or more above the genuine fee for the same application you could submit yourself.
Always start at gov.uk and follow links from there. Official government services use gov.uk web addresses. If you paid a copycat site, you may struggle to get a refund, but you can report the site to the National Cyber Security Centre and complain to Trading Standards.
For driving tests, passports, visas, EHIC or GHIC cards, and tax services, bookmark the correct gov.uk page rather than searching each time. If a site asks for payment before clearly separating its fee from the official charge, stop and check gov.uk first.
Primary source: gov.uk/government/publications/copycat-websites
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