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Share scam detailsHow to spot a copycat website
Copycat websites charge a fee to process or renew official documents, which you can do free yourself. Read our guide to make sure you aren’t caught out.
There are a number of ways that can help you spot a copycat website. Follow our top tips to avoid falling victim:
- Is it a paid search engine ad? Look out for paid-for search engine results. These are the boxed adverts displayed at the top of search engine result pages. Quite often, the official site is the first or second non-paid-for link that appears below the ads.
- Read the pages Take a couple of minutes to double-check the site; don’t dive straight into filling out an application form or buying a product. Visit the home, about us and terms and conditions pages and read the text there. It may even say that the site is not officially affiliated with the official body.
- Check the web address Don’t be fooled by a .org web address, as this is no guarantee that it is a body’s official website. Any website claiming to be an official government website should have a .gov.uk address.
- Https vs http Although it’s not always a guarantee, you can check for ‘https://’ at the beginning of the website address. On pages where you are entering personal information, this indicates that there is encryption in place to protect your personal details; websites just with http:// don’t encrypt your details.
- How did you get there? You can access most important and official documents by searching gov.uk.
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Common copycat websites
Copycat tax return sites
HMRC tax returns and self-assessment forms also often appear on copycat websites.
Remember, with HMRC self-assessment tax returns, you need to register either on or offline at a tax office before you can pay.
Passport applications
You can renew your passport online via the gov.uk website, or the Post Office offers paper application forms.
Be careful of using alternative websites that are not officially affiliated.
Driving licence renewals and theory tests
Theory tests can be booked here on the official government website.
The government website allows you to renew your driving licence.
Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) and congestion payments.
Congestion charges in London can be paid on the official Transport for London website.
You can also pay ULEZ charges online.
ESTA visa application
This is used for travel to the US. Use the official website to apply.
Reporting copycat websites
You can also report copycat websites by calling the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133 (Welsh language: 0808 223 1144).
You can report dodgy adverts on Google by filling out this form and this form for ads on Bing.
The government has published a guide on how to report a misleading website to search engines.