London - Rogue websites are using Google to cash in on people searching for official information on everything from passports to health cover and fishing licences.
Private companies have set up websites that mimic those run by official government bodies, but hit users with hefty fees.
Significantly, they pay Google to ensure that their names and adverts appear on the front page of searches when families are looking for information.
As a result, large number of Britons are being diverted to commercial websites that carry charges for forms and information which should be cheaper or free.
The official website of Her Majesty’s Passport Office charges £72.50 (about R1 000) for making a passport application online, which many would consider more than expensive enough. However, several companies have created copycat websites which provide the same service for up to £121.50 – a rise of 68 percent.
A search yesterday found the websites uk-passport.net and passport-uk.co.uk, which impose a fee of £40 on top of the official charge of £72.50, plus passport-uk.com, which charges a minimum fee of £49.
People travelling to EU countries are entitled to a European health card, which ensures free emergency care. This is free of charge from an official government website, but copycat commercial firms charge £23.
Some websites are even cashing in on the purchase of fishing rod licences. The official sites charge between £27 and £72, but the commercial firms charge £47 to £92. Her Majesty’s Passport Office has made several complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority about the problem, but the ASA has the power to only name and shame, rather than impose fines or a ban.
A spokesperson said: “It is totally unacceptable that unscrupulous companies are continuing to trick people into paying for information which is available free of charge.”
Google insists that it does not allow advertisers to offer official services that carry a fee unless they also make clear that the same services are available free of charge. - Daily Mail