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Vauxhall Astra - Renewal of Tax Disc - SamElswick

Having previously renewed our vehicles on line with ease I again went online to renew.

I thought that I was on the Government site & subsequently paid by Debit card.

On checking my bank account I realised the charge was excessive at £139 compared to the expected charge of £99.

When the tax disc arrived I saw that my Debit card had not been used there was a surcharge for using a credit card & the disc had cost £99. My first thougt was that there had been some sort of mixup at DVLA but now I realise that I have been scammed.

What really annoys me, on contacting DVLA is that it is a regular occurance & as yet nothing has been done, although the system is changing in October.

How Google, DVLA & the current Govenment cannot between them stop this, what looks like a very straightforward problem reoccuring is beyond my comprehension.

There is not much hope of the country being run in a fit & proper manner if this sort of behaviour is condoned!

Vauxhall Astra - Renewal of Tax Disc - Bromptonaut

So has nothing been done or is the system changing in October?

This stuff has been well publicised on consumer programmes, in papers etc. Unfortunately, like watching out for shoulder surfers and scanners at the cashpoint. checking you really are on the .gov website needs to be second nature.

Vauxhall Astra - Renewal of Tax Disc - RobJP

I have to agree. The OP "thought he was on the .gov website"... No. They typed in the web address, or not ? Not. You typed in 'renew car tax' or something, rather than type in the full web address that was on your tax renewal letter. For goodness sake, the web address was given to you. If you can't be bothered typing it in, then you are asking to get scammed. Would you do the same sort of trick with online banking ?

Much like going to a shop, buying something, and then finding out later that another shop has it for less. Pay attention in future.

Vauxhall Astra - Renewal of Tax Disc - Peter D
"When the tax disc arrived I saw that my Debit card had not been used there was a surcharge for using a credit card & the disc had cost £99."
How did the scammers have your credit card details. Am I missing something. Regards Peter
Vauxhall Astra - Renewal of Tax Disc - alan1302
"When the tax disc arrived I saw that my Debit card had not been used there was a surcharge for using a credit card & the disc had cost £99." How did the scammers have your credit card details. Am I missing something. Regards Peter

The orginal poster gave them so the site. The site then applied to the DVLA for the taz disc and takes an adminisration fee. Technically they are not a scam as they do what they state on their website but the sites are designed to look very much like the real ones.

Vauxhall Astra - Renewal of Tax Disc - Cyd

I have some sympathy for the OP (only "some") because phishing emails and scammer sites are very professionaly put together and it is very easy to be taken in if you're not "on the ball".

On the other hand, your VED reminder has the web address printed on it clearly. You should always type in the web address from fresh, never use a search engine to find a financial site where you expect to conduct a transacton. This really is basic stuff.

Type "keep safe online" into google and plenty of stuff comes up. Take a refresher course.

Vauxhall Astra - Renewal of Tax Disc - CaroleAnne

I have been a victim of this scam last Tuesday, 27 May. (Tax Disc Direct) I'd been waiting for pay day to order my tax online which I have done several times before...I did start to type in the government website address as I have always done, and was directed to this particular site which I assumed was the government site. It looks almost identical as it has obviously been designed to deceive. Yes, I now appreciate that in the top right hand corner there is a tiny notice that this is not a government affiliated site, but didn't notice it until I realised I had been scammed. I have since spoken to the CAB and Trading Standards who looked at the site and said it is a particuarly good mirror image of the official government site and we need to complain to them to get this site closed down. I appreciate all your comments like 'take a refresher course etc' and I will never buy anything online again after this, I will go to the Post Office, well, for as long as they're open! I have tried to complain to Tax Disc Direct but they are basically uncontactable; you cannot find their head office address; cannot find the names of the people who run it, they are 'annonymous'. I wonder if they pay tax on their 'earnings'. Bet they don't!

Vauxhall Astra - Renewal of Tax Disc - Armitage Shanks {p}

Same scam operates for the renewal of EHIC health cards. They are free from the NHS but a site interevenes and obtains them for you for £20.

Edited by Armitage Shanks {p} on 02/06/2014 at 19:42