katq

Hi there, I know this is really stupid of me, but I fell for it and I am not sure what I should do: I tried to get my US visa waiver authorisation through this website, which turned out to be a total scam and it even says so, but I only noticed it after I filled my details and paid the fee( -

http://www.esta-cbp.co.uk

The official site should be:

https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov

I just called my bank to block my card: should I do anything about my passport info? I feel so angry with myself, I have never done anything like this before.
Has anyone else come across something similar before?

lisa67

It looks like that it's offering to fill inn the esta from for you for a fee. Some travel companies have done this before. As far as I can tell it just means that you've paid extra (unnecessarily) for your esta confirmation.
Apart from feeling scammed I don't think there's a lot else you can do. Did they get you an esta confirmation?

katq

Hi Lisa: I realised that I have been scammed 2 mins after filling it in, so I haven't received a confirmation yet. Do you think that they will send me a legitimate esta confirmation and how can I be sure of this? I was just thinking to apply again through the real site and pay again. I cancelled my debit card although I am unable to stop the payment now since I authorised it, but I am also worried about giving my passport details.

Weeze

You are not the first person and you are not the last to be caught out by this. It doesn't help that when searching for ESTA on google, the paid add for these scammers comes up first. The US embassy website is full of people complaining but they state there is nothing they can do to help.
You have stopped your card so they can't use that. You might be able to get the money back off the credit card company.
Best case was it was just a phishing site and you are going to get lots of spammy emails/letters. Worse case, they were after your personal details. I presume you gave them your address and dates of travel so it might be a good idea to ask someone to keep an eye on your house when you are away.
The US embassy site has some advice, but not very helpful. http://www.usembassy.org.uk/americanservices/?p=519
I'd reapply on the proper site, see if you can get your money back from your credit card and chalk it up to experience.

katq

Well at least I didn't give them my address (it was optional on the scammers website so I didn't bother..), just a flight number and what they have is my DOB, card number and passport number...not sure what they can do with it, but I really wouldn't want to change my passport too. I called the bank, but they said they can't stop the payment, they can just "dispute" it after it goes through ("very helpful")...But I blocked the card so they will issue a new one and they can't use this one again. Yeah, I guess I will re-apply on the proper website now...It is really annoying I can't believe they don't care to do anything about this.

Weeze

I wouldn't worry about it too much then. I'm sure if people really want to they can nick your passport number from other things. I think ours went on the documentation for customs which now appears to be for sale on the internet. Don't beat yourself up about it, they look real, that's the point of them.

sir_eccles

I've never had to use ESTA so I don't know for sure, but isn't it all tied to your passport number? If you go to the ESTA site directly will it not be able to tell you if you have a current application pending just based on your passport number or is there something else you have to put in?

katq

I just did a new application from the proper website and it currently shows as approved already when I checked on the website, I am not sure if the scammers will submit another one on my behalf, but I contacted them by email to say that I don't want them to do anything on my behalf, so I don't know...

ian-mstm

I know you are angry, embarrassed, and frustrated... but, with respect, they aren't scammers and neither their service nor their website is a scam. They are charging you for something you don't need to pay for... and their web site clearly states that. They are not trying to deceive people, and while people would be foolish to avail themselves of their service - that's the free choice that a person can make.

As with all things, caveat emptor.

Ian

scrubbedexpat099

I was having a chat with the check in Agent at Heathrow, they still get people turning up with no ESTA, so I asked what happens. They send them upstairs to do it on line, all the ones he had dealt with had got it pretty quick and still made their flight.

katq

I agree it does say that on their website if that is what you are expecting to find, but I don't agree that they are not trying to deceive people and I don't agree that they provide any kind of "service" - the only kind of service they provode is the service of charging you extra. May be that is the reason you get the following page when you click on the "eligibility" link which I wish I had opened first: http://www.esta-cbp.co.uk/eligibility.php
And may be that's why the payment page only turns into a completely different link: https://www.esta-approval.org/apply.php

katq

Ian, if their website clearly stated: "We are charging you for something you don't have to pay for" I would have donated them money just for the honesty

tonrob

Sounds pretty helpful to me. This is how debit cards work (fairly essential - to be honest. How many companies would accept them if they knew that the payer could just take the goods and then cancel the transaction afterwards?) You are - after all - the one who chose to authorize a card transaction to these people. Hardly the bank's fault.

TBH - I don't think this is nearly the drama you're making it out to be.

katq

I don't know about you, but I don't feel comfortable giving personal and confidential information to websites that don't even have a telephone number and a real address. I feel more confident now that they are just after the money, and the rest is probably ok, but if people weren't making any fuss or drama about it, there wouldn't be an alarming red waring on the US Embassy website.

Duncan Roberts

It does. This is on the bottom of every page!

'The Westland Securities website is a private information website and ESTA application service provider and is not affiliated nor have any connection with the United States Government which can be found at www.esta.cbp.dhs.gov where you can apply independently for an ESTA at a cost of $14 (USD) plus transaction fees. NOTE: We can NOT offer any help and support regarding these applications. "