There has been a rise in formal complaints about unofficial booking websites, with consumers complaining of higher charges on services such as travel visas, driver theory test booking and applications for the European Health Insurance Card.
The European Consumer Centre (ECC) is now advising consumers to book these items and services through official channels only.
One of the most frequent complaints registered with ECC has been in relation to websites offering to process ESTA visas for travel to the U.S. There has been a 12 per cent increase in complaints of this nature, compared to 2013 figures. Many consumers complain that they “they had been charged significantly more for the service than if they had gone through official channels. In one case, an elderly consumer applying for an ESTA visa was charged €104, over €80 more than the actual cost of the visa,” according to a statement released by ECC today.
The centre says it has also been notified about applications for the European Health Insurance Card(EHIC), which is free through the HSE, but can incur charges on other websites.
“Application for the EHIC card is free through the HSE’s website, but some consumers reported being charged between €10 and €14 by unofficial channels. In one case, a consumer paid €20 for cards for himself and his wife but the cards were never received,” the statement said.
Another area which attracted frequent complaints was consumers booking the driver theory test online. Many consumers did not realise they had booked with an unofficial website until after they had paid a fee – often higher than the official fee. The RSA has recently warned consumers about the dangers of booking outside official channels and advised consumers to use the official portal to be certain of the booking.
The ECC warns that, “It is important to note that these traders often go to great lengths to present themselves as an official website and consumers should be doubly vigilant to avoid being caught out. Some sites may appear as sponsored results in search engines and may therefore rank above the official channel.”
“ECC Ireland strongly encourages consumers to be prudent when looking online for visa, theory test, or EHIC applications. If in doubt, it is advisable to contact the responsible authority directly (such as the HSE, RSA, or – for visa applications – the relevant country’s embassy) to verify if the website is official.
“Consumers are also advised to read the terms and conditions and any small print on such websites carefully before handing over personal or financial information,” the statement added.
