Driving home for Christmas warning over ‘copycat’ road toll websites

​As millions prepare to drive home for Christmas, National Trading Standards is urging motorists to ensure they pay road tolls only on official websites, as new research* finds that a third of Brits risk landing on copycat sites that charge over the odds – and 17% of those who believed they’d paid for government services online were fined for non-payment.

The warning comes after two men who operated more than 40 misleading copycat websites that generated over £2.25m in revenue, were sentenced at Bristol Crown Court following an investigation led by the National Trading Standards eCrime Team**. Their fraudulent sites mimicked official government services, targeting people paying essential charges such as the Dartford Crossing, London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) and the Mersey Gateway Bridge. Through misleading URLs and prominent search-engine adverts, the criminals tricked thousands of drivers into thinking they were using official payment pages.

Victims were routinely charged inflated fees – for example, £7.50 instead of the (then) official £2.50 Dartford Crossing charge. In many cases the criminals pocketed the difference but often, payments wouldn’t be passed on to the official body at all and many customers received penalty charge notices for unpaid tolls.

As the festive season gets underway, National Trading Standards is warning that copycat websites are still a problem, and its research found that by using search engines, social media or clicking on an ad to find government services, more than a third (34%) of Brits are at high risk of being caught out this Christmas.

Of those who’ve applied for government services online, more than a quarter (26%) have paid a handling charge – which are not needed if you pay the government body directly – one in 5 have paid more than they expected to for the service and 17% have been fined for non-payment.

Mike Andrews, Head of the National Trading Standards eCrime Team, said:
“Victims in this case were ordinary people trying to do the right thing before making their journeys. Many were left frustrated and out of pocket, often only realising they’d been misled after receiving a fine.

“Copycat sites remain a problem and it’s clear from our research that huge numbers of people are paying more than they need to for straightforward services. With so many of us driving long distances over Christmas – often late at night, stressed or in a hurry – it’s easy to click the first link you see. We’re urging motorists to take a moment to check they’re on the official website when paying tolls or emission charges. The easiest way is to go to the road toll page at GOV.UK and search from there.”

A National Highways spokesperson said:
“If you’re travelling this Christmas and need to pay for the Dartford Crossing, always use the official GOV.UK site.

“It’s the safest way to avoid extra charges or penalty charges. Too many people have been caught out by unofficial sites, which can charge more or leave your crossing unpaid – leading to unnecessary penalty charges.

“Please stay vigilant and check carefully before you pay.”

Shashi Verma, TfL’s Director of Technology Strategy and Revenue, said:
“With the festive season in full swing, we’re reminding drivers to pay road user charges only through official channels and avoid a nasty surprise over the holiday period. The easiest way to ensure charges are paid correctly is to set up TfL’s free-to-use Auto Pay service, which automatically takes payment from your account. Signing up in advance means peace of mind and greater convenience for anyone needing to pay Congestion Charge, for the ULEZ or for driving through the Blackwall and Silvertown tunnels. If you have been targeted by a scam, please notify us and report it. We work closely with National Trading Standards to tackle scammers who rip off honest motorists and push for the strongest possible action to be taken.”

Anyone who believes they may have used a fraudulent site should contact their bank immediately and report the issue to the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133.

Sentences handed down on 31 October

• Thomas William Gall (42) was jailed for 2 years 3 months and disqualified from acting as a company director for 10 years.
• Shezad Parvez (46) received a two-year sentence, suspended for two years, alongside 200 hours of unpaid work, up to 20 rehabilitation activity days, and a six-year director disqualification.

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