“Fake” websites

Always look at the address bar. If it's not the government site, or the one you really want... don't click on anything.

If anyone is still using a cursor, as I have to on my PC, hovering it over an email address quickly tells you if it's genuine.

I have just received what looked like a genuine IRD mail telling me I had a tax rebate of $254 due.
It even had the IRD govt.nz suffix, although the address before the @ sign was a bit suspicious.

I knew I didn't have a rebate due but went to my own, private IRD page ( lots of security hoops to jump through, happily) just to check. Nothing.

The scammers are getting smarter, so we have to be as well.

I have had 2 fake requests to renew my TV licence and both with different dates on when it will run out
As it happens my licence is now free.
Also 2 calls saying my internet is faulty
Good job i still know what i am doing
Oh and also an email saying i have been left a lot of money but need to send £2000 to process it

Fear not, Germany in September- in plenty of time.
If I left it until late October I might get stranded there - now there’s a thought...Kaffee, Kuchen, Bier.....

Hope you’re planning to go abroad soon as I think the EHIC may be redundant post Brexit. If it ever actually happens !

Lost a word there bath toy ???

When we needed a new vehicle we could easily have been caught out. Exactly the right vehicle at a knock down price on a very respectable looking website. The price wasn’t nearly so good when they said that they needed us to send £2,000 so they could bring the vehicle to the UK. It’s a shame when innocent trusting people get caught up in these nasty scams.

I think what I mean by “fake” Riverwalk is that they are deliberately obscure as to their commercial nature.
They may meet the legal requirements for not “pretending” to be genuine, but they don’t exactly advertise the fact.

If, to all intents and purposes it looks like a dusk and quacks like a duck, it’s a big let down to find it is in fact an expensive bath !

For visas I'd recommend you go on to the country's embassy/high commission website and follow the link to their official visa section, this is what I did for Sri Lanka.

Me too! - been there, done that!

Unfortunately Maw they're not 'fake' sites as such - they're commercial sites and because they pay to be listed that's why they appear at the top of a search. They have 'Ad' in pale grey next to the address.

It's the same for ESTA and sites for overseas visas. My friend was nearly caught out when we went to Sri Lanka in January - she was on a commercial site that was almost identical to the SL government one.

Mt daughter was caught out when she was getting her visa for Turkey. It is very easy to go onto the wrong site.

Hard to have to keep scammers and con artists in mind on every occasion but also aware that normally sensible intelligent people get caught out when they become distracted for any reason. Lots of positive things about living in this day and age but sad that trust has become such an issue.

I nearly fell for that one Maw. Another one is renewing driving licence you have to make sure you go on the government sites.
The other sites are quite valid but they charge.