My SIL paid for ESTA form, think it might be a con?

[sara969]

I was out last night and sister in-law phoned me to say that she has sorted her families ESTA form and paid £12 for it.
I am sure that i heard that the ESTA form is free to complete if you are on the correct website.
Has she used a con website?

I was given this website for ESTA and this site says nothing about a fee to complete the form.

https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/esta....kA68EFBC8-78DA-8E8A-5B97-0786032C844D#content

Thanks everyone

 

[arielrocks]

Yes - sorry to say shes been duped!

Its FREE to apply for it.

she could report it to her card company to try and get her money back?

 

[craigs bride]

this is the one i've used and i havnt had to pay a thing .....sounds like your sil was conned
not sure if they will be useable .im sure someone else can let you know about it .

 

[Pegasus928]

Definately a con.
There was a news report on this a few weeks ago and what the conmen are doing is trying to get hold of the information required for identity cloning.
You can see the full report here

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK...eBannedByASA,SkyNewsLearns&lpos=searchresults

If I am honest I would be less concerned about the £12 I have lost and more worried about what is happening with my passport details.

 

[sara969]

Thanks everyone, ive just phoned her to tell her.
Luckily she has paid using Paypal so will hopefully be able to get her money back.
I have also sent her the link to the proper website.
I thought she it was a con because i remember someone telling me that the ESTA is free to fill out.
Thanks so much for your help

 

[Stitch's Greatest Fa]

She will of course need to fill in the real ESTA now

 

[loobylou44]

This is slightly off topic but similar. The EHIC card for European travel is also free, but if you google it you can get taken to sites which charge, so beware.

 

[sara969]

Thanks everyone, we have filled in the correct ESTA now.

But we are not travelling until the beginning of May 2010, so will the ESTA run out ??

How long does the ESTA last?? I am now worried that we have done it too early?

Also need to ask ....

My daughters passport isnt the new chip passport.
It was issued on the 19th December 2005

Can she travel on this passport via the visa waiver system or does she need the new chip passport?

She was only 1 month old baby on the passport, so she dosnt look anything like she looks now, im worried they will be strict about her photo.
Also cus she hasnt got the passport with the chip in it.

 

[sara969]

This is slightly off topic but similar. The EHIC card for European travel is also free, but if you google it you can get taken to sites which charge, so beware.

Gosh there are so many awful cons about, its terrible

 

[natalielongstaff]

how terrible ! seems there is a con for everything these days

 

[Pegasus928]

Thanks everyone, we have filled in the correct ESTA now.

But we are not travelling until the beginning of May 2010, so will the ESTA run out ??

How long does the ESTA last?? I am now worried that we have done it too early?

Also need to ask ....

My daughters passport isnt the new chip passport.
It was issued on the 19th December 2005

Can she travel on this passport via the visa waiver system or does she need the new chip passport?

She was only 1 month old baby on the passport, so she dosnt look anything like she looks now, im worried they will be strict about her photo.
Also cus she hasnt got the passport with the chip in it.

Once you have filled in the ESTA it lasts for 2 years - as stated on their website - so you should be OK.

I would also say that if your daughters passport is still in date it should be be OK. Maybe you could check on the passport website and see if it offers any official guidance.

Going back to your original post though I would seriously consider what steps you need to take in relation to the information that has been given to the fake ESTA site. The last thing you need is for SIL to get to Florida and find out she can't gain entry because her passport details have been stolen and used for something illegal.

 

[anthony2k7]

Thanks everyone, we have filled in the correct ESTA now.

But we are not travelling until the beginning of May 2010, so will the ESTA run out ??

How long does the ESTA last?? I am now worried that we have done it too early?

Also need to ask ....

My daughters passport isnt the new chip passport.
It was issued on the 19th December 2005

Can she travel on this passport via the visa waiver system or does she need the new chip passport?

She was only 1 month old baby on the passport, so she dosnt look anything like she looks now, im worried they will be strict about her photo.
Also cus she hasnt got the passport with the chip in it.

Mornin Sara!

If you have done a proper ESTA application it will tell you when it expires. It is normally 2 yrs, but if the passport expires before the 2 years then it also expires on the date of the passport.

 

[sara969]

Once you have filled in the ESTA it lasts for 2 years - as stated on their website - so you should be OK.

I would also say that if your daughters passport is still in date it should be be OK. Maybe you could check on the passport website and see if it offers any official guidance.

Going back to your original post though I would seriously consider what steps you need to take in relation to the information that has been given to the fake ESTA site. The last thing you need is for SIL to get to Florida and find out she can't gain entry because her passport details have been stolen and used for something illegal.

Thanks i will tell her to call the passport office to explain to them whats happened. That would be awful if that happened

 

[sara969]

I know my daughter has 7 months left on her passport from Date of travel.
So i think sheshould be ok really but I am just a little bit concerned about her photograph as she was only 1 month old when the photo was taken, and she will be 4yrs old at time of travel so she looks totally different on her passport photograph.
Im wondering whether to just renew it just be safe than sorry.
Many thanks

 

[ford family]

She will of course need to fill in the real ESTA now

Not necessarily. Most of these sites actually process the ESTA correctly. The only difference is that they charge you a fee which you could have avoided.

ford family

 

[wayneg]

I know my daughter has 7 months left on her passport from Date of travel.
So i think sheshould be ok really but I am just a little bit concerned about her photograph as she was only 1 month old when the photo was taken, and she will be 4yrs old at time of travel so she looks totally different on her passport photograph.
Im wondering whether to just renew it just be safe than sorry.
Many thanks

If you feel happier with a new passport then do it, you can add upto 9 months from an old passport onto a new one so you would not lose out.
Text from Passport office.

When you should apply
You do not have to wait until your old passport expires to apply to renew it. If there is any time left on your old passport, IPS will add it to your new passport, up to maximum of nine months. You can renew your passport whenever you wish, but IPS cannot carry over more than nine months from your old passport to your new one.

 

[howlongtillsummer?]

It is very disappointing that when you Google esta the first site which comes up is a paid one (at least it did for me!)

You would hope someone is working hard on closing these down!

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

It is very disappointing that when you Google esta the first site which comes up is a paid one (at least it did for me!)

You would hope someone is working hard on closing these down!

Actually, whilst they may be not to everyones taste, they are not illegal.

Google is known to put sites in order of who pays them the most

 

[wickesy]

You would hope someone is working hard on closing these down!

Unless it can be proved they are doing something illegal then it's very difficult to do, and even if they were closed down others would spring up in their place. It isn't confined to ESTA either, Dad looked into getting a European Health Insurance Card the other day and similar sites came up for that.

 

[howlongtillsummer?]

Oh my goodness! What a sad reflection on society.