I was wondering if it happens to you or someone you know, to pay for a service on internet (scam website page), without getting the service, here it was a National Insurance Number. And well, the thing is I have been opening disputes about it on Monzo account but I got nothing, and it has been more than a month now, I just got the answer to wait, but for what? I don’t know. So I have 35 pounds in the air, that I really would like to get back, as I didn’t get the service I paid for…
Do you have any idea how I could do that? The website page is EasyNino. Would appreciate some help as arriving in the UK during this covid time has been nothing except difficult, so a little help would be sincerely appreciate.
The problem is, although the site is clearly a scam site, in that they’re selling a bullshit service, they skirt around the law by saying that you’re paying them for the ‘extra’ service of ‘checking’ your application for you.
They have a disclaimer right at the bottom of their site for this.
It’s bullshit, complete bullshit - but to the letter of law, they didn’t do anything ‘wrong’, as you paid them for an ‘extra’ service, which they will insist they delivered and that they made it ‘clear’ you could’ve gone elsewhere if you wanted to.
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You can apply for a National Insurance number for free by contacting Jobcentre Plus directly, however, you will not receive any of the benefits provided by our services.
As above, you have not been scammed - you got the service you paid for (I assume. If you did not then that is a different matter). It isn’t a scam website or a fake website, it is just a company charging for a service.
Now, that said, when I needed some Spanish paperwork I deliberately chose to use a similar service for the peace of mind it was being done correctly. Granted there was a different language involved which I was not fluent in - but I decided to pay for a provider to make sure it was done correct for me.
It’s a similar website to one my partner fell victim to when applying for a tourist visa in the USA. She entered all her details into the middle man site, paid £40 or so and got her visa. Had she gone direct it would have been around £20
They offer a “service” in exchange for a fee that is more than what it would cost to go direct to the official site.
They just take the details you give them and enter them on the official website and make a bit of buck out of it. Acting as the middle man.
It’s shit, but they often end up at the top of google search results so you think they are the proper sites
It’s no different than the Post office check and send service for passport applications. They charge you extra money and check your passport application before sending. It’s costs you extra than it would not having/using the service, are the post office scamming no. Would I get a refund from Monzo if my passport application was still rejected no.
It seems that everyone is using abusing the charge back service these days, so processes have been put in place to protect Monzo and comply with the law, but it makes the process less slick for the purchaser as they don’t get their money back until the issue is resolved.