{"id":12168,"date":"2023-07-05T08:56:44","date_gmt":"2023-07-05T08:56:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.theukrules.co.uk\/?page_id=12168"},"modified":"2023-09-22T06:18:29","modified_gmt":"2023-09-22T06:18:29","slug":"copycat-websites","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.theukrules.co.uk\/rules\/media\/website\/copycat-websites\/","title":{"rendered":"Copycat Website Examples | How to Avoid Paying the Copycats"},"content":{"rendered":"

SHYSTER SITES<\/strong>: A web savvy, money saving expert would not pay for a service which they can do for free by themselves.<\/p>\n

But, that is exactly how copycat websites can cost you money. They charge a fee to process, or to renew, official documents that are in fact ‘gratis’.<\/p>\n

Copycat websites, and other misleading sites, use imitation and likeness to trick users. So, how easy is it for a fake government website to fool consumers and how can you spot a copycat website?<\/p>\n

You do not need to be a computer geek to identify a fraudster website. But, you do need to learn a few basic steps.<\/p>\n

A copycat website will offer the same services as many of the government departments (e.g. HMRC). But, the lookalike copycats will not be the ‘official site’.<\/p>\n

It is easy to get fooled by the reproduction. It will look like a dead ringer for the official website. But, it is a copy (almost a carbon copy).<\/p>\n

How do the website fraudsters make money? In most cases, they charge a premium to conduct the same services offered for free by a genuine agency. In doing so, it is difficult to see any tangible benefits for the customer to pay the fee.<\/p>\n

Some ways copycat websites accomplish this:<\/p>\n

They need to achieve high positions in the search engines (e.g. Google, Bing, Yahoo). The use of some website tools helps them rank high on the page. Often, the position ranks above the actual authority website.<\/p>\n

What is the outcome? The copycat site appears to be the ‘authorised’ government site and gets the mouse click by a consumer.<\/p>\n

There are other cunning ways that shyster sites imitate and impersonate. Some have a website address designed to confuse customers with the official website. To the untrained eye, the spitting image will feature a similar look and feel. Often, the brand design will be mimicking the original.<\/p>\n

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Being Mislead by Copycat Websites<\/h2>\n

The number of complaints made to government services is increasing. People have been complaining about the cost of being mislead by website copies.<\/p>\n

But here’s the kicker:<\/p>\n

They reveal cases of high charges for access to public services by knockoff sites. In almost all cases, accessing the exact same service through the official GOV.UK website is free. In cases where there is a charge, the official site turns out to be a lot cheaper.<\/p>\n

Common complaints about the replicas include:<\/p>\n