The day that drivers across London have been dreading is almost finally here, as the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) is set to double in size tomorrow.
The expansion, which will be introduced by Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, will mean ULEZ covers almost all of Greater London.
Now, experts from Which? have warned that scammers are targeting drivers trying to pay the ULEZ charge, with several hoax websites appearing online.
While drivers should only pay £12.50, these websites trick you into paying considerably more – and some even set up continuous payments that could cost you thousands.
Here’s how to spot the scam websites, and what to do if you’ve paid on one of them.
The day that drivers across London have been dreading is almost finally here, as the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) is set to double in size tomorrow
Now, experts from Which? have warned that scammers are targeting drivers trying to pay the ULEZ charge, with several hoax websites appearing online (stock image)
The scam was first flagged to Which? by a member of the public, who inadvertently paid a company called ‘Ulezpayservice’, rather than the official Transport for London (TfL) website.
The driver was driving through Stanmore last month when they spotted a sign that stated they were entering a ULEZ zone.
After searching on Google, they clicked on an advert they assumed took them to the official website to pay the ULEZ charge.
They filled in their personal details, and later found a charge of £17.50 to ‘Ulezpayservice’ on their bank account.
Worryingly, their bank later informed them that this was a continuous payment, meaning they’d be charged monthly.
These adverts are shown above the TfL website in the Google search results, making it particularly easy for users to fall for them.
‘We’re concerned about the number of dodgy websites taking out adverts on Google, which appear at the top of results when people attempt to pay for parking or the ULEZ charge,’ Which? said.
Which? flagged the adverts to Google, which confirmed it has taken action.
If you need to pay a ULEZ charge, make sure you only do it through the official TfL website. Pictured: one of the scam websites
These adverts are shown above the TfL website in the Google search results, making it particularly easy for users to fall for them
‘Protecting users is our top priority and we have strict ads policies that govern the types of ads and advertisers we allow on our platforms,’ a Google spokesperson said.
‘We enforce our policies vigorously, and if we find ads that are in violation we remove them.
‘We continue to invest significant resources to stop bad actors and we are constantly evaluating and updating our policies and improving our technology to keep our users safe.’
If you need to pay a ULEZ charge, make sure you only do it through the official TfL website.
A TfL spokesperson said: ‘Payments for our road user charging schemes should only be made through the official TfL website.
‘Unfortunately, internet search engines don’t always suggest the official TfL webpage at the top of their search results.
‘This means that people may be offered a link to an unofficial payment site, which can often overcharge.
‘We are sorry to hear of any customers that may have been caught out in this way.’
Meanwhile, if you have accidentally paid on one of these scam sites, Which? advises contacting your bank immediately to block any recurring payments.
If the payment has already left your account, you can ask your car provider for a full refund.
Lisa Webb, Which? Consumer Law Expert, said: ‘It’s disappointing that rip-off copycat websites are squeezing extra money out of people paying ULEZ charges, leaving them out of pocket in return for zero benefit.
‘Search engines must take more responsibility for ads that appear on their platforms.
‘Google needs to stick to its own terms and conditions by ensuring only official websites can advertise on its platform for official services.
‘Unfortunately, as it stands, it is up to consumers to make sure they steer clear of copycat websites that will sting them with unnecessary extra charges and instead visit the official TfL website to pay any ULEZ charges.
