Copycat road toll websites cost drivers more than £2.2m

More than a third of motorists use search engines, social media or click on an advert to find websites to pay for road tolls – but risk landing on fraudulent sites, paying inflated fees, and receiving fines for non-payment.

The warning from National Trading Standards comes after two men who operated more than 40 fraudulent copycat websites that generated more than £2.25 million in revenue, were sentenced at Bristol Crown Court.

Websites operated by Thomas William Gall (42) and Shezad Parvez (46) mimicked official government websites and targeted honest motorists paying for charges relating to the Dartford Crossing, London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) and the Mersey Gateway Bridge, amongst others. 

Gall and Parvez used misleading website addresses and search engine adverts to trick thousands of drivers into thinking they were using official sites. Victims were routinely charged inflated fees, with many paying £7.50 to use the Dartford Crossing; at the time the genuine cost was £2.50.

In many cases the criminals pocketed the difference, but often payments were not passed to the official body, leading motorists to receive penalty charges.

Gall was jailed for two years and three months and disqualified from acting as a company director for 10 years. Parvez received a two-year sentence, suspended for two years, and was ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work and up to 20 rehabilitation activity days. He was also disqualified from company directorships for six years.

According to National Trading Standards, of the 34% of drivers who use search engines or social media to find payment sites, more than a quarter (26%) paid handling charges, which are not required if you pay directly. One in five have paid more than they expected and 17% have been fined for non-payment.

Mike Andrews, head of the National Trading Standards eCrime team, said: “Victims in this case were ordinary people trying to do the right thing before making their journeys. Many were left frustrated and out of pocket, often only realising they’d been misled after receiving a fine. 

“Copycat sites remain a problem and it’s clear from our research that huge numbers of people are paying more than they need to for straightforward services.  We’re urging motorists to take a moment to check they’re on the official website when paying tolls or emission charges. The easiest way is to go to the road toll page at gov.uk and search from there.” 

What Car? says: 

It’s tempting to click on the first website you find, especially after a long drive, but drivers should take a few extra moments to ensure they’re using the correct site. Some of these road toll services offer an auto-pay or pre-payment service which can take some of the stress out of paying, especially during the Christmas period.

If you believe you’ve used a fraudulent site, you should contact your bank immediately and report it to the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 0808 223 1133. 

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Read more: Dart Charges – and how to pay for the Dartford Crossing