Fake Government Portal Refundable Fee Scam

A web page copies an official government service portal and claims there is a problem with an application or record. It asks for personal details and says the correction is free apart from a small identity-check fee that it claims will be refunded. The page is not run by the government. The claimed refund does not establish that a payment is safe or that any money will be returned. The documented variation does not establish a payment method or completed payment.

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Fake Government Portal Refundable Fee Scam example

How this scam works

  1. 1

    Step 1: A link leads to a page claiming there is a problem with a government application or record, such as a name that does not match an ID.

  2. 2

    Step 2: The link opens a page that copies the official portal, with the government's logos, colours and links to the real website, but the form sits on an address the government does not use.

  3. 3

    Step 3: The page asks for a few details, such as your name and phone number, and says the correction is free apart from a small identity check fee that will be refunded.

  4. 4

    Step 4: The fee claim encourages you to continue. A promised refund is not proof that the charge is legitimate. In the documented variation, the payment window contents and behavior after submission were not captured.

✓ Do this

  • Check any problem with an application by typing the official government website address yourself or visiting the office in person.
  • Look at the full web address before entering details and check it against the address published independently by the relevant government agency.
  • If you already paid or shared payment details, contact your bank or mobile wallet provider straight away.
  • Report the page and the message that linked to it to the agency being copied.

✗ Avoid this

  • Do not pay a fee through a link you were sent, even if the amount is very small or called refundable.
  • Do not trust a page because it shows government logos or links to the real government site.
  • Never share a PIN, password or one-time code to confirm your identity.

Other scams in Impersonation / Social Media

Other documented patterns in this category.

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