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passportdirect.org.uk SCAM Ripped me off

bees

bees

VIP Member
Right, here we go,

Applied to renew my two daughters passports online.

Filled in the online form, paid £49 each, they say they send you pre printed forms
back, just add photos, old passport and counter signature etc.

Got forms back pre printed, checked details, and returned it with the old passport and photos etc
as requested.

Got a letter from passport office today saying I hadn't enclosed a fee, give them a ring and I can pay by credit card £46 each.

I explained I had paid when I filled in the forms online and the money had been taken from my bank.

The lady explained they had not received a payment as the company I filled in a form with are nothing to do
with HM Passport Office and have charged me for filling in their online form and using them as a checking service.

She explained they put a disclaimer on their website so they cannot be shut down and what they where doing was not illegal.

I checked, she was correct, I didn't notice, I just filled the online forms in thinking I was applying to the passport office.
I then had to pay the £92 to the real passport office to get the renewal done.

She also advised me I am not likely to get my money back but if I wanted to try, she suggested I write a letter or send an Email.

The reason for this is they also run a premium phone line service and I am likely to get a big phone bill too if I go down that route.

Here they are


https://passportdirect.org.uk/?gclid=COfWsbWkgLsCFSEOwwodkCsADQ


This is their address

Postal Address:
Passport Direct Trading Style of ECS Ltd
128-136 High St
Edgware
Middlesex
HA8 7TT

If any kind member is in the Essex area and feels the urge to throw a brick through their window
I will gladly pay an additional £98 if you send me a pic.

What a complete bunch if sh#ts, they know exactly what there up to the f#ckers !!!

Rant Over
 
I despise companies like this, I would get a letter sent in recorded and demand a refund although I doubt you will get owt back.

I have renamed the title for it to show clearly on google and uncoded the link so they will see this themselves.
 
Just to add to this for you Bees and anyone else that happens upon this

Cancellation/Refund Policy:

Under the Distance Selling Regulations, a consumer has seven days to cancel a contract. However, as our service fee is for the review and submission service we provide, and we provide it much before the end of the seventh day, it may not be possible to undo our service. By availing our service, you authorise us to start the work immediately and won't be entitled to cancel once the order is placed. Our processors work in real time and will in many cases have begun the review of your application within minutes of it being submitted online.

Refund requests must be submitted by email to info@passportdirect.org.uk. Any refund that may be agreed on an exceptional basis will be subject to a £15 admin fee.
Application Advice
Passport photos - you should not be smiling, and if you wear glasses in the photo the application is usually rejected. Photos should be taken on a white background.
Application Advice
It is recommended that your passport has at least six months validity when you travel. This is not necessary for all destinations.
 
They have got it all boxed off, they set out to mislead
and it's easy to miss it when you are not looking for it.

When you realise you have been had you can see the disclaimers etc

HiTeck said:
Any refund that may be agreed on an exceptional basis will be subject to a £15 admin fee.
Click to expand...

Just look at this, they are basically saying there is nothing down for you if you do complain.

They are proper cheeky b###ards
 
I had similar happen to me bees a couple of years ago with a loan company. I did manage to get my money back but I am a cu*t on the phone if I don't get my own way and ended up getting refunded but it was hard work. With them having a premium rate number it makes it even harder which is another crafty way of putting you off.

Disgusting and if you google them they have many complaints online, they will have another now that should rank high within the next few hours :)
 
Seen this on watchdog a couple of months back bees, being a postman send it special delivery that costs a bit more but you can check on the PO website that it was delivered and signed for RECORDED are not worth a it.
 
Yes Bees i also got stung from these people,new passport for friend of mine who is blind,didnt matter no refund,not illegal blah blah, b@stards.
 
It is just too easy for these type of scam artists to find the loopholes in the law, pity the legislators wouldn't close the loophole. these people prey on people who make the slight mistake of presuming that this is the official passport office.
 
Yep, you're right, don't even get me started on these payday loan companies !!!
iv'e ranted enough for tonight, lol
 
Hi All,

My wife got ripped off by this crowd last week, I've done some research and thought I should share my findings with you.

Registered Office:
Equity House,
128-136 High Street,
Edgware,
Middx,
HA8 7TT

Parent Company:
Elucidate Contractor Services Ltd.
Adress as above.

Directors:
Mr. Brett Alexandre Adams
Mr. Paul Warren Macatonia

Associated Business:
Plapop LLP,
18-20 Bourne Court,
Southend Road,
Woodford Green,
Essex,
IG8 8HD

Mr. Adams Home Address:
2 Shelly Grove,
Loughton,
Essex,
IG10 1BY.

That's all I've got for now, but this is just a mornings work with Google. Let's hunt down these cheats and show them that the British public won't take this sort of thing laying down
 
They are a shower of sh#tes,

I am now in a bad mood again !!!! lol

They have a little face book video on their homepage, you can leave some negative feedback there.

You need to click at the top of the video on the word "passportdirect" then you can leave a comment.

I know it's not much but I posted twice to make myself feel better ROFLROFL
 
Last edited:
passport problems

The same thing happened to me and I have found numerous examples online of others caught in same frustrating events

This was what happened to someone using the passport-uk .co.uk renewal service:

Unfortunately I was caught with the same [problem] earlier this month
unfortunately there appears to be very little anyone can do to recoup their loss
it’s time the Government stepped up to the plate and took some serious action!

, ASA, and Trading Standards and the Banks simply don’t want to know.
As a last resort I have sent the following to my MP.

If someone was to knock at my door and show me an official looking ID from the “Water Company”, a
nd I allowed him into the house and was subsequently robbed would a crime have been committed?

Geoffrey Laffoley-Lane was fined £175,000 back in 2009 when he was operating Plaza Telecom a premium rate phone [problem].
He is currently diddling people (operating IQ Channels LTD who are trading as passport-uk and estavisas.

The Advertising Standards Authority adjudicated on both trading companies on the 4th and 18th December 2013
and all the complaints were upheld.

Why has this LOW LIFE been able to get away with these [problem]s for so long?

IQ Channels latest accounts:
- Net Worth £3,047,671, Cash £315,340, Assets £405,463, Liabilities £357,792.

When a company can accumulate a Net Worth of over Three Million Pounds in such a short timescale
some sort of crime must have been committed.

Perhaps a “Distraction Burglary” of my bank account!

---------- Post Merged at 08:39 PM ----------

Hi - this is very interesting,

I have stupidly done the same thing this morning for 3 renewal passports at £69 each.

Once I realized that it was not the gov website

I tried to get my credit card company to intervene to no avail.

I too discovered the ASA web info on this company also this morning and

also passport uk.co.uk's circular cancellation policy

which means a refund is impossible to get.

My research also pointed to Mr G. L - Lane who seems to have connections to numerous companies.

I feel pretty sad and slightly stupid at making this costly mistake

but I am so sure that the intention of this kind of website is to extract cash for very little service

whilst protecting themselves with clever contractual small print.

I have emailed them asking for a refund but don't expect to hear back.

I just know that this kind of thing is morally reprehensible and clearly the company is using legal speak to absolve itself of responsibility.

I will of course be particularly careful in future.
 
I got caught too by Passport Direct to the tune of £69. They didn't do anything whatsoever for the money. I had to make another application through the Post Office, and predictably, they have stonewalled my requests for reimburement. The Passport Direct (and Elucidate) offices have now moved to Great Warley, but this is only a rented office space facility (i.e. a shell - as were the previous ones in Edgware). Paul Macatonia has a residence in Ilford and a close relation of his (probably a sister) Eve (who at a recent census was living at the same residence) is ... believe it or not ... a fraud barrister (Dr Johnson Chambers)! I can easily imagine what her main contribution to the family business is. I suspect that no one will ever catch up with Macatonia, unless HMRC do him, because if this is how he treats his customers, then I'm pretty sure there will be some tax skeletons in his cupboard (remember Al Capone)! Sadly, we'll all probably never know.
 
I too realised today that I have been scammed, £69 to renew my 9 year old's passport, fuming and feel so stupid for not realising it was a third party site. Though having seen I'm not the only one it shows how efficient these conmen are, I'm so so angry though!!
 
A bit more

Means of giving money to PAUL WARREN MACATONIA of 6 Ludham Close, Hainault, Ilford, Essex, United Kingdom, IG6 2GH For nothing.


paul.macatonia AT telcombs.co.uk

Lives at home with parents OR has given incorrect details to Companies House.

Appears that sister is a brief at No. 2 Dr. Johnson Chambers 0207 936 2613

He's even looking for PPi cold calling at callcentersindia.com/showall-orig.php?value1=68386_PPI_Reclaim_Leads_needed_upfront_payment

A total twunt. If I lived closer, i'd pop round for coffee with him.

You should have just refunded me Paul, I'm still not a happy bunny.
 
Well so much info on this /these guys lets just hope someone eventually catches up with them. I've tweeted the Post Office and posted on their Facebook (they did reply but my message has been removed) I feel public awareness is the way to go, if everyone hears about this there won't be as many people falling for this scam!! Also phoned my local Post Office and e-mailed my MP. Just difficult to let this go as I know they are still getting money from unsuspecting people!!
 
scammers

I got done applying for a C.S.C.S. card for work. The ad said FREE everywhere, I ended up paying £30 to them for the privilege of them booking my appointment for me. Which I thought I was doing anyway!!
Bloomin scammers!! :(
 
An idea

If you've been scammed by this shower of doodoos, just do a google search for uk passport renewal, find the paid advert and click on it, going rate for them on a click through is about £4.50. Get all your mates to do it as well.
 
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