{"id":13290,"date":"2013-07-14T00:40:20","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T23:40:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.diaryofanadi.co.uk\/?p=13290"},"modified":"2013-07-14T00:40:20","modified_gmt":"2013-07-13T23:40:20","slug":"another-theory-test-scamming-site-is-caught","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/diaryofanadi.co.uk\/?p=13290","title":{"rendered":"Another Theory Test Scamming Site Is Caught"},"content":{"rendered":"

I wrote recently about how Book Your Practical Test Online Ltd. had been found in breach<\/a> of various advertising codes of practice by the ASA. It was the \"Booksecond time that same company had been found in breach in six months \u2013 the first was when they had deliberately used the old Directgov livery on their site to make themselves look exactly like the then official DSA booking site.<\/p>\n

In this latest case from the Daily Mirror, \u201cbook-theory-test-online\u201d (the site is currently down, probably as a result of this)<\/a> \u2013 run by Waqar Ashraf, of Saltley, Birmingham \u2013 has been fined \u00a385,000 for its own scamming attempts.<\/p>\n

Ashraf gave a \u201cpass protection guarantee\u201d, where you were guaranteed a free re-test if you failed. But the small print said you only got that if you scored 42 out of 50 (the pass mark is 43\/50). Any other score made you ineligible. But Ashraf also used 0905 premium rate numbers, and as well as the basic \u00a331 for the test people were paying around \u00a352 on phone calls. One person was charged \u00a395 on calls alone.<\/p>\n

\"BookIt was that phone line scam that Ashraf was fined for by the premium rate phone line regulator PhonepayPlus. Several of those who complained also stated that they thought they were phoning the DSA. As well as the \u00a385,000 fine, Ashraf has been ordered to refund all the complainants in full within 28 days.<\/p>\n

According to the Mirror a second company, Book Your Theory Test Limited \u2013 owned by Farhan Reham (Rehman) – had also been slated for charging an additional \u00a328.50 for \u201cunlimited re-tests\u201d, but its small print also made the same 42\/50 proviso as Ashraf. The business address Reham\/Rehman uses for that scam is the same one Ashraf has been using. A third scam site \u2013 book-your-driving test \u2013 is also listed as operating from that same address. As the Mirror says:<\/p>\n

\n

It’s a bogus address, none of them have offices there.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

It\u2019s a bogus address, and a bogus operation. A complete scam. All of these sites are. The only place anyone should go is the official DSA website, where the test costs \u00a331 and a test date is available instantly at the time of booking (though it might be a few weeks away).<\/p>\n

Use the QR codes above by scanning them using your smartphone to book your theory or practical tests. Alternatively:<\/p>\n