Private website for UK ETA was it a scam?

This is the official government site where I got an ETA online on a desktop computer and most here have reported not having any problems:
https://www.gov.uk/eta

Anything with a .com is for profit.

I realize I messed up but the site seems legitimate but of course extra profit.
I just wondered if anyone used this site and received their verification or if I should just redo on the gov’t app and take the hit
Cancel my credit card I used

I assume you also had to give them personal details and passport number ...? The mind boggles, if this is a scam you could be in trouble. Or maybe you will still get your ETA, and just turn out to be a little poorer.

Lavandula

Did you receive emails from UK Visas and Immigration? You should have received two, one confirming receipt, and one approval, including a reference number. If you haven't, I would do the application again using the official site.

Give it a couple of days. If you don't receive anything from the UK government regarding the ETA then you will probably have to do it again.

Is this the site? https://unitedkingdometa.com/

Once approved, you'll receive your ETA decision via email. It will be linked to your current passport, allowing you to enter the UK using that passport.

Have you received an email with a decision? If not, how long has it been?

You paid £55 for something that would have cost only £16 if you had used the government website. I’m not sure if this qualifies as a scam, but I can fully understand you feel like you were scammed.
Please let us know if you do receive your ETA. When applied through the official website, the ETA applications are usually approved within minutes. So if you haven’t received any decision yet, they may have not submitted the application which give you the chance to retrieve your money back from your credit card.

If you download the app The official one, off the App store or Google Play) you can verify status by scanning your passport once you receive word of acceptance.

Is it a scam? If you do not get your ETA, then yeah, if you do, then maybe not.

All you have to do is look on this site at the number of people with questions, problems, and issues. Paying someone to facilitate the process, answer questions, and guide you if there are issues, is not a scam, it is providing a service, like paying a travel consultant to book hotels, develop an itinerary, and buy train tickets for you, all things you could do for yourself as well. What that is worth in cost is up to your own judgement.

But yes, there are many commercial sites out there, willing to make a buck off you, or just blatantly take your money and provide nothing in return.

Well of course it is a scam! Paying someone different more than 40£ extra for an unneeded service is someone scamming you - even if you do end up with the ETA. I don't see how people are saying this isn't a scam.

(I mean yes, it's more of a scam if you don't even get the ETA, but they are still scamming you by making you pay them money that you don't need to pay them even if you do receive it.)

Kim, you're right. The UK government shouldn't allow these companies to process ETA applications and profit from it.

Well of course it is a scam!

It's not a scam, it's neither fraud nor is it dishonest however it is objectionable. It's simply people capitalising on other people's naivety and failure to undertake a bit of due diligence.

Here is what you get if you follow the link to "start your application" offered on the Delta Airlines website - at "Explore Destinations and Travel Requirements":

https://sherpa-widget.joinsherpa.io/applications/products/GBR_ETA__GROUPA?appId=spg2ODU1Nj&elementId=zc2OT&sdkVersion=v2&runningInIframe=true&affiliateId=deltaelements&language=en-US&currency=USD&placement=visa-map&elementTouchpoint=tripElementAccordionView-visa-map&amp_device_id=ae8d5736-5c84-48e1-ad7d-2e417fbd5ac1

The facilitator is Sherpa - they add a $9.00 fee for the convenience of using their service - the total price quoted in USD is currently $31.21. Note that Delta only offers a direct link to the government site under See Details and Exemptions .

A scam? Not at all - just as tours on Viator aren't a scam, Just a way to generate revenue by offering a marketing channel and convenience.

Marckcw, I see what you're saying, but I'm a little concerned that the Sherpa site describes the ETA as a "multiple entry visa" when it's not a visa.

I'm surprised an airline would provide a link to a third party facilitator. I fly Singapore Airlines to the UK, and they provide a link to the official UKVI site.

I see what you're saying, but I'm a little concerned that the Sherpa site describes the ETA as a "multiple entry visa" when it's not a visa.

I'm not in any way advocating using Sherpa on Delta - simply pointing out that here is a major airline offering a third-party service. And note that in some cases a link is provided to an official government website - for example, someone holding a passport from India visiting Australia will be given a link to an official site in Australia.

I used the official UK application site to apply 2 months ago,it was amazingly easy and FAST.
I was approved in 10 minutes and received the official document 10 minutes thereafter.
I'll be using it when I fly to London from Stockholm in a few days.
The document says the ETA is linked to your passport number and when the passport barcode is scanned the ETA is visible.
Of course I have the email document on my phone as well.