Warning issued over blue badge internet scam

National Trading Standards has issued a warning to the public about scam websites which seek to fleece disabled people out of money.

A website, designed to look like the official government portal, has been set up that charges users over the odds for applying for blue parking badges.

Stephen Forster, of the National Trading Standards eCrime Team, said: “Trading standards officers across England and Wales are getting complaints about a copycat website that charges disabled motorists £49 for applying for blue badges they can get for £10 from their local council.

“People searching for disabled blue parking badges can easily end up on the copycat site, because the company behind the site uses online techniques to rank higher in search than the councils who officially supply them. People are often unaware they are on the wrong site.”

Anyone who needs to apply for a disabled blue parking badge, can do so from the following, legitamate site: https://www.gov.uk/apply-blue-badge

Copycat websites charge consumers premium prices for government services they can get for free or cheaper from GOV.UK. If you ever need to search for a government service, don’t use a search engine, go to GOV.UK and search there instead.Youtube video here