Government squeeze is too little, too late

HALLELUJAH! That was my reaction to the Government’s announcement last week that it intends to put the ‘squeeze’ on ‘misleading’ websites.

By misleading it means those that are set up to impersonate Government agency websites to hoodwink consumers.

They have grown like a rash. They are profitable, poorly regulated and fuelled by greedy search engines that are happy to promote them ahead of official sites in return for advertising fees.

Since December, I have been bombarded with letters from despairing readers caught out by them. Most fell into the trap of using Taxreturngateway to file their tax return, incurring an unnecessary processing fee of between £150 and £1,000.

Despite my pleading with Revenue & Customs, the Advertising Standards Authority, Google and Action Fraud to do something to stop the site in its tracks, all turned the other way.

Google did get it to put more warnings on its opening page stating it was unofficial – but they are of little comfort to those who have already been caught out.

Trading Standards officers armed with more than 300 complaints visited Who4’s offices. But they decided to do nothing. All they advised was to contact Who4 or speak to Citizens Advice.

All this brings me back to last week’s announcement. Hallelujah, but too little, too late.