Steer clear of search engines – and ALWAYS use the official site

AVOID making an online search for a passport, European Health Insurance Card or driving licence using search engines such as Google, Bing or Yahoo. Instead, search via the Government website gov. uk. Tap gov.uk into the address bar – not into a search engine.

SEARCH for international travel visas such as the US Esta or Canadian Eta using the relevant Government website. The electronic travel authorisations should cost you only 14 US dollars and 7 Canadian dollars. There is no advantage in paying extra.

BE AWARE that if you do carry out an online search paid-for ads appear at the top. The official services are likely to turn up a few places down the list.

DO NOT rush into completing applications online. Check the website is official. This might require reading beyond the first few paragraphs. The website that misled our case study, Ras Dhesi, tags a disclaimer low down on the first page – as well as burying it in its 21 pages of terms and conditions. Such disclaimers should ring alarm bells – log off.

FIGHT back. Chase the website for a refund. Most will state they do not offer money back but it is worth a try. The trickster might calculate that returning your payment is a price worth paying not to attract unwanted attention to its methods. Mike Andrews, of National Trading Standards, says: ‘Even if they have to write off 10 per cent of business they are still making money.’

ATTEMPT a refund via your bank. If you used a credit or debit card to make the purchase, you may be able to get your money back via Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act or the bank’s chargeback scheme.

REPORT a copycat website to trading standards via the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 03454 040506 and to the relevant search engine.