Official ESTA fee is $21
Similar agency sites charge up to $145
Refunds not allowed, making damage relief difficult
Mr. A, who was preparing for a trip to the United States, heard from an acquaintance that applying for visa-free entry using the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) would simplify the immigration process. He searched for 'ESTA application' on Google. After accessing the website displayed at the top of the screen, he entered his personal information and paid a fee of $135. However, the website Mr. A used was not the official site operated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The official ESTA site charges a fee of $21. Mr. A realized this fact later and requested a refund, but he was unable to properly contact the company. In the end, he did not get his $135 back.
There have been reports of consumers obtaining Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) through overseas agency websites instead of the official U.S. Department of Homeland Security website (esta.cbp.dhs.gov) and paying excessive fees, prompting a warning for consumer caution. The top photo shows the official website, while the bottom photo shows an agency site, which is designed to look very similar to the official site. [Photo by Korea Consumer Agency]
The Korea Consumer Agency has issued a warning as consultations continue to be received regarding excessive fees paid through overseas agency sites that are not the official U.S. Department of Homeland Security website for obtaining ESTA. According to the Consumer Agency on the 11th, there have been a total of 8 consumer consultations related to ESTA submitted to the International Transaction Consumer Portal this year. Reviewing the consultations, 6 cases involved consumers accessing overseas agency sites exposed as advertisements after searching for 'ESTA' on internet portal sites and paying excessive fees.
These agency sites use terms such as 'official' or 'ESTA' in their website or site names, or design their web pages to resemble the official website, causing consumer confusion. While the official U.S. Department of Homeland Security website charges a $21 fee for issuing ESTA, these agencies charged between $98 and $145, which is 4 to 6 times the official fee. The Consumer Agency stated, "Many of these agencies disclose 'no refunds' at the bottom of their websites, making it difficult for consumers to expect refunds even if they raise objections to the business."
On internet portals such as Naver and Daum, when searching for 'ESTA,' the official U.S. Electronic Travel Authorization website is displayed at the top, with advertising sites shown below. Furthermore, the official website and advertising sites are clearly separated into distinct sections with explicit labels such as 'advertisement.' The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also guides that the official U.S. government ESTA website is 'esta.cbp.dhs.gov' and that ESTA can be easily applied for without using agency services.
However, on Google, advertising sites appear first, followed by the official website. Moreover, there is no separate section or shading to distinguish between the official website and advertising sites, making it difficult to differentiate. In response, the Consumer Agency plans to request Google to take measures to prevent consumer damage. A Consumer Agency official stated, "When applying for ESTA, the official U.S. government website should be used," and added, "If you paid fees through an overseas agency but are eligible for a refund according to the terms and conditions, you can apply for consultation through the International Transaction Consumer Portal."
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