Have you paid for ESTA - How to claim a refund

[auntiebertie]

The Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) is a United States entry requirement for citizens of visa waiver countries. Unfortunately the ESTA program has been abused by websites which claim to be the official ESTA website. There is no charge to apply for ESTA. If you have paid to obtain your ESTA number, you are entitled to receive a full refund.
FOLLOW THESE STEPS TO RECEIVE YOUR MONEY BACK:
1. Contact your credit card company and dispute the transaction
2. Tell your credit card that you have not received any service and are a victim of fraud
3. Your credit card company will issue you a full refund within 2 days
Make sure you have a valid ESTA before you travel to the United State. Apply at the official U.S. government website: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov
Visit the ESTA help page for further information: https://esta.cbp.dhs....vel_Online_Help_1.htm
U.S. Consumer Protection Services

[jno]

What if the company taking your money has put your details into the official free site and got the Esta for you? You can't really claim you haven't got what you paid for. I would have thought it's a bit like buying an apple at Tesco's and then finding Asda does them cheaper: you can't claim your money back by saying you were overcharged.

I sympathise because I nearly got an Esta through a paysite myself before I realised I was in the wrong place. But the credit card companies might argue that this is a case of 'buyer beware'. Or have they definitely agreed to pay refunds?

[cc1]

Why should other credit card users pay for your mistake, it's been well publicised that ESTAs are free, and useless at the moment as entry forms still have to be filled in.

[jno]

the idea is the credit card companies are supposed to vet companies that use their services; they are more experienced and have more resources to find out if Company X is fraudulent than you or I have.

The Estas aren't exactly useless - you have to have one (unless you have a visa) or you won't get in. They're good for two years, I think.

[auntiebertie]

This was officialy passed to us at work so I thought it may be helpful to anyone who was ripped off.