Non EA Website Applies Unneccessary Charges to Anglers

[FishingMagic]

This is a dedicated thread for discussing article: Non EA Website Applies Unneccessary Charges to Anglers

[Ron The Hat Clay]

I cannot understand how members of the public can be duped into paying £14.00 over the top of a new licence from what is obviously an illegal operation. I hope the police do something really useful for a change and round up those responsible, making sure that they serve many many years in jail and a message is sent out that we don't want *******s like you lot around. This is extortion of the worst kind.

I took my licence reminder to the PO the other day, paid my £18.00 and in 2 days my licence was in the post. No problems at all.

[Peter Jacobs]

Why is this 'obviously illegal Ron?

The chap is simply offering a 'service' to others for a fee; nothing illegal in that!
Granted that it is a little on the sly side and maybe even approaching immoral, but still perfectly legal.

Personally I agree with you that I cannot see how anyone would be taken in by this, but illegal it certainly is not.

[peter crabtree]

Who supplies rod licences to this individual to sell in the first place?

[Peter Jacobs]

Originally Posted by peter crabtree

Who supplies rod licences to this individual to sell in the first place?

No one.

He simply offers the service of 'checking' your application for basic errors and afterwards sends off the application (duly checked of course) to the EA who will issue the license.

simples . . . . . as the Meerkat says . . . . . .

And anyone who is taken in by this, and pays the extra 14 pounds is even more 'simples'

[Ron The Hat Clay]

Of course it's illegal Peter - horribly so. The sort of people who might get taken in with this sort of **** are the not so intelligent or the ill informed. But we should all know where we get our licences by this time.

I might let it go if the surcharge was 5 pence, but not £14 bloody pounds.

It's an illegal scam of which there are far too many on web sites.

[Peter Jacobs]

Originally Posted by Ron The Hat Clay

Of course it's illegal Peter - horribly so. The sort of people who might get taken in with this sort of **** are the not so intelligent or the ill informed. But we should all know where we get our licences by this time.

I might let it go if the surcharge was 5 pence, but not £14 bloody pounds.

It's an illegal scam of which there are far too many on web sites.

Sorry Ron, go back to your Law Books, it ain't illegal!

The sum charged bears no relation to the acts legality or otherwise, it is simply a fee payable for a 'service' and as much as we all might dislike it, or find it even distasteful; it ain't illegal.

It can be reported to The Office of Fair Trading, here:

Consumer Direct  - The Office of Fair Trading

[peter crabtree]

I suppose it's like booking a holiday yourself, or using a travel agent who will charge a fee for doing it for you......
not illegal......

[Peter Jacobs]

Originally Posted by peter crabtree

I suppose it's like booking a holiday yourself, or using a travel agent who will charge a fee for doing it for you......
not illegal......

Exactly, or indeed the use of any fee-paid serivce.

Your accountant for the 'service' of filing your tax return, your solicitor for filing planning applications etc. etc., all 'services' for which a fee is payable.

That we might believe the 'fees' to be exorbitant or downright outrageous doesn't make the act illegal.

That some people are dim enough to be taken in by this sort of 'service' is sad, but even that doesn't make it illegal either.

[Jeff Woodhouse]

Originally Posted by Peter Jacobs

That some people are dim enough to be taken in by this sort of 'service' is sad, but even that doesn't make it illegal either.

I wish they'd make dim people illegal, but that would put Jeremy Kyle out of work.