Police warn of fake UK visa website

Police on Tuesday warned that members of the public have reported being defrauded by websites purporting to offer visas for entry to the United Kingdom, and as such advised people to exercise caution while attempting to acquire visas.

They said they had received a complaint regarding a website “which resembles the official United Kingdom website through which applications for entry into the country are accepted”.

Through that website, they said, applicants “proceed with the process for issuing an entry permit, entering their personal information as well as their banking details”.

However, they said, would-be applicants who enter their details into the website then had their bank accounts raided, with the perpetrators “succeeding in extracting sums of money from the applicants’ bank accounts”.

As such, they warned the public to “be cautious in their transactions” and to “verify the identity or status of the individuals or organisations with which they enter into any communication or transaction”.

This, it said, should be done “by communicating through their official communication channels”.