It’s easy to spot a site that’s obviously a scam, but there are some sites out there that look trustworthy that aren’t exactly forthcoming. The following 3 sites aren’t technically “scam” websites, but they can easily have you paying more than you bargained for if you don’t pay attention. Here are 3 misleading sites to be on the lookout for:

USPassportOnline

 

 

 

 

 

While this site does make it pretty clear that they are not affiliated with the US government, it can be easy to skip over that part of the page.

Even with the warnings, charging a processing fee, a non-refundable reservation fee, and $30 for shipping seems a bit excessive. And if you read the terms and conditions, you’ll see that what’s being offered is only a courier service.
How much money are we talking about here? It depends on how fast you want your application to be delivered. Within 24 hours, you’re looking at $300. A priority service (3-5 days) will set you back $200. The standard service, 8-12 days, costs $100.

To actually renew your passport, all you have to do is fill out a form and submit it online or mail it to the US State Department. It should cost you about $160.

Schengen Visa Services

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you’re going to visit Europe and you need a Visa, a Schengen Visa is a good choice as it allows you to travel between 25 countries in the Schengen area. But if you Google “Europe visa,” SchengenVisa.cc will be high on the results list – and you’ll want to stay far away.

When you click on “start application,” you’re brought to a page that lets you buy an application guide for $60, which tells you how to apply for the visa, when and where to apply for it, an overview of the visa process, border control information, and information on each of the countries in the area.

This guide is not the application.

To actually apply for a visa, go to the nearest embassy for the country that you’re visiting and apply there.

CreditReport, FreeScoreOnline, and FreeCreditReport

 

 

 

 

 

The only site that will give you your entitled free annual credit report is AnnualCreditReport. These other 3 sites will tell you that you’ll get a free credit report, but then they’ll also sign you up for a 7-trial of their credit monitoring service. When the 7 days is over (if you haven’t cancelled) you’ll start getting charged at least $25/month immediately.

Check out more warnings and great advice over at MakeUseOf.