Transport for London says around 1,000 people per day are being duped into using unofficial Congestion Charge websites, with many paying more than necessary to drive into the charging zone.
A number of sites have recently been set-up which promise to register motorists with TfL but charge more for doing so than the official site.
In some cases motorists have found themselves liable to pay a £130 penalty after the site they paid failed to register their journey with TfL.
The capital’s transport body is reminding motorists to only pay the charge via the official website – www.tfl.gov.uk/cclondon.
Garrett Emmerson, TfL’s Chief Operating Officer for Surface Transport, said: “We urge customers paying the Congestion Charge online to be careful and to double check that they are paying via the official TfL website – www.tfl.gov.uk/cclondon – which is a quick and easy way to pay, and avoids any unnecessary charges.”
In October Mayor Boris Johnson told London Assembly Members that TfL was “talking to Trading Standards, the Office of Fair Trading, the Advertising Standards Authority” to explore options for closing down unofficial websites.
