Lincolnshire County Council have warned disabled members of the public against using scam Blue Badge application websites, as more and more are being scammed.
A number of websites are offering ‘premium’ Blue Badge application checks for around £50. A report published on the Lincolnshire County Council on the 1st of February warned against these websites.
The unofficial websites ask for access to the registers bank account information, national insurance number as well as details of their address and personal information. These can all be used to access the applicants data and banking.
The sites appear to be official with the websites using ‘blue badge’ or ‘mobility badge’ application in the URL or site name. You can spot at home the websites reliability as any government supported site are followed by gov.uk and will then be affiliated with the government and council.
Used by 4.2% of the UK population, the Blue Badge scheme helps those with mobility disabilities access parking closer to their destination. Applications to the council cost £10 if successful and take 12 weeks to be reviewed.
Applicants who are concerned they have been scammed by an unofficial website are advised to contact them directly to complain. Furthermore, contacting a banking provider to raise the scam to their knowledge and also check bank statements for any unusual payments.
Any applicants who wish to receive help to renew or apply for a badge can visit https://www.gov.uk/apply-blue-badge or download the form via the Lincolnshire County Council website.
