Thousands of people thought they paid the Dart Charge, but only realised when they got a penalty charge notice
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ou have had a long car journey but, thankfully, remember after you get home that you have to pay the Dart Charge, the toll for driving over the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, part of the busy Dartford Crossing over the Thames linking Essex and Kent. You quickly pay on your phone after searching for the website.
A few weeks later, however, a penalty charge notice (PCN) arrives and you realise you have been duped. The site you thought you had paid the £3.50 toll through was a fraud and the money went to criminals, while you are left with a £70 fine.
National Trading Standards, the consumer protection and enforcement body for England and Wales, has advised motorists to ensure they are paying tolls and charges through the right websites, warning thousands have been scammed on fake government services sites.
