Planning a cheeky London weekend or a Highland escape? If you’re travelling from the Netherlands to the UK, there’s a new rule: you’ll need an ETA — and scammers are already cashing in.
Apply through the wrong site, and you might just end up paying hundreds for something that should only cost €12. Here’s how to protect your wallet. 💪
What is an ETA? As of April 2025, travellers from the Netherlands (and other EU countries) must apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before entering the United Kingdom. It costs £10 (€12) and can be applied for here.
That’s one pricey click
So what exactly do these scams look like?
Het Belang Van Limburg reports that one unlucky Belgian traveller and her husband thought they were playing by the rules. She searched for the ETA form, clicked the top result on Google, filled everything in, and paid up.
Everything looked legit — until an email from Skylinetravelexpress.com confirmed they’d been charged €437 instead €24. 😩
Realising the scam, she blocked her card immediately. Her reaction? “[It’s] expensive tuition”, she tells the newspaper, and honestly, she’s got a point.
Dutchies are getting scammed too
Before you crack a joke about Belgians, the Dutch are also falling for these scams en masse.
According to the NOS, the Dutch Fraud Helpdesk (Fraudehelpdesk), has been flooded with similar reports since the introduction of the ETA.
In fact, there have been so many reports that they’ve opened a whole case file just for ETA scams.
Suspecting internet immigration scams? Report them to us here 👉 https://t.co/XhpJsp1UaT
— UK in NL🇬🇧🇳🇱 (@ukinnl) April 1, 2025
These fake “travel services” look official; even worse, they often top Google search results when people look up the ETAs.
The police warn that if you’re not paying close attention, it’s alarmingly easy to fall for one.
They’ve seen this tactic before. Now it’s just rocking a British accent. 🕵️♂️
Have you encountered a fake ETA site or even fallen for one yourself? Drop your thoughts and experiences in the comments! 👇
