Internet users are being tricked into various way, to make money by the scammers.
Those renewing their driving licences and holidaymakers applying for visas are being targeted by scammers.
Other websites being copied by fraudsters include EHIC, birth certificates and even local council sites.
People are caught out because Google search results are flooded with websites pretending to be the real deal, according to the Daily Mail.
The copycat websites usually have exactly the same colours, layout and words, making it hard to distinguish the legitimate site.
While many do provide the service that they advertise – even if it is at a huge premium.
Others will take your cash and leave you without what you were applying for and there's no way to get your money back.
For example, a driving licence direct from gov.uk website costs £14, or it's free if you're aged 70 and over, while copycat sites charge upwards of £60.
A U.S visa should cost at least £10, while scammers are charging £80 for the same service.
Whereas the official Australian site charges $20 for an application for a visa, whereas the copycat website charges $35 dollar (£20).
How to spot a fake website
The government has been working with Google to find search results from websites that might have misled web surfers and therefore breached Google's rules.
However, there are a number of different things you can do to make sure you don't get caught out.
Read the homepage of the website as it may state that it's not affiliated with an official body.
Check the website address, it may look similar to the real one but if it does not start with “https”, this is a giveaway that it's not secure.
Do not automatically click on the first web address in search results, take your time and look to see if it's an official website.
If you've think you've been misled contact the site and ask for a refund.
If you're concerned about a fake website then you can report it to the National Trading Standards eCrime Team via their website.
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