Fake Visa and ETA Application Site Scams Targeting Australia
Unofficial websites impersonate Australia's official Electronic Travel Authority application process, charging inflated fees to submit a form travellers could file directly with the Australian government for a fraction of the cost.
Part of: Fake Visa and ETA Application Site Scams
Last reviewed: 13 July 2026
Australia's Electronic Travel Authority requires eligible visitors to apply online before travel, and because the official process is simple and inexpensive, it has become a frequent target for copycat sites that rank highly in search results and charge significantly more for the same basic form submission.
How this scam works on Australia
A search for 'Australia ETA' or 'Australia visa' often surfaces paid ads or high-ranking listings for third-party sites styled to resemble an official government portal, using Australian government colors, imagery, or near-identical wording. These sites charge a substantial service fee on top of, or instead of, the actual government charge, and some collect passport and personal details without ever submitting a valid application.
Applicants sometimes discover the problem only at the airport, when their travel authority is missing or invalid despite having paid a site that claimed to have processed it. Because the fee was paid to a private company rather than the Australian government, refunds are rarely offered even when the site did eventually pass the information along.
Common red flags
- A site charges a fee substantially higher than the official Australian ETA cost
- The web address is not the official Australian government domain
- The site's design closely imitates government branding but includes vague ownership or contact details
- Search ads for 'Australia ETA' or 'Australia visa' lead to third-party sites rather than the official app or government portal
- The site requests unnecessary personal or financial information beyond what a visa application requires
- There is no clear confirmation number traceable to an official Australian government system
How to protect yourself
- Apply for an Australian ETA only through the official Australian government app or verified government website
- Check the web address carefully for an official government domain before entering any passport details
- Compare any quoted fee against the published official government fee before paying
- Avoid clicking search ads for visa applications and navigate to official sources directly
- Keep a record of any application confirmation and verify it against official government reference formats
- Contact the Australian High Commission or embassy if you're unsure whether a site is official
How to report it
- Report the site to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) via Scamwatch
- Report the transaction to your bank or card issuer to dispute an inflated or unauthorized charge
- File a complaint with the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov or your own country's consumer protection agency if you're not an Australian resident
Frequently asked questions
How much should an Australian ETA actually cost?
The official Australian government fee for an Electronic Travel Authority is modest and clearly published on the official government site or app; any site charging a dramatically higher fee is likely a third-party operator adding a large markup, not an official cost.
Can I get a refund if I paid an inflated fee to a fake ETA site?
Contact your card issuer to dispute the charge as a service that misrepresented itself; a refund may depend on the payment method and timing — contact your bank or card issuer directly, since the third-party site itself may not cooperate.
How do I know if I'm on the official Australian government ETA site or app?
The official process is run through the Australian government's official ETA app or government domain; verify by searching for the Australian government's own guidance on where to apply rather than clicking a search ad or unfamiliar link.
What if I already paid a fake site and I'm not sure my ETA is valid?
Check your ETA status directly through the official Australian government channel using your passport details, and apply again through the official app if no valid authority is found, allowing enough time before travel.
Is it illegal for a third-party company to charge a service fee for visa applications?
Some legitimate visa assistance services do charge a disclosed service fee on top of official costs, so a fee alone isn't automatically fraud — the concern is inflated, hidden fees combined with government impersonation or applications that are never actually submitted.