Glossary: terms used in our document fraud guides

Advance-fee fraud

A scam where you pay in advance for something that never arrives. Most licence and certificate offers work this way, with a second “release” fee after the first.

Copycat (look-alike) website

A site that imitates a government or official service and charges extra for what the real service offers at a set fee. See fake and copycat passport websites.

False identity document

A term from the Identity Documents Act 2010 covering false or improperly obtained documents such as passports and UK driving licences. See UK law on fake documents.

Check code

A one-time code a driver creates on GOV.UK, valid for 21 days, so someone else can check their driving record. See how to check a licence.

Share code

A code created on GOV.UK to let an employer or landlord check immigration status, valid for 90 days. See eVisas and share codes.

Diploma mill

A business that sells degrees or diplomas with little or no study. See diploma mill warning signs.

Cloned licence

A licence that copies a real holder's details with a different photo. See cloned SIA licences.

Test impersonation

Someone else sitting a test using the candidate's identity. See driving test impersonation.

GRO index reference

The reference that identifies a birth, marriage or death entry in the General Register Office index. See GRO index reference.

Chargeback

A request to your card provider to reverse a payment. Ask your provider whether it applies to your case.

Section 75

A provision of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 that can make a credit card provider liable alongside a seller. It applies only within certain price limits and conditions, so ask your provider.

SELT

A Secure English Language Test approved for UK visa applications. See approved SELT tests.

Frequently asked questions