United Kingdom - OFT takes action over misleading European health insurance websites

The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has taken action against four online traders who deceptively sold consumers European Health Insurance Cards (EHICs).

An EHIC provides UK residents with access to state-provided healthcare in European Union countries for reduced or zero cost, and are particularly in demand at this time of year as people head off on summer holidays.

The cards can be obtained free of charge from the official NHS website but some online traders were charging consumers, typically around £10 per application, and did not make it clear that they were not official NHS site.

The OFT will now actively monitor the traders' activities and if the undertakings are breached it can take court action, including applying for an enforcement order under the Enterprise Act 2002.

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