Cafeoutdoors.com: MO Fishing license scam article

https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metr...0837EC2C00105DF

ST. LOUIS • People who type "Missouri fishing license" into search engines are getting duped out of money, the Missouri Department of Conservation warns.

Websites that on the surface appear to be selling fishing permits in the state, have been accused of tricking people into buying a $19.99 PDF fishing guide and audiobook on how to get a fishing license.

One such site, FishingLicense.org, has received an "F" rating from the Better Business Bureau.

Without close inspection, the website seems like an official place to buy a permit.

"Don’t get fined or penalized for fishing without a license. Missouri law requires a permit to fish in all bodies of water," the website's Missouri homepage says before explanations of the Department of Conservation's fishing programs.

Several complaints to the BBB allege the company implies customers are purchasing a fishing license, has them enter their contact and billing information and then announces that they've purchased a downloadable fishing guide.

Customers told the BBB they were first charged a $3.99 processing fee before getting another charge of $19.99 for the guide days later. When they complained, the $19.99 was refunded, but the company did not refund the $3.99 fee, according to several complaints to the BBB.

"This is stealing!" said one complaint.

A BBB alert for FishingLicense.org states that the bureau was not able to find a business registration or physical location for the company running the website.

The Post-Dispatch contacted the website for a response to the complaints.

"The product offered through our site is “How to Become a Licensed Fisherman eBook,” a guide designed to save you time by better preparing you for fishing activities," an employee identified only as Marie responded in an email. "Our team of experts has spent hundreds of hours researching fishing related services in order to provide simple-to-follow instructions for all your recreational licensing needs."

The email stated that the guide includes a checklist of the steps required to get a fishing license, links to government websites, recipes and fishing trip suggestions.

The Missouri Department of Conservation in a Facebook post advised residents to buy fishing permits only through the department's "MO Fishing" or "MO Hunting" apps or through its website at https://mdc-web.s3licensing.com/.

Approved vendors across the state also sell the permits in-person, according to the department.

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