Fake passport websites are charging travelers for free services
BBB says fraudulent sites mimic travel.state.gov and charge fake expediting fees
(InvestigateTV) — Travelers rushing to renew a passport before an international trip may be vulnerable to scam websites designed to take advantage of that urgency, according to the Better Business Bureau.
Josh Planos, a spokesperson for the Better Business Bureau, said the pressure to receive a passport quickly often drives people toward risky shortcuts.
“In nearly every case, somebody is under the gun and needs to turn around a passport within a matter of weeks and wants to look for every alternative to ensure that it gets to the front doorstep in an adequate amount of time,” Planos said.
Planos said fraudulent websites promise fast turnaround times, then take travelers’ money without ever delivering a passport.
“A lot of folks are turning to websites that really have nothing to do with the government URL, travel.state.gov,” Planos said. “They are looking for third-party sites that charge those expedition fees, and those are really major red flags.”
The official passport application is free to download and file. Copycat sites charge travelers anyway, often disguising the charge as an “expediting” or “processing” fee.
The BBB has collected complaints from consumers who say they were deceived by these sites. One consumer wrote: “I went into the site assuming it was the State.gov site because it resembled it completely, including the URL. I did not notice that it ended as state.com, not state.gov. By the time I had submitted the application for my passport renewal and payment, I noticed that it was a fraud by the language on the confirmation page.”
Planos also cautioned against taking passport photos at home.
“Walgreens offers this service, post office offers this service for free,” Planos said. “I’d encourage you to not try to assemble your own passport. Stick with the professionals and have a real conversation in person with a human being about it.”
The U.S. State Department never charges a fee to download or fill out passport forms. Travelers checking processing times or applying for a passport should start at travel.state.gov or visit a local post office in person.
