Beware of Passport Scams

Summary

As summer approaches, many prospective international travelers may need a new or renewed passport. The United States Department of State advised international travelers to check passport expiration dates and renew their passports before making final travel plans to avoid last-minute issues. Also, there may be special travel restrictions as some countries require passports to be valid for at least six months beyond the scheduled travel dates. So far, the surge in passport demand is causing significant delays for international travelers and increased workload for State Department staff. Routine processing times range from 10-13 weeks, whereas expedited processing times are seven to nine weeks for an additional fee.

Threat actors are exploiting these delays using sophisticated and convincing websites to sway prospective travelers to provide personal and financial information for non-existent services, including quick passport renewals. Travelers may not realize they were scammed for weeks or months after their passport is not received as promised. Scams may start with emails, SMS text messages, or fraudulent social media ads purporting to be promises of quick passports or renewals that are “too good to be true.”

Potential travelers may inadvertently click on third-party websites to renew their passports while using online searches. For example, search results may include fraudulent websites such as pass[-]travel-usa[.]com, which convinces the target to fill out a form; download, print, and mail; and pay a fee. Personal information may be captured, such as name, address, phone number, email address, Social Security number, mother’s maiden name, and date of birth. Red flags for fraudulent websites include the use of government branding or icons without the use of a .GOV domain, spoofed domain names, unusual domain extensions in the website’s URL, and misspellings on the website. These websites typically do not offer a privacy policy. Also, contact information may not be listed or legitimate. Another red flag is cash payments via wire transfers, gift cards, or cryptocurrency since these methods are considered difficult to trace and recover.

Recommendations

The NJCCIC recommends users educate themselves and others on this and similar scams to prevent future victimization. We highly recommend users navigate to secure and official websites. The United States Department of State is the official government website for applications for new passports and passport renewals, and other travel information. Additionally, special passport acceptance fairs are being held across the United States, including multiple locations in New Jersey. Users are advised to exercise caution and carefully examine search results prior to clicking links or providing sensitive information, ensuring websites are known and legitimate. Reputable websites offer privacy policies, legitimate contact information, and secure payment options. Furthermore, enable payment transaction notifications to alert of any unauthorized charges and consider using credit over debit, as credit often provides better consumer fraud protection. If an unauthorized transaction occurs, notify the associated bank immediately, lock the payment card (where available), and request a new card. If victimized, report fraud to US Passports and Visa Fraud, local police department, Federal Trade Commission, FBI IC3, and the NJCCIC.