Passport processors in the Northwest suburbs are warning of a rise in scams targeting applicants.
Associated Press, 2014
U.S. passport processors in Schaumburg Township and Hoffman Estates say would-be international travelers recently have fallen victim to scammers who charged them to download free application forms or collected their personal information.
In one case reported to Schaumburg Township, a person paid $100 to obtain copies of free and readily available forms.
Patti Dionesotes, the township’s passport manager, said in her eight years on the job this is the first year she’s heard of such scams.
Hoffman Estates’ new Village Clerk Patty Richter learned of one client whose sister mistakenly submitted her information to a fraudulent source in an effort to apply for a passport online.
Police in Hoffman Estates, Schaumburg and at several other departments across the region said they have not received complaints about passport scams, but Richter suggested some victims may be too embarrassed to file a report.
Steve Bernas, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Chicago & Northern Illinois, said that’s often the case, adding that the greatest frustration in his agency’s battle against scammers is learning how many people do their due diligence only after falling victim.
As of last month, the State Department was trying out a new system for online renewal of passports, but Bernas said users should be certain they are using the correct website. Otherwise, there remains an option to renew by mail.
The BBB also recommends its online Scam Tracker service to report and research scams.
Earlier this month, the Federal Trade Commission posted a warning of passport scam activity. The agency requests that anyone who spots a fraudulent passport application or website, or who paid money to a scammer, report it to the State Department at PassportVisaFraud@state.gov and the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
The commission also advises contacting IdentityTheft.gov if someone has misused your personal information.
While the U.S. Department of State is the government agency that handles passport services, using an online search engine could lead to fraudulent websites, according the FTC. Going to travel.state.gov directly can avoid that problem.
Schaumburg Township also recommends avoiding unsolicited offers. Government agencies don’t contact people out of the blue about passports, not even to renew expiring ones, they said.
Applications for a first passport must be done in person before a licensed passport acceptance agent. But the fact that so many other services can be obtained online leads to searches that find fraudulent websites, officials said.
Those applying for passports also should be sure they know the uniform processing fees, verify the sources with whom they’re interacting and protect their personal information either online or on the phone.