Online Threat Alerts (OTA) - Alerting you to scams and frauds.

Is uspassportandvisa.org a Scam?

The website uspassportandvisa.org is a third-party site that the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and consumer advocates categorize as a scam or highly misleading. While it may not technically be illegal because it includes fine-print disclaimers, it is designed to look like an official government resource to trick users into paying for services that are actually free.

Why Considered a scam

  • Impersonation: It uses red, white, and blue colors and official-looking imagery to mimic a U.S. government site.
  • Hidden Fees: It charges users approximately $88 to $119. In return, users only receive a PDF form that can be downloaded for free from the official U.S. Department of State website.
  • No Actual Service: Paying this site does not renew your passport. You still have to submit the forms yourself to the government and pay the actual government renewal fees separately.
  • Data Harvesting: The site collects highly sensitive information, including Social Security numbers, full names, and birth dates. This puts users at a high risk for identity theft.

If you used this site

  1. Freeze Your Credit: Immediately contact the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) to freeze your credit.
  2. Contact Your Bank: Report the transaction as fraudulent and request a new debit or credit card.
  3. Monitor Your Accounts: Watch for any unauthorized activity on your bank statements and credit reports.
  4. Report the Incident: File a report with the FTC at IdentityTheft.gov and the BBB Scam Tracker.

The only legitimate website for U.S. passport applications and renewals is travel.state.gov. Always look for the .gov extension to ensure you are on an official government site.

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