If you are applying for a passport or renewing your passport (passports are good for ten years before having to be renewed) the first place you will most likely go is an online search to connect you to the U.S. Department of State which is the government agency that handles passport services.  Unfortunately, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently warned that the top online search results may not be that of the Department of State, but rather a private company that offers assistance in applying for or renewing a passport or, even worse, a scammer, posing as the U.S. Department of State who will steal the money they charge you and take the information you provide in applying or renewing your passport and use it to make you a victim of identity theft.

While there are companies registered with the U.S. Department of State to help you apply for or renew your passport, their services, for which they charge, are not necessary for most people.  As for the scammers, through AI they have been able to create websites that appear to be that of the U.S. Department of State and it can be very difficult to distinguish their websites from the real U.S. Department of State’s website for passport applications of renewals.

TIPS

The easiest way to avoid being scammed when applying for or renewing a passport is to go directly to the U.S. Department of State’s website.  Here it the link.  https://travel.state.gov/content/travel.html

In addition, as of last month, eligible people can renew their passports online.  Again, it is important to make sure you are going to the correct website which is https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/have-passport/renew-online.html

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