BBB Scam Alert: Online passport and DMV services are at risk for lookalike sites
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If you've fallen for a bogus government website — like DMV.com or floridadriverslicense.com, you should be able to get your money back, thanks to a Federal Trade Commission lawsuit. If this is you, look for an email from Stretto, the company handling the payments, by mid-April. The message will have instructions on how to claim your refund. Learn how to check your eligibility at onpointclaimform.com.
People who need to update their passport, renew their driver's license, or transfer a vehicle title, are finding many of these services are now available online. Many of these services once were required to be handled in person and have since transitioned online because of the pandemic. Scammers are using this opportunity to trick people with look-alike websites offering appointment times or application renewals, according to new reports filed by consumers on BBB.org/ScamTracker.
How the scam works
The deadline to get a Real ID is coming up (it has been extended to May 7, 2025), a car title needs transferring, or a passport is required for overseas travel. A quick search on the internet on what looks like the State Department or DMV website shows most of these transactions can be completed via the agency website. Sometimes an in-person appointment may be made online.
As the appointment is selected, questions about personal information should be expected. However, once the payment is made and the appointment time and date arrive, the requested ID and record of payment is nowhere to be found by the agency. Scammers love to play on people in emotional and stressful situations. When travelers are in fear of having to cancel trips because of long wait times to get an ID or passport, it creates a perfect situation for scammers to jump in with a fast, but fraudulent, solution.
For example, one victim thought they had pre-paid for a driver’s license renewal online, according to a BBB.org/ScamTracker report. But when they arrived at the DMV office to complete the transaction, the clerk had no record of the payment. Turns out, the victim paid a scam look-alike website instead.
How to avoid falling victim to a fake website
- Confirm the URL before entering personal and financial information. It can be easy to click on a sponsored ad or imposter website without noticing. Before typing any sensitive information, double check that the website and the link is secure. (Secure links start with “https://” and include a lock icon on the purchase page. Learn more at BBB.org/BBBSecure.)
- Be wary of third-party websites. There are legitimate passport assistance services, but check with BBB.org first to make sure you aren't sharing your personal or financial information with a scammer.
- Make online purchases with a credit card. Fraudulent charges made on a credit card can usually be disputed, whereas that might not be the case with other payment methods. Unfortunately, there is no way to get back the personal information you may have shared.
For more information
Learn more about a similar scam involving change of address services and TSA pre-check sites. If you have been the victim of this or another scam, make others aware by filing a report on BBB.org/ScamTracker and contact the Federal Trade Commission to recover from possible identity theft. The State Department urges people to report passport fraud by emailing [email protected].
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