'I will file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau'
"Because I used a debit card for the transaction, I have since canceled it, and my credit is now frozen across all three bureaus." (Photo subject is a model.)
Dear Quentin,
I just got overcharged. I went to renew my passport online and accidentally ended up on an official-looking website instead of the U.S. government site. Consider this a reminder to everyone: Don't get suckered like I did into using a third-party website.
I am not disputing the charge just yet. The company, which shall remain nameless, has all of my information, and I understand they do eventually provide a passport. I am going to hold tight until it arrives in my hands.
Once I have the passport, I will file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, and perhaps with Google and the Federal Trade Commission as well. While it is a legally registered business, some consumers widely allege that it is a scam or, at the very least, a predatory service.
The company charges high fees (often around $180 to $200) just to fill out passport forms that are completely free to download. Because I used a debit card for the transaction, I have since canceled it, and my credit is now frozen across all three bureaus. I feel like a fool.
Once Burned
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You can email The Moneyist with any financial and ethical questions at qfottrell@marketwatch.com.
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Go to eBay or Google and search for a particular item, and a bunch of sponsored sites will pop up, which may or may not want to sell you the brand of baseball cap or sneaker you're looking for.
Dear Burned,
No, you're not a fool. You're a person in a hurry with somewhere to go.
Still, there's a difference between being tricked and being upsold. Everyone wants your business. That's both the first and the last lesson. Companies pay search engines like Google to appear in the search results for everything from airplane tickets to skincare. Go to eBay $(EBAY)$ or Google $(GOOGL)$ $(GOOG)$ and search for an item, and a bunch of sponsored sites will pop up, which may or may not want to sell you the brand of baseball cap or sneaker you are looking for. Ditto Amazon (AMZN). Your computer is the shop window, and retailers are vying for space.
The official travel site for the State Department cautions consumers about private courier companies and passport expeditors. "They charge extra fees and some are registered to submit applications and pick up passports for customers," the government site says. "Courier and expeditor companies do not operate as a part of the U.S. Department of State. Only some companies are registered with us to submit applications and pick up passports on behalf of applicants at our agencies."
It adds: "Some companies may appear to be affiliated with the U.S. government because they use logos that look like official government seals. Check the list of courier companies to see if a company is registered with us. Always research companies first. You will be sharing your most sensitive information and documents with them. Read the fine print on each website. The Better Business Bureau or your local chamber of commerce may help you decide about a company."
Bottom line: Just because a website uses navy blue does not mean it's an official U.S. government site. You will always be able to determine whether it is or not by looking at the URL: Federal government sites end in ".gov." And, yes, it costs $130 for a passport and an additional $30 for a passport card. While many consumers feel the same way you do about these passport sites, they are billed as courier services. They fill out the paperwork and put your passport in the mail.
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Disputing a debit-card charge
Under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, you have the right to dispute a debit-card charge if it's an unauthorized transaction or a billing error, if you never received goods or services you paid for, or if your card was stolen. Unless you can make an argument for deceptive marketing, I don't hold out much hope. Regretting using a middleman for a courier service, however opportunistic you believe the company to be, is not - on the face of it - a good enough reason to cancel the charge.
If you do discover an unauthorized charge on your debit card, notifying your bank or credit union within two business days of noticing the fraud caps your maximum liability at $50. However, waiting between three and 60 days after your statement is issued increases that potential liability to $500, while failing to report the fraud during that 60-day window means you could be held responsible for the entire stolen amount. Freezing your credit reports may help prevent future identity theft.
If the company in question clearly disclosed that it was a passport-expediting service, and it follows through in providing you with this service, it's likely not a scam. Your new passport may or may not arrive faster than if you had filled out the paperwork yourself, even if you are paying an extra fee for this opportunistic middleman. Many such companies have had complaints registered with the Better Business Bureau. If you believe you were the victim of deceptive marketing practices, file complaints with the FTC, the Better Business Bureau and your state attorney general.
Courier services aside, you can only renew your passport at opr.travel.state.gov.
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Check out the Moneyist private Facebook group, where members help answer life's thorniest money issues. Post your questions, or weigh in on the latest Moneyist columns.
Previous columns by Quentin Fottrell:
I'm a senior who barely survives on $1,300 a month. No way could I live on $1,000.
'I am stuck in a low-income trap': I'm a teacher and very good at my job. Will I ever earn six figures?
'He has been emotionally abusive': My father, 75, is on oxygen and destitute. What do I owe him?
'She's a smoker': My mother, 55, has no car and no job. Should I buy her life insurance?
By emailing your questions to the Moneyist or posting your dilemmas on the Moneyist Facebook group, you agree to have them published anonymously on MarketWatch.
-Quentin Fottrell
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