In some airports this process can take hours. Undoubtedly, the worst thing about coming back jet-lagged and exhausted from an overseas flight is waiting in line to be interviewed by a CBP agent. Foreign airports have their own security requirements, which may be more stringent than our own. Keep in mind, however, that TSA Precheck benefits only apply to U.S. And we didn’t need to bring out our travel-sized containers of liquids and toiletries stored in clear plastic bags. For example, we could wear our shoes, belts and jackets as we were going through the body scanners and leave our laptops and other larger electronic devices in our carry-on bags. While CBP offers TSA Precheck as a stand-alone program (at a cost of $85), it’s automatically included in your Global Entry membership.įor our family, it meant a shorter line and less onerous security requirements.
These people had TSA Precheck privileges. Whenever I used to go through TSA security checkpoints, I looked with envy at another line of people who seemed to be getting through this process much faster. For a $100 fee and the time it took to fill out on an application and go through a 10-minute interview, we were each rewarded with attractive travel benefits that made life at the airport a lot easier. Since we had planned to travel in late May, we decided to sign up for Global Entry during the winter. My family recently became members, and it was worth every penny during our recent trip to Europe. Department of Customs and Border Protection (CBP). How? By signing up for Global Entry, a program offered by the U.S. Customs line when you return from an overseas trip. While it’s nearly impossible to avoid waiting at some point in your journey, for $100 every five years you can reduce the drudgery of two of the most unpleasant, time-consuming tasks: going through TSA security checkpoints and standing in the U.S. Don't Let Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda Derail Your Dreams.To find a business you can trust, check out BBB.org. Make online purchases with your credit card. Fraudulent charges made on a credit card can usually be disputed. Unfortunately, there is no way to get back the personal information you may have shared.Typos and grammatical errors can be indications of a scammer’s handiwork, too. Be suspicious of websites with no working customer service number and no physical address. Be wary of third-party websites. Some websites appear to offer a legitimate service but are only fronts for a scam.Secure links start with “ and include a lock icon on the purchase page. In the United States, all government websites end in “.gov.” Double-check the URL before you enter personal and payment information. Always double check that you are on the right website and that the link is secure.Then, you are prompted to pay $140, making it seem I was paying for TSA fee.”
“This company asked for all the information as I would expect to provide in the process, including full name, passport number, and home address. “When I clicked on the link, it appeared to be an official TSA Precheck site,” one victim reported. You will have lost money and shared your personal information with scammers.Ĭonsumers told BBB Scam Tracker that the websites are very convincing.
These sites may charge you the cost of the application fee, plus a hefty service fee to cover the cost of their “help.” In addition, you’ll be asked to fill out forms with sensitive, personal information including your full name, passport number, and home address.Įven if you pay up, the company may never submit your application form through the correct channels. When you click on the website, you find a third-party company that either impersonates the government department or offers to do all the paperwork for you.
But also included are websites designed to look just like the official one. The official website likely appears high up on the list. Your web browser displays a list of results. You do a web search for one of the programs above that are designed to help speed known travelers through airport security. Scammers are on to this trend! According to recent BBB Scam Tracker reports, con artists are creating lookalike websites in an attempt to trick you out of personal information and money. For frequent travelers, this preparation involves renewing their enrollment in Trusted Traveler programs, such as TSA precheck or Global Entry. (BBB) – With the COVID-19 vaccine effort ramping up, people are starting to plan future vacations and work travel. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated. This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated.