A TSA PreCheck SCAM Is Fooling Tons of Travelers

It’s the holiday season, which means travel is abundant for many people during this busy time of year.

Security lines at Orlando International Airport

In this new year of travel ahead of us, we know that travel prices will now be made more upfront thanks to a recent FTC ruling, Southwest is doing away with its first-come-first-serve seating, and you’ll want an AirTag if you’re flying with Delta soon. However, if you’re tired of those long security lines and are thinking of investing in TSA PreCheck this upcoming year, there’s a massive SCAM you need to look out for!

Essentially, a new scam is costing travelers hundreds of dollars. People are (incorrectly) paying a fake company that claims they will submit your information to TSA to see if you’re eligible for PreCheck. Instead, the company takes the money AND the information given to them and does nothing, leaving the customer stranded with the heart-sinking feeling that they’ve been scammed, according to SF Gate.

So, how do you avoid this fate? TSA only works with THREE accredited companies to sign people up for TSA PreCheck: Clear, Idemia, and Telos. All three of these have .gov in their URL, which is something you need to ensure is there before you continue. Even better, if you’re not on Clear, Idemia, and Telos, get off that site ASAP!

Another red flag you want to watch out for is if the company is telling you that you need to pay a fee BEFORE they submit your information to TSA PreCheck. This isn’t the case with Clear, Idemia and Telos. You’ll submit your information with no cost, then sign up for a brief, ten-minute meeting at one of the 560 enrollment centers around the United States where you’ll show your passport (or your photo ID and an additional citizenship document), likely get fingerprinted, answer some questions, and THEN pay your enrollment fee in person.

Following this meeting, most travelers receive their known traveler ID number within about five days. However, there are some people who are not approved for the service, and it’s important to know that you will NOT get your money back! This is because whether someone is approved or not, the company still has to run their background check and go through the whole process to see if they fit the service’s criteria.

To best make sure you’re not being scammed, head straight to TSA’s website and search for how to enroll with TSA PreCheck only from there. This way, you know you have no chance of being scammed and are in the right place! It’s also important to note that all three of their accredited companies do charge different amounts for their approval process: Clear charges $77.95, Idemia charges $78, and Telos charges $85.

Be sure to stay tuned to AllEars for all the latest travel news to prepare for this upcoming year — we’ll keep you updated on all the latest information!