Passport Renewal Scam UK: Spot a Fake HMPO Message
Passport renewal payments and tracking should be checked through gov.uk, not a link in an unexpected message.
What a fake HMPO contact looks like
This scam is a text, email, or copycat website claiming to be about your UK passport application or renewal. An example of the style is: Your passport application is on hold. An additional processing fee is required to release your documents — pay now to avoid delay. The message usually creates urgency around a genuine worry: needing your passport for an upcoming trip.
The genuine UK passport service is applied for and managed through gov.uk. If a message asks for an extra fee by link, verify it through your own gov.uk application or the Passport Adviceline details published on gov.uk before paying.
Why these messages are convincing
Genuine passport fees do exist and do vary — there's a standard renewal fee, and separate paid Premium and Fast Track services for people who need their passport quickly — so a message mentioning a fee doesn't sound unusual on its own. Anyone renewing close to a trip is also primed to act fast rather than check carefully, which is exactly the pressure the scam relies on.
Signs a passport contact is a scam
- You're contacted about a fee or problem out of the blue, rather than checking your own application status yourself.
- You're asked to pay via a link in a text or email, rather than through gov.uk directly.
- The message pressures you to act immediately or risk missing your trip.
- A website charges well above the standard gov.uk fee while implying it is the official fee, with no clear statement that it's an unaffiliated third-party service.
- You're asked for more personal or financial detail than a passport renewal genuinely requires.
How the scam works step by step
First, a text, email, or search ad claims there's an urgent issue with your passport application or offers to handle your renewal for you. Second, you're directed to pay a fee — sometimes on a lookalike page, sometimes to a legal-but-unofficial middleman site charging a large markup on the real gov.uk fee. Third, if it's a phishing page rather than a paid middleman, your card and personal details are captured directly. Either way, you can end up paying far more than the genuine cost, or having your details exposed, for a service gov.uk provides directly.
How to check a passport contact is genuine
Apply for or renew a passport only through gov.uk — type the address yourself rather than following a link or search ad.
- Track a genuine application using the official tracking service on gov.uk, with the reference from your own confirmation — not a reference someone else gives you.
- As of writing, the standard adult passport fee is
£102online or£115.50by paper form, with paid Premium (1-day) and Fast Track (1-week) services also available for renewals — check gov.uk/passport-fees for the current figure, as fees do change. - Unofficial 'check and send' websites that charge a fee to submit a gov.uk application for you are not illegal, but they are not HMPO and typically cost far more than applying yourself directly — if a site doesn't clearly say it's unaffiliated with HMPO, be suspicious.
- For account queries, use the Passport Adviceline number published on gov.uk — never a number given to you in a suspicious message.
If you've already paid or shared details
If you paid a suspicious site or link by card, contact your bank or card provider about a chargeback or, where a credit-card purchase qualifies, a Section 75 claim. Stop any further contact with whoever asked for the payment. If you shared passport, ID, or bank details more widely than a genuine application requires, monitor your accounts and credit file, and consider Cifas Protective Registration.
How to report a passport renewal scam (UK)
If the contact arrived by text, forward it to 7726; if by email, forward it to report@phishing.gov.uk. If you've lost money or shared sensitive information, report it to Report Fraud at reportfraud.police.uk or 0300 123 2040 if you are in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland. In Scotland, report to Police Scotland on 101.
Frequently asked questions
Is HM Passport Office contacting me directly, or is this always a scam?
HMPO's genuine online process runs through gov.uk. Do not trust an unsolicited link or phone number; check the status using your own application reference on gov.uk or the Passport Adviceline details published there.
Are third-party passport-renewal websites illegal?
Not necessarily — some are legal but unofficial 'check and send' services that charge a markup for submitting a gov.uk application on your behalf. They aren't HMPO, and applying directly on gov.uk yourself is normally far cheaper. Be suspicious of any site that doesn't clearly disclose it's unaffiliated with HMPO.
I already paid a fee to what I now think is a scam — what do I do?
Contact your bank or card provider about a chargeback or, where eligible on a credit-card purchase of more than £100 and up to £30,000, a Section 75 claim. Stop all further contact with whoever asked for the payment, and report it.
How much does a genuine passport renewal actually cost?
As of writing, the standard adult renewal is £102 online or £115.50 by paper form, with optional paid Premium (1-day) and Fast Track (1-week) services. Fees change over time, so check gov.uk/passport-fees for the current amount before paying anything.
How do I report a passport scam message?
Forward a scam text to 7726 or a scam email to report@phishing.gov.uk. If you've lost money or shared sensitive details, report it to Report Fraud at reportfraud.police.uk or 0300 123 2040 (Police Scotland on 101 in Scotland).