Clerk of Courts warns of passport scams affecting Highland County residents

Highland County Clerk of Courts Dwight “Ike” Hodson is warning the public to be aware of passport scams.

According to Hodson, several area residents have recently fallen victim to scams involving websites charging individuals hundreds of dollars to apply for, or renew, a passport online. These websites are not affiliated with the U.S. Department of State.

To apply for a passport, residents may obtain an application at the Clerk of Courts office, located inside the Highland County Courthouse, or by visiting travel.state.gov to complete and print (but do not sign) the application.

The Highland County Clerk of Courts office will take your passport photo, collect processing fees and submit the application to the passport agency. You must bring a completed application, a certified copy of your birth certificate, your driver’s license and required fees.

For more information on how to obtain a passport locally, visit https://www.highlandclerkofcourts.org/passports.html.

If you are aware of, or have been a victim of, fraud associated with a U.S. passport or U.S. visa application, please contact PassportVisaFraud@state.gov.

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