With over 119 million Americans traveling this holiday season, airports will be packed—and scams are on the rise. Many travelers look to programs like TSA PreCheck to streamline their experience, but a new scam is targeting unsuspecting people with fake websites and phishing messages.
Keep reading to learn how this scam works, how to stay safe and how to enroll in TSA PreCheck the right way.
TSA PreCheck is a program that makes it easier for travelers to speed through the security process at participating airports.
Those enrolled have to go through fewer steps thanks to their dedicated screening lanes, so they can often get through security in less than 10 minutes.
Interested travelers must pay an application fee when they request enrollment, and this ranges from $78 to $85 depending on what provider they use. For many people, the cost of the program is worth it due to the time it saves at the airport.
Scammers know how appealing TSA PreCheck can be during the holiday season. That’s why they have created fake websites that appear to be offering enrollment in the program.
Once you’ve registered and paid the “fee,” the money goes right into the hands of the thieves.
Not only are you taking a hit to your credit card or bank account, but you won’t have the benefits of TSA PreCheck because the application was not legitimate.
The key behind this scam is a convincing website for the TSA PreCheck program. Unfortunately, these are becoming more commonplace.
"We are seeing a disturbing trend of mimicking TSA-like sites," Karin Zilberstein, an expert with the browser extension Guardio, told ABC 11.
"The quality of the sites, obviously, scammers are getting better, using generative AI in producing more and more realistic sites.”
The URL may even be convincing without telltale unusual characters, numbers or misspelled words that would otherwise indicate a scam.
Once you fill out the application and payment information, the scammers have your financial and personal information, as well as the money you were paying for your alleged enrollment.
You may receive an invitation via email to join TSA PreCheck, especially during a time when travel is at its peak. This isn’t a coincidence, according to experts!
"Many times scammers will use the personal information they see on social media that they scrape from social media to address phishing attempts that are more targeted,” Zilerstein further explained to ABC 11.
One Reddit user also inquired about a text version of a TSA PreCheck scam that targeted their mom. “My mom got a text today from IDEMIA saying ‘Thank you for signing up for TSA Precheck by IDEMIA text alerts.
We will reach out with important updates for your enrollment,’” they wrote in the post. “She ignored it and then a few hours later they sent her access PIN numbers. This is a scam, right?”
Other Reddit users agreed something sounded off, and that it was likely a scam. One also pointed out that no legitimate financial institution or bank will request information via message.
5 tips to stay safe from the TSA PreCheck Scam
The last thing you want to do is arrive at the airport and realize your PreCheck enrollment was part of an elaborate scam. To ensure you don’t fall for their trap, follow the below tips:
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Avoid clicking on any links in emails or text messages that you didn’t request. These are phishing attempts and are often made to look very realistic.
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Ignore warnings that state you have limited time to enroll. “If someone insists that you [need] to pay right away, chances are that’s a scammer,” warns the Federal Trade Commission.
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Beware of suspicious renewal requests. If you already have TSA PreCheck, you will likely receive renewal reminder emails when the time comes. But visit tsa.gov/precheck rather than clicking on a link in a message, which could be malicious.
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Be mindful of where you share information about upcoming trips. Many scammers will comb social media for ideas on who to target.
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Follow the proper channels to enroll in the program. An important note: You cannot pay for TSA PreCheck online, so any websites that say you can are a scam!
How to enroll in TSA PreCheck the right way
Looking to take advantage of the breezy security process? Enrolling in TSA PreCheck is quite simple—and safe!
To make the in-person portion of your enrollment faster, it’s recommended that you first pre-enroll online via one of the provider websites: CLEAR, IDEMIA or Telos.
Next, you’ll head to your nearest TSA enrollment center, which can be found in airports, government buildings and even some Office Depot and OfficeMax stores. Just enter your zip code on the TSA website to be given a list of nearby locations. (The provider website you select will give you specific hours of operation for the location you choose).
At the enrollment center, you’ll complete your application and pay—in person. You will then be able to enjoy your new TSA PreCheck status for your next departure.
