ABOUT INDIANA GROWN
Indiana Grown is administered by the Indiana State Department of Agriculture in partnership with the lieutenant governor’s office. The initiative educates consumers on the importance of buying Indiana Grown products, helps Indiana farmers and producers sell more products and supports Indiana businesses in their efforts to process more Indiana Grown products. Indiana Grown members and partners include farmers, producers, processors and artisans, as well as retailers, grocers, hospitals and restaurants. For more information, visit indianagrown.org.

If you’re traveling internationally, you may need to renew your passport. Consumers unaware of the passport renewal process may fall victim to online scams. These scams trick U.S. citizens into paying a fee to fill out a renewal form that is a free download on the government’s website. As a result, consumers may be tricked into providing their personal and financial information on potentially unsecured websites.

As of June 2024, eligible U.S. citizens can renew their passports online through a new test system. If you do not qualify for online renewal or do not want to use the online renewal system, you can still renew your passport by mail.

How this scam works

You have planned an exciting international trip, so you go online and search for how to renew your passport. At the top of your search results is what appears to be the U.S. passport renewal website. The site tells you what forms need to be provided and that you can fill out the forms right there. You’re asked to provide your personal information, such as your social security number, home address, birth date, and much more.

After completing the form, you’re asked to pay a “processing fee” or an “application fee.” You’re then told that you’ll receive your completed form as a PDF in an email confirmation. (Easy!)

When you receive your confirmation email with your completed PDF form, you are told that you still need to pay money for the actual renewal of your passport. At this moment, you may realize you’ve been scammed into paying to fill out a form instead of actually paying to renew your passport. On top of that, you may have just handed your personal and financial information over to a scammer.

BBB Scam Tracker has received reports of online passport renewal scams. One consumer shared the following experience, “I went into the site assuming it was the State.gov site because it resembled it completely, including the URL. I did not notice that it ended as state.com, not state.gov. By the time I had submitted the application for my passport renewal and payment, I noticed that it was a fraud by the language on the confirmation page.” Another consumer reported this experience, "I went online to renew my father's passport. I inputted all his personal information and was charged 68.00--this company is posing as a government agency and scamming people."

How to avoid similar scams

Do your research. Before renewing your passport, look up the most recent information on the renewal process. Check with the U.S. government to confirm if online renewal services are available for passports. Remember that you should not have to pay a fee to fill out the required forms for a passport renewal – you’ll only need to provide payment for the renewal itself.

Give yourself plenty of time when renewing your passport. Processing times for passport renewals can change often. In addition to the indicated processing times, you should also consider the time it takes for your passport to arrive at the passport agency and then be mailed back to your home address. Check state.gov to see current processing times and plan ahead. Giving yourself plenty of time may reduce your likelihood of searching for quicker options, some of which could be scams. You can expedite your passport renewal with the U.S. government for an extra fee, but it may take several weeks.

Confirm the website’s URL before providing sensitive information. It can be easy to click on a sponsored ad or an impostor website without noticing. Remember, government websites end in .gov but always take a closer look. Scammers can trick you into thinking URLs look legitimate when they aren’t. Before typing in sensitive information, check that the website and link are secure. Learn more about identifying fake websites.

Be wary of third-party websites. There are legitimate passport assistance services, but check with BBB.org and BBB Scam Tracker first to ensure you aren’t sharing your personal or financial information with a scammer.

If you see a scam or fall victim to one, help others by reporting it to BBB Scam Tracker at www.bbb.org/scamtracker.

The Washington County Family YMCA is delighted to share
it has received a generous grant from the Washington County Community
Foundation to support Substance Free Alternative Events. This grant will enable the
YMCA and our Washington County Drug Free Coalition to provide the community
with these fun-filled events for another year.

The grant, totalling $14,500, will be instrumental in planning and hosting Substance
Free Alternative Events, which are social and recreational events for people of all
ages that specifically exclude the use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. These
events are a fun way for families to bond with each other, as well as to engage with
members of the community, for free. The YMCA plans to use these funds to provide
a Substance Free Alternative Event each month. With the support of community
partners, individuals will be able to enjoy a wide variety of events, such as Movie
Nights, Paint Nights, Healthy Kids Day at the Y, and many more.

“We are deeply honored to receive this grant from the Washington County
Community Foundation,” said Gavan Doane, Prevention Assistant at the YMCA.
“This funding will allow us to further support our vision of a healthier, more
supported Washington County. Events like these remind us that we can still have
fun, without the presence or use of substances. We are excited about the
possibilities this grant opens up and the positive impact it will have on the future of
youth and families in our community.”

The YMCA has seen much success with the implementation of Substance Free
Alternative Events. A few recent events include Bingo Night at the Campbellsburg
Community Center, a Family Paint Night in which guests learned how to paint a
leprechaun, and Healthy Kids Day at the YMCA. Of course, these would not have
been possible if not for the generous support of the Y’s many community partners.
It is their unwavering commitment that allows the Y to host these events each
month and contribute to the well-being of everyone in the community. With this
new funding, the YMCA believes the future is bright for Substance Free Alternative
Events and will open up to new and exciting opportunities.

The next Substance Free Alternative Event will be a Free Family Movie Night. In
partnership with the Salem Parks and Recreation Department, families will be able
to enjoy a showing of Disney and Pixar’s “Elemental,” a film set in Element City, in
which Fire-, Water-, Land- and Air residents live together. The event will take place
on Friday, August 16, beginning at 6 p.m. with the movie beginning at 8 p.m.
It will be held at the Salem Community Park, 1104 E, Hackberry Street, Salem, on Field 4.

The event will include free admission, free popcorn, a bounce
house, concessions provided by Salem Parks and Recreation, and much more.

The YMCA bestows heartfelt thanks to the Washington County Community
Foundation for granting the resources that makes programs like Substance Free
Alternative Events possible. It is through their generosity and commitment to the
well-being of the community that fun, inviting events like these can be enjoyed by
people of all ages and backgrounds.

The Y is one of the nation’s leading nonprofits strengthening communities through
youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. The YMCA relies on the
time, talents and treasures of the community to offer valuable programs and
services.

For more information about Substance Free Alternative Events, please contact the
Washington County Family YMCA at 812-883-YMCA, visit us at 1709 N. Shelby
Street, Salem, IN 47167, or email Gavan Doane at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..