Don’t Fall For the TSA PreCheck Renewal Email Scam
Because each TSA PreCheck membership only lasts five years, scammers send fake renewal emails claiming that yours is expiring, with links to renew or enroll in the service.
But if you click on the link, you’ll be taken to a fake website that looks like an official TSA site, and told to enter your personal information and pay online for your membership. This is a scam.
Any information or money you send will go straight to scammers — and you won’t have a valid PreCheck number the next time you go to the airport.
Here’s what you need to know:
- If you’re applying for TSA PreCheck for the first time: You can start your application online, but will only need to submit sensitive information and make your payment in person at a TSA enrollment center.
- If you already have a TSA PreCheck membership: You can renew and make your payment online (or in person). However, you should only enter sensitive information if you know for certain you are on the official tsa.gov website.
Scammers may also target travelers with similar scams for Nexus or Global Entry memberships.
What To Do If You Receive a Fake TSA PreCheck Renewal Email:
Look for signs of a phishing email. Scammers use fake or lookalike email addresses not coming from the official tsa.gov domain. If you can’t see the sender’s email address, click on their name to reveal it. Fraudsters may also try to create a sense of urgency by claiming your membership will expire soon or that you will owe extra fees if you delay.
Don’t click links in renewal emails. Even if the TSA sends you a legitimate PreCheck renewal email, it’s safer not to click on any links in unexpected emails. Instead, navigate directly to tsa.gov/precheck and start the renewal process there.
Make sure you’re on an official .gov website. Government websites all use the .gov domain extension and include a disclaimer at the top explaining how you know if you’re on an official website of the United States government.
Do not provide personal or financial information. Scammers may already know information about you — but don’t give them more to work with, including your credit card numbers, TSA PreCheck number, or sensitive identifiers, such as your Social Security number (SSN).
Report scam emails to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and your email service provider. Take a screenshot of the email for your records and then use your email provider’s “block and report” function. You can report scams to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
If You Accidentally Paid a Scammer:
Try to cancel the transfer by contacting the payment processor — such as your bank, a payment app like Venmo or Zelle, the wire processor, or gift card merchant.
Contact your bank’s fraud department to report the crime and cancel compromised cards and accounts.
If you suspect your identity has been stolen, file an official identity theft report with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) online at IdentityTheft.gov.
Continue to monitor your financial and other online accounts for signs of fraud.
What To Do If You Receive a Fake TSA PreCheck Renewal Email:
Look for signs of a phishing email. Scammers use fake or lookalike email addresses not coming from the official tsa.gov domain. If you can’t see the sender’s email address, click on their name to reveal it. Fraudsters may also try to create a sense of urgency by claiming your membership will expire soon or that you will owe extra fees if you delay.
Don’t click links in renewal emails. Even if the TSA sends you a legitimate PreCheck renewal email, it’s safer not to click on any links in unexpected emails. Instead, navigate directly to tsa.gov/precheck and start the renewal process there.
Make sure you’re on an official .gov website. Government websites all use the .gov domain extension and include a disclaimer at the top explaining how you know if you’re on an official website of the United States government.
Do not provide personal or financial information. Scammers may already know information about you — but don’t give them more to work with, including your credit card numbers, TSA PreCheck number, or sensitive identifiers, such as your Social Security number (SSN).
Report scam emails to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and your email service provider. Take a screenshot of the email for your records and then use your email provider’s “block and report” function. You can report scams to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
