What Can Scammers Do With Your Passport Number?

Can Someone Steal Your Identity With Your Passport Number?

To her more than 34,000 Instagram followers, Danielle Miller was a wealthy influencer bouncing between luxury accommodations and far-flung vacation destinations. But her life came crashing down when authorities discovered that Danielle had used forged passports to secure nearly $1.5 million in fraudulent Small Business Administration (SBA) loans [*]. 

Passports are among the most widely accepted forms of identification, making them prime targets for scammers and fraudsters.

If scammers steal your passport number, they can impersonate you, create fake travel documents, or even open bank accounts in your name. Unfortunately, even if your physical passport is safely stored away, you could still be at risk. 

The 2019 Marriott breach compromised over 5.25 unencrypted passport numbers from the hotel chain’s guests. 

In this guide, we’ll explain how scammers steal passport numbers, what they can do if they have yours, and what to do if your passport or passport number is lost or stolen.

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How Do Scammers Get Your Passport Number? 

In 2022, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) received nearly 1,000 reports of passport fraud [*].

Here are a few of the most common ways that your passport information could be stolen:

• Data breaches at hotel chains, airlines, and other travel companies. The 2019 Marriott data breach released millions of passport numbers. But other companies that store your passport information — such as airlines or travel booking websites — can also put you at risk. 
• Stealing your physical passport. Thieves can steal your passport when you’re traveling or even by breaking into your house. Ensure that your passport is kept in a secure location both at home and on the road.
• Bogus passport renewal websites. Beware of sites that promise to “expedite” your new passport. Make sure you’re only inputting information or trying to renew your passport via the official U.S. State Department website. 
• Hacking your accounts. Hackers may try to hack your email account to look for sensitive information, including your passport data.  
• Impersonating travel agents or officials online. If you're working with a travel agency, vet them carefully so that sensitive details don't end up in the wrong hands.
• Gaining access to your passport application. In some cases, scammers attempt to steal or gain access to your passport application by stealing your mail or changing your address with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). 
• Discarding old passports. Criminals can obtain and copy your information if you don't properly destroy an old passport.
• Shoulder surfing. Scammers can look over your shoulder while you are entering your passport details in public.

How Bad Is It If Scammers Have Your Passport Number?

While scammers have several methods for obtaining stolen passport information, the severity of the crime depends on what type of passport information they are able to access:

• ⚠️ Low risk: Your passport number is leaked. Passport numbers on their own aren't particularly valuable to identity thieves. However, when combined with more personally identifiable information (PII) — such as your name, address, or a “selfie” — your passport number enables scammers to impersonate you, access your online accounts, or target you in sophisticated scams that lead to identity theft. 
• ⛔️ Medium risk: Hackers access a full passport scan. A digital scan of your passport gives criminals more information, such as your full name, date of birth, and a photo. Scammers can use a scan to create more convincing phishing schemes or legitimate-looking forgeries of your passport. 
• 🚨 High risk: Your physical passport is lost or stolen. Losing your physical passport is the most problematic. It gives criminals access to a government document, which can lead to unauthorized travel, human trafficking, and other illegal activities. You should report physical passport loss immediately to the nearest embassy or consulate in order to notify authorities and get a replacement passport. 

The bottom line: Losing a sensitive document like your passport — or even your passport number — can put you at serious risk of identity theft. 

What Can Someone Do With Your Passport Number (or a Scan)?

1. Access your bank account
2. Open fraudulent bank accounts in your name
3. Bypass 2FA to gain access to your online accounts
4. Mine for more personal data on the Dark Web
5. Create a more authentic forged passport
6. Target you with fake breach notifications
7. Build a synthetic identity using your ID
8. Apply for government benefits in your name
9. Travel to other countries
10. Commit employment fraud

How worried should you be if somebody gets your passport number, a scan of your passport information, or your physical passport itself? Here are 10 things that can happen.

1. Access your bank account (or add unauthorized users to your account)

Because your passport is an accepted form of identification, scammers can use it to try and gain access to your bank account. 

Here’s how this scam can happen:

• Scammers gather information about you. Fraudsters use your passport number to gather more details about you online, such as your date of birth, address, and Social Security number (SSN). They can obtain this information via data breaches, phishing attempts, or from your social media accounts.
• Next, they impersonate you at your bank. Using your personal information, scammers can pose as you when contacting your bank. If bank representatives think they are talking with the legitimate account holder, they may ask for your passport as proof of identity.
• Then, they exploit weak security questions. If your bank uses security questions to authenticate, scammers may be able to answer them with the information they've gathered. These security questions can be easily guessed or found online in some instances.
• Finally, they take over (and empty) your account. Once scammers convince a bank representative that they are the account holder, they can request changes to your account —  such as updating contact information or changing online banking passwords.

Scammers can also add their names to your bank accounts using counterfeit passport cards. 

In a recent scam, a North Texas man stole $1.9 million from Chase bank customers using fake passports that included the victims’ names and identifying information — but different photos [*].  

2. Open fraudulent bank accounts in your name

While using a passport to access a current bank account is a lengthy and risky process, it’s much easier for scammers to use fake or stolen passports to open new accounts in your name. 

Just two years ago, one man admitted to committing bank fraud to steal over $450,000 by using fake passports [*]. In order to open bank accounts, deposit fraudulent checks, and withdraw money, he attached his photograph to four different forged passports.

Sign up for a credit monitoring service to alert you if anyone is trying to open an account or take out a loan in your name.

3. Bypass 2FA to gain access to your online accounts

On some websites, scammers can use your stolen passport numbers as alternative proof of identity (POI) when requesting a password reset or changing your two-factor authentication (2FA) settings. 

With just your passport number and a few other pieces of information, they could gain access to your email account, websites that store your credit card information, or even your online bank account. 

4. Mine for more of your personal data on the Dark Web

The Dark Web is a layer of the internet that isn't easily accessible by the average internet user. While there are legitimate reasons to use the Dark Web, it’s favored by criminals and hackers because it allows them to anonymously sell or trade stolen information and illegal goods.

If scammers have your passport number, they can use it to find other sensitive information about you on the Dark Web, including your:

• Driver’s license number
• Social Security number (SSN)
• Banking information
• Credit card numbers
• Online account passwords

Scammers can purchase this information in bulk for a low cost. Once they have all the data, they can create a more complete profile of you to use when opening fraudulent bank accounts or applying for loans.  

💡 Related: What Can Scammers Do With Your Bank Account Number? →

5. Create a more authentic forged passport

Passport numbers and scans can be used to create a forged physical passport. While a forger might get caught when trying to enter countries like the United States, Canada, and parts of Europe, forged passports can still be used as legitimate IDs for committing identity fraud within a country. 

If your passport number is stolen, scammers could create forgeries and sell them on the Dark Web for less than $1,000 [*].

6. Target you with fake breach notifications

Scammers often prey on fear. If they find your passport number online, they could use it to create a fake data breach notification and steal even more sensitive information from you. 

For example, scammers could wait for a highly publicized data breach — such as the 2022 American Airlines breach [*] — and then send phishing emails claiming your passport was stolen. If you click on a link in these emails, it will send you to a fake website that steals more of your personal information. 

💡 Related: How To Avoid Online Travel Agency Scams and Fake Booking Sites →

7. Build a synthetic identity using your ID

A synthetic identity is a combination of real and fake personal information that creates a new, fake identity.

For about $1,200, scammers can take your passport and personal information — like your full name, place of birth, and SSN — and build a fake identity to use for themselves [*].

💡 Related: What Is Synthetic Identity Theft? (And How To Protect Yourself) →

8. Apply for government benefits in your name

Scammers can also apply for government benefits using your passport number, leaving you on the hook for any aftermath or repercussions. In this type of identity theft, scammers can pose as you to receive benefits to which you are entitled — such as unemployment insurance, healthcare subsidies, or Social Security disbursements. 

9. Travel to other countries

Fraudsters can travel internationally under your name by using fake or manipulated passports. This may involve altering the biographical data, photo, or electronic chip embedded in the passport. 

Once they've entered another country, scammers can use your fake passport to commit crimes and evade law enforcement.

10. Commit employment fraud

Fraudsters can also use your passport number when applying for jobs that they wouldn’t otherwise get due to visa restrictions or background checks. If someone gains employment under your name, it can cause serious headaches during tax season or when you try to apply for government or Social Security benefits.

💡 Related: How To Tell If You’re the Victim of Employment Identity Theft →

What To Do If Your Passport Number Is Compromised

A compromised or stolen passport number doesn’t necessarily mean you’re immediately at risk. But you do need to be more concerned if a scan or physical copy of your passport (or passport application) has been compromised.

Either way, there are steps you should take to swiftly protect your online accounts, finances, and identity.

• Confirm that your passport number was compromised. Before replacing your passport, ensure that your number was actually compromised or is being used for identity theft or fraud. For example, sign up for Aura’s free 14-day trial and scan the Dark Web for your passport number (and other sensitive data) to check if it’s been used without your permission. 
• Request a replacement passport. If you’ve confirmed that your passport number or a scanned copy has been compromised, report your passport as lost or stolen. Request a replacement passport with a new passport number, and the old one will be canceled completely.
• File an identity theft report with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Your passport number is just one piece of the puzzle that leads to identity theft. Other pieces can easily be bought on the black market. If this occurs, file an identity theft report with the FTC at IdentityTheft.gov so they can help restore your identity.
• Contact local law enforcement. In many instances, you’ll need to file a police report with your local law enforcement. An officer will talk to you about the fraud and help you file a report. You’ll later be able to use this report to restore your accounts and seek financial compensation.
• Freeze or lock your credit with all three bureaus. A credit freeze prevents anyone from opening new accounts or taking out loans in your name. To freeze your credit, you’ll need to contact each of the three credit bureaus individually — Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian.
• Secure your online accounts with 2FA and updated recovery email addresses. Make sure scammers can’t access your online accounts by updating your passwords and enabling 2FA by using an authenticator app. 
• Monitor your credit and bank statements for signs of fraud. Keep a close eye on all statements — from your credit cards and bank statements to the overall state of your credit report — to ensure there is no fraudulent activity occurring. For added security, sign up for a credit monitoring service.
• Beware of phishing scams (via emails, texts, calls, etc.). If you’ve recently been part of a data breach, stay on high alert. You may receive email, text, or phone call communications from people who say they’re from the company where the breach occurred — be wary, as this could also be part of a scam. 
• Review your privacy settings. Check your privacy settings on social media and other online platforms to limit the exposure of your personal information. Make it harder for scammers to gather additional information about you. 
• Consider signing up for identity theft protection. Aura’s award-winning identity theft protection solution can warn you if your passport or other sensitive information was compromised or is being used. Try Aura free for 14 days and check if your identity is secure.

Was Your Physical Passport Lost or Stolen? Act Quickly!

If your passport is stolen, it’s critical to act quickly to protect your identity and minimize potential damage. Follow these steps: 

• Report the loss to the government so authorities can cancel and invalidate your passport.
• Apply for a replacement passport. If you’re already traveling, you’ll need to find the local embassy or consulate to make an in-person appointment so that you can get home.
• Pay the passport replacement fee. You may also need to expedite your passport, depending on your travel plans.
• Keep a close eye on your financial accounts, email accounts, and other sensitive data for any suspicious activity or unauthorized transactions that could indicate identity theft.

The Bottom Line: Protect Your Passport From Scammers

If your passport number was part of a recent breach, don’t panic. But you should take the proper precautions to ensure that the situation doesn't go from bad to worse.

Keep your passport and passport number safe. Lock up your passport at home in a fire-resistant box. Put it in a secure place when you're on the go. Also, watch out for breaches that involve any hotels, travel agencies, or airlines with which you do business.

For added security and peace of mind, consider signing up for Aura. You’ll get 24/7 award-winning identity theft protection to help keep your family, finances, and personal information safe. And if the worst should happen, every adult member on your Aura plan is covered for up to $1,000,000 in eligible losses due to identity theft. 

Shield your identity today. Try Aura free for 14 days.