Airport Pre-check Scam!
 

Just want to post a warning to beware of the companies at the airports that are supposedly signing you up for the Gov't pre-check.

My daughter flew out to visit us over the Christmas holidays and had a lot of time to kill at the airport before her flight (yeah, a perfect target), and a lady representative from the Government (as she claimed) told my daughter that they could sign her up for the TSA pre-check while she waits for her flight. My daughter felt skeptical, but she also knew that I have pre-check status (only due to getting a green-card), so she thought she'd get the status, too.

The lady took a Ton of personal information, told my daughter that it is all free, did not ask for a credit card, and told my daughter that she will now be able to go through the pre-check line on her next flight back home.

My daughter spent a month with us and on her fight home, she got in the pre-check line; and NOPE they did not have her listed as having pre-check status. They sent her to another counter to verify and they did not see that she had pre-check status.

When my daughter got home and checked her bank account, she discovered the "free" Gov't pre-check actually cost her $200. In a panic she called her bank to have them reverse the charge. Her bank would not reverse the charge because they said she "authorized" the payment by giving them her personal information.

So now we're a month later, and she's telling me this story. I told my daughter to call the bank again and insist they reverse that charge. So she did.

The bank looked up her account today and saw that two additional charges had come through for $200 each but, thankfully, the bank declined those charges since she already reported the scam. NOW the bank is willing to reverse the first charge since they now see it is a scam.

I just wanted to post this to warn others who may be traveling and run into these people at the airports. I, personally, NEVER pay these folks any attention and avoid them at all cost, but now I have even more reason to avoid them. I know some of them may be legit... but you just don't know.

thanks, you never know. I'm always wary!

Oh, my. Thank you for posting about this!

I was scanned by a lady that was talking to the checker and lingering near the checkout two months ago and she somehow photocopied my card with her phone and then used it in NYC. I had to report it to the bank and they had to issue another hew card to me.
I even have one of those rfd wallets, so they couldn't get it any other way. People are such thieves anymore! Sheesh what a world we live in.

I am glad to pass on this info to my friends and family about the scammers at the airport. Thanks for the heads up!

I somehow had my Paypal account hacked - I have an idea where it happened, but no-one cared. Luckily I was notified immediately and was able to stop all the charges but very upset with them because they were not interested in helping me.

I knew my card was stolen and charges made before I could cancel the card and the bank didn't care. Just reimburse me an gave me a new card. I called the police and was told I could make a report if the bank needed it, the bank didn't. The thieves know nothing will happen to them.

First clue, no government agency hangs out at the airport. We were able to get pre-screening through the airline we always use, online. Just have to swear I'm not a terrorist. Now all my tickets come pre-marked with the TSA Pre-Check.

Having your card hacked is always stressful. One reason I use the credit cards I do is that I have been hacked and they have taken care of the whole thing with a minimum of stress. It's also why I don't use debit cards. It freaks me out to have money going right out of my account. Also, a warning. Check your bank accounts and credit cards daily. We had our business checking hacked last summer to the tune of $12,000. It was so stressful, but my local Wells Fargo bank manager is excellent and took care of it all for me. I was so grateful that he was there. He always makes things so much easier.

I had to laugh that you had to swear you weren't a terrorist. Do you think a real terrorist would provide an Alternative Fact???? (Lie!)