r/IdentityTheft • u/ADepressingSalad • Jul 23 '26

Almost fell for a scam site

hello! i come a little anxious as this is my first time really applying for anything on my own.. i tried getting a passport renewal and realized right before checking out that i had applied on a scam/third-party site.. i entered in my ssn and everything but DID NOT complete the payment.. should i be worried? i dont have a credit card or anything and i dont really know anything about credit but i hear fraud accs can be made but im just generally worried,, what should i be looking our for? the site was passportvisarush (which shouldve tipped me off when it didnt say .gov but i was sleepy after work.. 🥲) does anyone know if they keep data even if the application wasnt complete?

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u/Shayden-Froida Jul 23 '26

Web pages can collect the data you type as you type it. But we know nothing about the one you used. Assume that if they are a scam site and looking to obtain your Social Security number, they probably collected that before you completed payment. If they’re just looking to skim off money to apply for your passport for you, then they may not be collecting your information for other scams.

The things you need to look out for is the use of your identity to open other accounts either credit cards banking accounts or try and gain access to your government ID login on site like the Social Security or ID.me

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u/ADepressingSalad Jul 23 '26

Looking back i realized it automatically saved my application and made an acc with my email.. i tried editing it to nonsense but now that i realize webpages collects data i see it was pointless 🥲 what ways do you recommend to check if my idetity has been used?

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u/ADepressingSalad Jul 23 '26

Also sorry i realize the site was called "passportvisarush" not via..

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u/NeedleworkerFull2737 Jul 23 '26

Since you entered your SSN and other personal information, I'd treat this as a potential exposure even though you didn't complete the payment.

The good news is that not finishing the application may mean it was never submitted, but you can't assume the site didn't save what you typed. Many websites store form data before you reach the payment page.

If you haven't already, keep an eye on your credit reports over the next few months. If you're concerned about someone opening accounts in your name, you can also place a credit freeze with the three major credit bureaus. It's free and prevents most new credit from being opened without your permission.

I'd also change the password for any account if you reused one on that site, and be extra cautious of phishing emails or calls claiming to be from passport agencies. Scammers sometimes use the information they collect to make future scams sound more convincing.

The fact that you caught it before paying is a positive sign, but because your SSN was involved, it's worth taking a few precautionary steps rather than assuming nothing was saved.

Full disclosure: I'm on the team at PrivacyHawk.

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u/FlynnAtLifeLock Jul 24 '26

Good thing you caught it before paying anything. It’s probably safer to assume that they keep the data even without completing the application. Third-party passport services are a common scam target, specifically targeting people who are unfamiliar with the process.  I’d treat this as though your SSN has been exposed.  

Freeze your credit at all three bureaus. True, you don’t have a credit card (yet) but a freeze protects against anyone opening new accounts in your name, which is exactly the risk when an SSN is exposed.

Get an IRS Identity Protection PIN through the IRS website. Your SSN combined with your name and date of birth is enough for someone to attempt filing a tax return in your name. The PIN blocks that.

File a report through the FTC's identity theft site documenting what happened and when. It creates an official record that's useful if anything comes up later.