Applying for Indian Passport? Beware! Govt warns these fake websites may steal your data & ask for money
If you are applying for Indian Passport then the Ministry of External Affairs has warned to be wary of fake websites and mobile App. If you are filling up an online form for passport and finalize an appointment date for the in-person verification of documents, there is a chance you might end up filling your confidential data on fake websites.
The government is alerting people fake websites related to Passport Services and warning them about the fraudulent transaction. These fake websites will take the information on those applying for passports. Not only this, but additional hefty charges are also being levied by these fake websites upon filling the online application and scheduling appointments.
Government has pointed out that some fraud websites are registered in the domain names that end with .org, .in and .com such as www.indiapassport.org, www.passportindiaportal.in, www.passport-india.in, www.passport-seva.in, www.applypassport.org. In fact, most of these websites look very similar to the original website of the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, for applying Passport services.
“It is therefore advised to all citizens applying for Indian Passport and related services that they should NOT visit to the above-mentioned fraudulent websites or make a payment related to passport services,” says Prof Triveni Singh IPS, SP, Azamgarh and a top Cyber Crime cop, in a post on social media platform LinkedIn.
Providing information or making related payments should also be avoided on the above-mentioned websites. The Ministry of External Affairs has only one website that caters to all queries and passport related work. The official website can be found for applying Passport services is here.
There is also the mPassport Seva app available for Android phones and the Apple iPhone which can help applicants with the application process and scheduling of appointment.
