ROCHESTER, N.Y. – With all the hype recently over the deadline to get a REAL ID in order to board an airplane, you may have instead opted to apply for a passport. There are services advertised online that say they can complete your passport application for you. But are they legit?

A viewer contacted News10NBC and wanted to know if it was real. It’s from a Facebook post and advertises a company called GovPlus that will handle your passport application online for a fee, starting at $67.

Gema de las Heras from the Federal Trade Commission says some companies are registered with the U.S. Department of State that charge extra fees to submit the application and maybe pickup the passport.

On the State Department’s website, GovPlus does not appear in the list of approved couriers. However, on its website, the company says it is registered through its subsidiary, Premier Passports, which is listed. According to the Better Business Bureau, GovPlus has been in business for ten years and has a “B” rating.

In an email from a spokesperson at GovPlus, they said the company offers more than just passport completion. They say they also provide assistance with photos, customer support, customized application kits, expedited processing and one-click form filing.

Las Heras says by using one of these companies, people will not get a passport any faster than if they applied on their own.

What you’re paying for is convenience. But do your homework. The FTC warns — know who you’re dealing with before turning over your money and your personal information.

“Look for signs, things like someone telling you you have to pay for forms. The forms are free. So anyone telling you you have to pay for the form, you’re dealing with a scammer,” said Las Heras.

But if you are willing to pay an extra fee to have someone else prepare your passport documents — there are private companies, like GovPlus, registered with the U.S. government to do so. That is a fact.

Because you are providing personal information, it is important that you check the government’s list of approved passport couriers before using one. Click here to see their list.

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