You might want to be extra vigilant when renewing your passport.
According to a report by the Fox affiliate in Houston, a Texas resident was told by a post office official that Florida is among the states where passports are routinely lost in the mail.
According to reports, earlier this year the FBI alerted law enforcement to the danger that terrorists could be using stolen passports to move freely across borders and enter the U.S.
There’s a huge black market for them and that may open up Florida residents to becoming a target.
The Texas resident, Lamar Khana, recently reported that his daughter’s passport hadn’t arrived yet. It was sent by certified mail and more than 17 days ago.
The State Department says you should always report a passport stolen if you haven’t received it within 10 days of it being mailed. To report a passport lost or stolen, first confirm that the passport was mailed.
You can use the Online Passport Status System or contact the National Passport Information Center (NPIC). Alert NPIC if it was mailed more than 10 days ago.
Lost or stolen passports can be reported in three ways: online, by mail or by phone.
The U.S. Postal Service released the following statement Wednesday:
“The Postal Service strives to provide the highest level of service at all times and we take the security and sanctity of the mail seriously. We offer a number of secure and affordable options for customers mailing important items, including passports. In fact, the Postal Service is a certified partner with the U.S. Department of State, and accepts passport applications at Post Offices all across the country. The Postal Service, along with the Inspection Service and our Office of Inspector General, monitors reports regarding mail theft and investigates all such issues accordingly. Recent comments regarding alleged increases of instances of passports lost in the mail in three specific states appear to be unfounded and inaccurate.” --- Debra J. Fetterly, USPS Spokesperson
Information on how to do that can be found at: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/after/lost-stolen.html
If you are traveling within the next two weeks and need your passport, make an appointment to re-apply in person at the Miami Passport Agency: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/requirements/where-to-apply/passport-agencies/miami.html
