Marion County Warns of Passport Application Scams

Recorder's office advises citizens to use only official government website for passport services.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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The Marion County Recorder's Office is warning local residents about ongoing passport application scams where individuals are being directed to third-party websites that charge extra fees to process passport forms, which are always free through the official government website.

Why it matters

Passport scams can cost unsuspecting citizens hundreds of dollars, and the Marion County Recorder's Office wants to ensure residents know how to properly and affordably apply for passports to avoid falling victim to these fraudulent schemes.

The details

People nationwide are being directed to third-party websites that pose as the official government passport site and charge additional fees just to pass along information or pocket the money after taking personal details. The only legitimate website for passport forms and information is travel.state.gov.

  • The Marion County Recorder's Office has recently seen an increase in customers who have fallen victim to these passport scams.

The players

Naomi Ellis

The Marion County Recorder who is advising citizens about the ongoing passport scams.

Cari Morgan

A passport agent at the Marion County Recorder's Office.

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What they’re saying

“We've had some customers come in who have been on other websites and have paid money for applications. Passport applications are always free and also people have gone to the wrong website, they've typed in Marion County and Marion County Florida pops up and they make an appointment in Marion County Florida and not Marion County Iowa so we just want people to be aware of what the official passport website is as well as making sure when they're searching for Marion County that they are in fact looking for Marion County Iowa.”

— Naomi Ellis, Marion County Recorder (kniakrls.com)

What’s next

The Marion County Recorder's Office will be featured on an upcoming episode of 'Let's Talk Knoxville' where Recorder Naomi Ellis and Passport Agent Cari Morgan will provide more information about the passport scams and how citizens can properly apply for passports.

The takeaway

This case highlights the importance of verifying official government websites and services to avoid falling victim to scams that can cost citizens hundreds of dollars. The Marion County Recorder's Office is working to educate the community on how to safely and affordably apply for passports through the proper channels.