"The department is not affiliated with any third-party appointment booking services, and we’ve seen numerous instances of falsified appointment bookings through these vendors," she told media during a Wednesday briefing. Rachel Arndt, deputy assistant secretary for passport services for the Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs, said the agency is aware of fraudulent requests for payment and is working to stop the sales. “They’re taking advantage of people who are in a desperate situation.” “I think it’s pretty scummy,” Ruberto said. Harried travelers are turning to third parties online to purchase passport appointments – typically a free service – to ensure that they can get their passports in hand before their summer vacation. Vaccine passport: Do I need a vaccine passport to travel? The answer is no – for now, anyway Passport wait time: Itching for an international trip? Be prepared to wait up to 18 weeks for a passport Ruberto was able to snag an appointment after three days of trying, but he knows others haven’t been so lucky, especially now that there are people stockpiling appointments to sell. Before the pandemic, the average nonexpedited wait time was six to eight weeks. Postal Service have caused the average wait time for new and renewed passports to shoot up to 12 to 18 weeks, according to the Department of State, which oversees passport applications. Pent-up travel demand, staff shortages and delays within the U.S. "There are a lot of people (online) that are taking advantage of the system." "The whole appointment system … is something completely screwed right now," he told USA TODAY. He said he found price tags as high as $300, but suspects they go higher in private messages. Scrolling through online forums on Facebook and Reddit offered helpful tips, but Ruberto also found dozens of posts trying to peddle appointment times. The 19-year-old Minnesota resident put in a request for a renewal in early June and started looking for ways to set up an appointment to make sure he could make the trip. Seth Ruberto was afraid he'd have to miss out on his August trip to Europe when he learned his passport was about to expire. Watch Video: Summer air travel: What to know about cancellations, reimbursements
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