UK Passport Agency Queries
I'm currently involved in an increasingly odd email exchange with the UKPA. I simply want to know if the Daily Mail article I referenced in an earlier post was actually true.
I sent them an email asking "If I refuse to have my details on the NIR, can I still get a passport?". I get a reply from them - well, UKPA@reply.co.uk - asking what the NIR is. I explain that it's the National Identity Register. They then reply telling me that they wouldn't know about that.
I mail them again, somewhat exasperated, that as they're the Passport Agency (and part of the Home Office - who are trying to implement the ID Card scheme) they're exactly the people who should know about that. I get a reply telling me that they'd never said I couldn't get a passport...
So, I've mailed them again, explaining in very simple terms what information I require from them, and now they've given me the telephone number for the Home Office. Which is quite handy, as at the time of writing, the Home Office website is down (probably terrorist hackers) so I couldn't have gone on there to bother people.
Weirdly, that reply.co.uk isn't anything to do with the Government, yet is expected to deal with enquiries about everything related to passports (issued essentially by the Government). Which strikes me as odd.
I'm now going to ring the Home Office.
posted by silas @ 15:33
7 Comments:
Same here when I put my application numbrs in to their website to get a status update..rather than an automatic response that I would have expected I get an email from some guy asking for the applicant names and DOB. I reply thinking they were just trying to prove I was the person who applied then get another reply asking for the application number...then I notice its coming from ukpa@reply.co.UK rather than a government addresss, and I start to worry about why they're asking me for info they should already have..maybe they've been been a victim of heartbleed..I don't know..so now I'm going to have to phone then instead..
Hi,
Did you discover whether ukpa@reply.co.uk is a genuine email address or is it indeed a hacked address or scam? I've just received an email from them after having requested a status update, but all information has been provided.
Many thanks!
D
Hi,
Yes ofcourse, even I received a mail from ukpa@reply.co.uk repeatedly asking for my details, inspite of me mailing them all. How come when they have all my information and also my Application Ref No. given by me, they are insisting upon to repeat the same process. It really weird. I hope it is not a hacked address or a spam. Kindly someone throw some more light on the issue as it is really serious in nature. Thank you.
i am also having this issue with that e-mail address. i am not sending it any info and will be phoning them tomorrow to inquire about this...
UKPA@reply.co.uk is not from the passport agency. I just called the passport office to get the status on my passport application and they said that email address is not theirs. Somehow, the passport agency has been hacked and getting a lot of personal details from people.
This is a fraud, confirmed by the passport office and actionfraud so don't give them any info they ask for, strongly advise that you call both agencies to advise them like I did.
A quick WHOIS on reply.co.uk reveals the domain belongs to MM Teleperformance Limited. Teleperformance are an outsourced contact centre provider who deal with Passport Office enquiries. No scam here, but it would be better if they used a gov.uk address to put peoples' minds at rest.
Post a Comment
<< Home