Question: I received a letter from “The Office of Passport Services” to do an “interview” online or by phone to better serve the American public’s need for passport services. Is this legitimate?
Answer: Yes, you’ve been invited to participate in the Passport Demand Forecasting Study, conducted for the U.S. State Department. We confirmed this because you provided details about the letter in a follow-up email. You were wise to double-check, as scammers do impersonate government agencies to try to steal money or valuable personal information from unsuspecting victims.
The letter you received was genuine because it directed you to passportplanning.com and also included a toll-free phone number associated with the study, which gathers data from a national representative sample of U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals and others entitled to a U.S. passport book or card. You may complete the survey online or over the phone, using the code provided in the letter.
Households are chosen at random. Participation is voluntary. Respondents must be 18 or older and familiar with the travel habits of all household members. The survey takes about 10 minutes to complete.
“Whether you/your household require passport services or not, your participation in this study can help our offices to improve customer service, allocate sufficient personnel, develop new products, and plan for what citizens require of our office” in the months and years ahead, the letter says.
Anyone who receives a similar letter can verify it at travel.state.gov/passportstudy by comparing their letter with the information posted on the State Department website. Letters are mailed to a random U.S. sample every month.
Q: My son lost his Hawaii driver’s license at the Los Angeles airport. How can he get a duplicate from California?
A: If his license was issued on Oahu, he can order a duplicate online at www1.honolulu.gov/duplicates. However, the license will be mailed to his Hawaii address on file. The U.S. Postal Service and the city Department of Customer Services won’t forward it to a different address, according to the online order form. The fee is $7, payable by credit or debit card. A temporary paper license will be mailed in two to three business days, followed by the permanent plastic card in six to eight weeks, the city says.
Many people in your son’s situation, who are traveling for an extended period or living outside Hawaii temporarily, such as college students, order the duplicate for delivery in Hawaii and have a friend or family member mail it to them elsewhere.
Also, if his driver’s license is found at LAX and turned into Lost and Found, it will be mailed to the address on the driver’s license, according to the airport’s website. Read more at flylax.com/lost-n-found.
Q: Can Oahu residents still get a Golf ID?
A: Yes, according to Honolulu’s Department of Enterprise Services, which oversees Oahu’s municipal golf courses. Its website says, “Golf I.D. cards are issued only to bona fide Hawaii residents.” Review the requirements and the application process at honolulu.gov/des/golf/idcard.
Auwe
Auwe to supermarkets that disregard the state Department of Health’s law that prohibits nonservice animals in food establishments. Stores look the other way as customers place them inside a shopping cart, with no barrier whatsoever, where I’m going to place my fresh produce. Totally unsanitary. Why have laws when they’re not enforced? — Disgusted
Mahalo
Mahalo to the visitor who assisted my mother when she became confused at Ala Moana Center and lost her way to our meeting place. The tourist wasn’t familiar with the mall, either, but used the directory, and all was well in the end. I complain about tourists at times, so I wanted to share this story of gratitude. — A reader
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
