Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:22/06/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  i went on the website seeking to renew my birth certificate, you had to enter your info and they asked for my credit card info... before i could proceed with the filling and filing the documents, they had taken the money out of my account...i called them immediately and asked for a refund of the money they took out before i could actually do the process...i said i wouldn't be continuing with the process...the women said they would reimburse me by end of day which never occurred. i tried to go on the website again ********************** and can no longer get on it, it says page can't be found...i want my refund...this company is a ****

  

  Business Response

  Date: 14/07/2023

  To whom it may
  concern:
  Re:
  *** ****** ********
  ****** ******** **** *** ** *******
  To whom it may concern:
  This is a response to Ms. ***** ******* complaint against
  Canada Passport Help Services.
  We are disappointed by Ms. ******* accusation and would like to respond to Ms. ******* and provide a
  link to our website pages to debunk her unfounded and untruthful accusations.
  We are a federally registered company, and we have been providing passport services since September 2008 and have assisted over 50,000 customers.
  Before using our services, a client must sign up online ********************************************************* at *********************.  To complete online the signup process, a client must acknowledge and agree to Canada Passport Help terms and conditions **************************************.  No customer could finalize the signing up process without acknowledging and agreeing with Canada Passport Help terms and conditions. 
  The company website terms and conditions include a disclaimer indicating that “********************* is a private company and we are NOT a government agency.” 
  The company’s terms and conditions include fee structure, our services and the cancelation policy.
  Every page of our website including the main page ******************************** and Terms and Conditions **************************************, clearly explains in detail our
  Services section of our website ***************************************** clearly explain passport fees, what is included in the fees and how our service works.
  This is a summary of our interactions with Ms. *******.
  On June 20th, 2023, Ms. ******* signed up online to use Canada
  Passport Help (*********************) services to apply replace her
  lost birth certificate. 
  Immediately after
  signing up, Ms. ******* received an email from Canada Passport Help
  confirming her registration and providing a secure link to download and upload
  the application.
  On June 21st,
  2023, Ms. ******* emailed us and requested refund. 
  (Please see attached email 01.)
  On June 22nd, 2023, we cancelled Ms. ******* transaction and emailed her confirmation of
  the Cancelation and refund.  Please see
  attached email and confirmation of refund. 
  Please see attached email  02
  ***** ******
  *********

• Initial Complaint

  Date:24/03/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I'm seeking to renew my Canadian Passport (from the U.S.).
  
  I Googled, "renew my Canadian passport from the U.S." and clicked on ********************* - mistakenly thought it was Government website or, at the very least, a government related and/or approved site.
  
  Before accessing forms to complete, the website requested payment (without disclosing the total amount that I would be charged).
  
  Again, under the impression that this is a gov't-related website, I submitted my initial info. along with payment, and accessed the form.
  
  Shortly thereafter, I started wondering if this was indeed a gov't approved/gov't-related website and it is NOT... I called the toll free numbers on ******************** and ALL numbers were busy. (no response). I tried calling multiple times. Busy,
  
  I am requesting a refund of $115.00. I do not plan on continuing my passport renewal process with them. I feel deceived and regret submitting any of my information for "assistance" in the application process. At the very least, the website should disclose their non-government "affiliation" along with a clear synopsis of services on the home page so its purpose is clear and transparent to the viewers.
  
  Judging by some of the *** reviews, it sounds like this site is charging a lot of unnecessary fees at each step of the application process.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 13/04/2023

  To whom it may concern:
  *** *** ****** ********
  ****** ******** **** *** ** *******
  To whom it may concern:
  This is a response to Ms. *****
  ******* ********* complaint against Canada Passport Help Services. 
  We are disappointed by Ms. ********* accusation and
  would like to respond to Ms. * ********* and provide a link
  to our website pages to debunk her unfounded and untruthful accusations.
  We are a federally registered company, and we have been providing passport services since September 2008 and have assisted over 50,000 customers.
  During the formation of our company and the development of our website, our company lawyers communicated with the Government of Canada - Passport Program representatives to ensure our website is not misleading and is not in violation of any of the Passport Program (AKA Passport Canada) rules and regulations.
  Canada Passport Help website ******************************** doesn’t mimic or look like the Canadian Government or Passport Program websites ******************************* 
  Before using our services, a client must sign up online ********************************************************* at *********************.  To complete online the signup process, a client must acknowledge and agree to Canada Passport Help terms and conditions ***************************************  No customer could finalize the signing up process without acknowledging and agreeing with Canada Passport Help terms and conditions. 
  The company website terms and conditions include a disclaimer indicating that “********************* is a private company and we are NOT a government agency.” 
  The company’s terms and conditions include fee structure, our services and the cancelation policy.
  Every page of our website including the main page ******************************** and Terms and Conditions **************************************, clearly explains in detail our services as:
  A detailed review and assessment of your Canadian passport application or Canadian passport renewal application
  A detailed review and assessment of the photos you’ve taken for your Canadian passport application
  Consultation on the assembly of the required components of your application prior to submission via post or courier
  Your own Canadian passport specialist to answer any questions or concerns you may have while completing the application or renewal process.
  Services section of our website ***************************************** clearly explain passport fees, what is included in the fees and how our service works.
  This is a summary of our interactions with Ms. *********.
  March 20, 2023, Ms. ********* signed
  up online to use Canada Passport Help (*********************) services to apply
  for a Canadian passport. 
  Immediately after signing up, Ms. ********* received an email from Canada Passport Help confirming her registration and
  providing a secure link to download and upload the application.
  Ms. ********* could reply
  to the email to request a refund.  If our
  phone line is busy, our phone system directs callers to our message system,
  which forward callers’ message to our representatives by email and voice mail
  for follow-up with inquiries.  We have
  searched our telephone system for received calls and messages, there is no
  message or call received from the phone number ************** provided by Ms. *********.
  Upon completing our inquiry to Ms. ********* claims, we closed her account with us and refunded the fee she paid
  online.  Please see attached cancelation
  confirmation email sent to Ms. *********.
  Point 1 from Mrs ********* stating
  that she was not able to see the total cost:
  Under the Service section you see:
  The total cost of
  obtaining a Canadian passport from the United States using
  Canada Passport help online services is:
  Adult 5 years passport is $275 USD* ($115 when signing up online + $160 when an application is submitted)
  Adult 10 years passport is $325 USD* ($115 when signing up online + $210 when an application is submitted)
  Child 5 years passport is $175 USD* ($100 when signing up online + $75 when an application is submitted)
  
  Point 2:  Mrs ********* stated that there was no
  mention that we are not the Government:
  Under our Terms and Agreements
  section, that all customers need to review before signing up, the first line
  is: ********************* is a private company, and we are NOT a
  government agency.
  ***** ******
  *********

• Initial Complaint

  Date:13/03/2023

  Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Website is a ****/misleading that claims to let you file your passport online. Makes itself look like Canadian government website. You cannot file your passport online. Payment was required as a first step, before you would realize it was not affiliated with gov.

  

  Business Response

  Date: 27/03/2023

  To whom it may
  concern:
  Re:
  BBB CASE#: 19588641
  ****** ******** **** *** ** *******
  To whom it may concern:
  This is a response to Ms. ***** ************ complain and
  accusations against Canada Passport Help Services. 
  We are disappointed by Ms. ************ accusation and would like to respond to Ms. ************ and provide a link to our website pages to debunk
  her unfounded and untruthful accusations.
  We are federally registered company, and we are providing passport services since September 2008 and have assisted over 50,000 customers.
  During the formation of our company and the development of our website, our company lawyers communicated with the Government of Canada - Passport Program representatives to ensure our website is not misleading and is not in violation of any of Passport Program (AKA Passport Canada) rules and regulations.
  Canada Passport Help website ******************************** doesn’t mimic or look like the Canadian Government or Passport Program websites *******************************
  Before using our services, a client must sign up online ********************************************************* at *********************.To complete online the signup process, a client must acknowledge and agreed to Canada Passport Help terms and conditions **************************************.No customer could finalize the signing up process without acknowledging and agreeing with Canada Passport Help terms and conditions.
  The company website terms and conditions include a disclaimer indicating that “********************* is a private company and we are NOT a government agency.”
  The company’s terms and conditions include fee structure, our services and the cancelation policy.
  Every page of our website including the main page ******************************** and Terms and Conditions ************************************** clearly explains in detail our services as:
  A detailed review and assessment of your Canadian passport application or Canadian passport renewal application
  A detailed review and assessment of the photos you’ve had taken for your Canadian passport application
  Consultation on the assembly of the required components of your application prior to submission via post or courier
  Your own personal Canadian passport specialist to answer whatever questions or concerns you may have while completing the application or renewal process.
  Services section of our website ***************************************** clearly explain passport fees, what is included in the fees and how our service works.
  After signing up online the customer receive an email with a unique secure link to download and upload their passport application and supporting documents for review.Our websites and terms and conditions emphasize that uploading or emailing the completed passport application, photo and supporting documents is just for review purpose. We ensure that these documents meet the Passport program requirements prior to submission via post or courier.
  No place in our website claim that clients can submit their passport application online to the Government of Canada or Passport Program.
  This is a summary of our interactions with Ms. ************.
  March 13, 2023, Ms. ************ signed up online to use Canada
  Passport Help (*********************) services to apply for a Canadian
  passport.
  After signing up
  On March 20, 2023, we received a charge back
  request from Ms. ************ Credit Card
  company.  We responded to the charge back
  request and agreed with the refund. No more money is due to this unpleasant
  customer.  
  ***** ******

  Customer Answer

  Date: 28/03/2023

  
  
  ****** ******** *******
  

  Note that I had to contact my credit card company to resolve the issue. Note that this was not resolved by them, but by visa. They also made a point of making and insulting comment about me be "unpleasant". I'm sure it was unpleasant that they didn't get to keep my money.  

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/01/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On Jan. 1 2023 my wife & I wanted to renew our Canadian passports. We are dual citizens of United States & Canada. I typed in Google "How to renew your Canadian passport." Up came this site with an extension of .ca & I thought it was a government site simply because .org in the states is always a government site. I downloaded the application for for myself & just filled it out as far as my name & address. I never, I repeat NEVER wrote in my credit or debit card numbers or which bank I use. The next day Monday Jan. 2 I checked my bank statement like I do every day & noticed a $115. debit & $3.45 tax from my debit card from Canadian Passport Help. I called the actual Canadian passport office the next day Jan. 3 because Jan. 2 was a holiday & they told me that site was not connected to the Canadian passport office. They told me that they would never ask applicants to send money over the internet. The Canadian Passport Help website never mentioned it was not an official government site & there would be a $115. fee. On top of that I never even finished filling out their form. What I cannot understand how the got my debit card & bank information when I never gave it to them. I already called my bank to report this fraud & under the FDIC rules the money will be returned. What kind of **** is this that the Canadian government does not shut down.?
  **** ***** *** *********** *******

  

  Business Response

  Date: 24/01/2023

  To whom it may
  concern:
  Re:
  *** CASE#: 18683283
  Canada Passport
  Help Ref #: *******
  To whom it may concern:
  This is a response to Mr. **** **** complain about
  Canada Passport Help Services.
  We are disappointed by the negative experience
  Mr. ***** had but would like to clarify a few points:
  We are providing passport services since September 2008 and have assisted over 50,000 customers
  Our website is managed by an external professional IT company and, all information is encrypted to protect our customers.Our website use SSL Certificate and required standards for online services.
  Before using our services, a client must sign up online at *********************.To complete online signup process, a client must acknowledge and agreed to Canada Passport Help terms and conditions prior to the registration.No customer could finalize the signing up process without acknowledging and agreeing with Canada Passport Help (Canadapassporthelp.ca) terms and conditions.
  After signing up online the customer receive an email with a unique secure link to download and upload passport application and supporting documents.Also, the customers are given a unique customer number link to their account Mr. ***** customer number is: *******
  The company website terms and conditions include a disclaimer indicating that “CanadaPassportHelp.ca is a private company and we are NOT a government agency.”
  The company’s terms and conditions include fee structure, our services and cancelation policy.
  We have a refund policy published on our website that can cover the case of Mr. *****. A customer who registered by error, can benefit from a refund. The process is simple and clearly explained on our website.
  This is a summary of our interactions with Mr.
  ****.
  January 1, 2023, Mr. **** ***** signed up online to use Canada Passport Help (*********************) services to apply for a Canadian passport.   
  On January 4th, 2023, Mr. ****
  called our organization two times about signing up with our services.  He talked with two of our staff.  Our staff explained to Mr. **** that we
  understand he signed up with our services by mistake and we can close his
  account and refund his payment.  Mr. ****
  indicated that he already contacted his credit card company and requested a
  chargeback.  Mr. **** told us that he is calling
  because we are a fraudulent company, our website is mimicking the government
  website, and there is no explanation about the fees on our website.   We explained
  to Mr. **** that the company terms and conditions, which he acknowledged having
  read and understood before signing up, clearly indicate that we are not a
  government agency and what are the fees for our services.  Then Mr., **** indicted that we have stolen
  his credit card information.  He never submitted
  his credit card information online, and we have fraudulently accessed his
  account.  He threatened our staff to
  report us to the FBI, RCMP and all other agencies.  Mr. **** was very hostile and used vulgar
  language toward our staff.  We repeatedly
  asked Mr. **** what outcome he is seeking.  He again mentioned that he already contacted his bank, and he is getting
  his money.  Mr. ***** was adamant that we
  have “stolen” his credit card.  He wants
  to know how we stole his credit card information and wants to let us know he is
  planning to shut down our fraudulent company.  We told Mr. **** that we take this kind of accusations against our company
  seriously and we defend our company reputation vigorously.  We told Mr. **** that if he continues insulting
  our staff, and using racist language, we hang up on him.  Mr. **** called back again and continued with
  his accusations and insults.
  On January 7, 2023, we received a charge back
  request from Mr. **** Credit Card company.  We responded to the charge back request and agreed with the refund. No
  more money is due to this unpleasant customer. I would also warn Mr. **** to
  pay attention when using website and reputable businesses are operating online daily,
  without being illegal or malevolent.
  ***** ******
  
  *********