Stay cool with ICE if passport is lost or stolen

ICE launches Passport Assist

One stop for foreign currency and passport protection

With over 290,000 UK passports lost or stolen each year*, the expert in international currency exchange – ICE – has launched a new passport and driving licence registration service, Passport Assist.  The service is free to customers buying currency to the value of £250 or more in an ICE branch or to the value of £500 or more online at www.iceplc.com, Passport Assist has been launched by ICE in conjunction with CPP Group Plc (CPP), the UK market leader in life assistance products.

Customers can simply register for the service using their mobile phone or online at www.iceplc.com.  Their passport and driving licence details are collected in a safe (https) environment and then held securely on CPP customer service systems.

Once registration is completed the customer receives a text message on their mobile phone with a unique customer reference number and the Passport Assist helpline number – this confirms the service has been activated. If their passport or driving licence is stolen while they are abroad, they simply call the helpline number, verify their identity and obtain the numbers registered with Passport Assist along with details of the nearest Embassy to obtain replacement documents.  The helpline number is operated 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Each customer can register a combination of up to four passport/and/or driving licence numbers.

Andrew Hamilton, Head of Marketing for ICE said: “The number of passports and driving licences stolen or lost per year is staggering.  Forms of ID have a high value to criminals and are therefore at greater risk of being stolen.  Passport Assist will help to ensure that our customers can notify the appropriate authorities of lost passports or driving licences and speed the replacement process as soon as possible when abroad.  This not only gets our customers home with the necessary documents but should also stop criminals in their tracks.

“Passport Assist is another great reason to buy currency from ICE.  Our online exchange rates are frequently the best in the market, we charge no commission, delivery is next day and free for orders over £400 and the ICE Travellers prepaid cashcard provides a safe solution for taking currency abroad with no worries over credit card or bank charges.  With ICE, travellers can stay cool when they head abroad.”