Popular Post webfact Posted July 13, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted July 13, 2021 Foreigners in Thailand have been warned about people impersonating immigration officers in a bid to extort money. A warning posted on the Immigration Bureau’s Facebook page, reads “currently there are immigration police impersonators who conduct unlawful activities.” The notice states that the impersonators target individuals and business establishments to ask for bribes or other benefits in return for assistance. The advice to foreigners in Thailand is to always ask to see a police identification card if approached by someone who claims to be an immigration officer. The identification card should contain the rank, name, surname and the name of the organisation they claim to be representing. Alternatively, people can call the hotline 191 or contact the organisation listed on the ID card to verify the person is who they say they are. Impersonating a police or immigration officer in Thailand is a criminal offence. -- © Copyright ASEAN NOW 2021-07-13 - Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you - Follow ASEAN NOW on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates 7 2 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post JoePai Posted July 13, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted July 13, 2021 I've found the worst people impersonating immigration officers are the immigration officers themselves ! 28 1 11 79 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Shuya Posted July 13, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted July 13, 2021 Jomtien Soi 5 is full of them 8 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post jacko45k Posted July 13, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted July 13, 2021 If he speaks good English...... beware. 9 1 19 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post ezzra Posted July 13, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted July 13, 2021 You got to be pretty daft to fall for someone why says to you: hey i'm an immigration officer, give me your document and pay me now and you believe him/her, and if you do, you deserve it... 6 1 1 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post smedly Posted July 13, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted July 13, 2021 19 minutes ago, webfact said: Foreigners in Thailand have been warned about people impersonating immigration officers in a bid to extort money. Officials in Thailand would never try to extort money from foreigners so why would foreigners fall for this - it would very obviously be a bogus scam - right 2 5 46 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post John Drake Posted July 13, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted July 13, 2021 22 minutes ago, webfact said: The advice to foreigners in Thailand is to always ask to see a police identification card if approached by someone who claims to be an immigration officer. The identification card should contain the rank, name, surname and the name of the organisation they claim to be representing. Alternatively, people can call the hotline 191 or contact the organisation listed on the ID card to verify the person is who they say they are. And if you do that, and they are legitimate Immigration officers? Does that get you put on the ship list? 5 1 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post darksidedog Posted July 13, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted July 13, 2021 I am trying to work out the difference between someone trying to extort money from me who isn't actually a genuine immigration officer, from the real ones that do pretty much the same. 32 1 7 19 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post ThaiFelix Posted July 13, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted July 13, 2021 I run into this gang every year at visa renewal time but unfortunately thats the law here. I think the best thing to do with them is to do what my mother did when I was a child and that is to sew all their uniform pockets closed to stop them collecting stuff all the time. 2 1 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post ChipButty Posted July 13, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted July 13, 2021 They are a bit late with this, it's been going on for years down in Phuket. What about people impersonating police officers? 1 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post ChipButty Posted July 13, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted July 13, 2021 1 minute ago, darksidedog said: I am trying to work out the difference between someone trying to extort money from me who isn't actually a genuine immigration officer, from the real ones that do pretty much the same. Im always worried about the real ones 11 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post jacko45k Posted July 13, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted July 13, 2021 3 minutes ago, darksidedog said: I am trying to work out the difference between someone trying to extort money from me who isn't actually a genuine immigration officer, from the real ones that do pretty much the same. The latter are cheaper? 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post ThaiFelix Posted July 13, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted July 13, 2021 2 minutes ago, darksidedog said: I am trying to work out the difference between someone trying to extort money from me who isn't actually a genuine immigration officer, from the real ones that do pretty much the same. The difference is that real Imm Officers pay a large fee to be part of the franchise whereas fake ones dont. 7 2 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Caldera Posted July 13, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted July 13, 2021 How many of those are actually real, albeit moonlighting, immigration officers? There have been countless cases in the past. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Mr Meeseeks Posted July 13, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted July 13, 2021 I have only had problems with real Immigration officers at Samut Prakharn when they have extorted me, possibly in collusion with the agent I was using, when I tried to do a visa extension based on employment. Contemptible scumbags. 6 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Liverpool Lou Posted July 13, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted July 13, 2021 48 minutes ago, darksidedog said: I am trying to work out the difference between someone trying to extort money from me who isn't actually a genuine immigration officer, from the real ones that do pretty much the same. How have IOs tried to extort money from you? 1 2 4 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liverpool Lou Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 48 minutes ago, ChipButty said: They are a bit late with this, it's been going on for years down in Phuket. What about people impersonating police officers? IOs are police officers! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RotBenz8888 Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 1 hour ago, webfact said: ask for bribes That can't be an act by a real officer.... ???? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post darksidedog Posted July 13, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted July 13, 2021 34 minutes ago, Liverpool Lou said: How have IOs tried to extort money from you? They didn't try, they did. I had a legal issue in 2008, which I won in 2008. In 2012 it was discovered there had been an appeal, but immigration wouldn't give me a criminal justice visa for a case five years old, even though I couldn't leave. Cost me 30,000 to stay out of jail (not bail), then when I won the case a second time, a further 20,000 not to be done for the overstay and by now it was 2014, plus of course the 20,000 at the airport for the "overstay", which was the only thing I ever got a receipt for. As a prison visitor I have seen MANY people finish their case at court being found not guilty, but then having to pay immigration not to be deported. Never seen a receipt for any of those. Then of course, every time you need a residency certificate, which I understood are supposed to be free, it costs you. 18 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrunchWrapSupreme Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 There was a post on Reddit about this about a week ago. There was a condo raid, checking passports, and they said the whole thing seemed fishy. Another guy said he was shaken down by a guy in a brown uniform, but that it looked a bit off. He was next to a bunch of win drivers when it happened, who all said they'd never seen this guy before. They all laughed at him, and he walked away. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard_smith237 Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 A stroke of genius.... This provides an excuse for any and every form of publicised extortion... “It was fake immigration officers... our real Immigration officers are honest” !!!! 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metisdead Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 A troll post has been removed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post RobertHima Posted July 13, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted July 13, 2021 Can we get some training materials on how to distinguish a fake police ID card from a real one? 2 1 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post hkt83100 Posted July 13, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted July 13, 2021 You always get extorted if you try to buy a vehicle, extend your driving license or do whatever requires a confirmation of residence. Did you ever get a receipt for the "fee"? 4 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benmart Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 Buyer beware. The goods are fake and so are the vendors. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kerryd Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 Wow. I know I'm not a "hansum man" despite what all the ladies say, but I didn't think I was so scary looking that the police (regular and Immigration) take one look at me and decide they shouldn't try to scam me. Because reading this thread, one might think they try to shake down every foreigner in the country. Every year. Yet I've never been asked for a bribe, threatened or had anyone try to extort money from me. Ever. Any Immigration officer shows up at my house better be legit because when I ask my RTP neighbour (or one of the other 2 cops that live within a hundred meters of my place) they may find themselves wishing they'd gone elsewhere. And there are at least 2 sets of (working) CCTV cameras on my soi as well. But somehow I suspect it won't happen so I'm not going to worry about it as I'm sure they'd take one look at me and decide I'm not worth the effort of trying to scam money from. Just like every other cop I've dealt with here over the last 17+ years. 1 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post zoltannyc Posted July 13, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted July 13, 2021 4 minutes ago, Kerryd said: I know I'm not a "hansum man" despite what all the ladies say, Do you have an ATM card? Or a Bank account? Yes you do. You see, you are a "berry hansum man". 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2 is 1 Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 When needed i normaly go immigration in monday whit my wife. Because all going really smoothly! Me and wife whit uniform! Never have ask me extra. I have seen when monks and chinese jump the queue, chinese because just give huge "donut" box to officer ENJOY. Maybe there are few sticky bth in box, but hey who knows maybe they only love chinese! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Percy P Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 4 hours ago, smedly said: Officials in Thailand would never try to extort money from foreigners so why would foreigners fall for this - it would very obviously be a bogus scam - right If You have a mobile with a camera on it,take a picture of this officer. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post mr_lob Posted July 13, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted July 13, 2021 a few years back, i had a visit from 4 immigration officers who kindly offered to deport me and split up my family unless i paid them 120,000 baht. i had no other option, and paid the above said fine at the immigration police office, after hours and out of view of cameras, and got a receipt for 35,000 baht DO YOU MEAN TO SAY THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN IMMIGRATION OFFICERS???!!!???? 1 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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