Telephone call from "Immigration"

[TimRa]

Hi, I am hoping members of the forum can help with a call I got yesterday, which I'm not sure I should worry about or not. 

 

I am in Bangkok since 5th April on a STV visa , I did the first three months and have just done a three month extension as permitted under the visa until 1st Oct. Before Covid I was a weekly visitor to Thailand as although British I retired about 4 years ago and do some consulting work in Singapore. 

 

Yesterday I got a call through from reception in my condo to my room, when I answered it was someone from "immigration". They asked me alot of questions, why was I here, what was I doing here, how long will I stay, do I have family, what is my work, how old am, am I vaccinated I etc etc. things they would presumably know given the endless forms I filled in to get here in the first place. 

 

They seemed friendly enough and spoke good English, I answered the questions honestly as I have nothing to hide. I asked at the end if there was a problem, they said no, they will inform their boss and if they want to know more they would come to visit me ?!?!? Overall this seems quite strange to me, tbh I have no obligation as far as I know to even be so transparent as to where I am, ie. If I wanted to go and stay with my ex-girlfriend in Surin I could (accepting for covid restrictions) in which case they would never find me. 

 

Either way the whole experience seemed strange, I've spoken to a few thai friends and the opinion seems to vary as to it just being a normal check, to it being something else. 

 

Wanted to get the kind opinion of those long stayers here as if I should worry / move to a different condo? 

 

Thanks, Tim

[Surelynot]

Check this forum.....there was a thread yesterday on immigration scams.......ask for their name and tel number if they call again and then call back to the IO they claim to be from.

 

Spoke good English sounds a little suspicious 

Edited July 15, 2021 by Surelynot

[sherwood]

Tim.

It was a phone call. 

Tell them nothing, they are not your friends.

Ask for a meeting when they call again, at their Immigration office.

Good luck.

[seam0nster]

11 minutes ago, Surelynot said:

Check this forum.....there was a thread yesterday on immigration scams.......ask for their name and tel number if they call again and then call back to the IO they claim to be from.

 

Spoke good English sounds a little suspicious 

Here's the thread if anyone else was interested.

 

[ezzra]

Next you are going to answer a phone call from "your bank" right? and give them full details of bank accounts and you money...

[Caldera]

I have an easy solution for this kind of situation. If a number is calling me that isn't in my contacts, I don't answer. That has served me well.

[colinneil]

OP do not ever give out any info on the phone to anybody, how do you actually know the person was an io ?

Any time you get a call like that, you ask for the immigration office land line number, name of io speaking on the phone, then you call the land line check it out.

[KhaoNiaw]

3 minutes ago, Caldera said:

I have an easy solution for this kind of situation. If a number is calling me that isn't in my contacts, I don't answer. That has served me well.

That's usually what I do too. A couple of years ago I did once answer an unknown number and it turned out it really was an officer from Bangkok immigration. She told me I'd left out my middle name on the online 90-day form and although a not-required box I'd always done it before. She said she'd reject the form and I could fill it in again. I found it a bit strange but all went smoothly and application approved. 

[rwill]

I probably would have told them I would go to my local office if they needed information.

[Destiny1990]

Do u believe ur submitted data is safe at immi? 

[OneMoreFarang]

3 hours ago, TimRa said:

when I answered it was someone from "immigration"

Did you ask for a name of the caller?

If not, why not?

 

Thanks for your call, please give me your name and I will call you back in your office at the immigration.

No, you don't have to give me your number, I will call the number of the immigration office.

[Chosenfew]

Scammers trying to get your personal information ~ never give any information over the phone in any country!

[Led Lolly Yellow Lolly]

3 hours ago, TimRa said:

They seemed friendly enough and spoke good English, I answered the questions honestly as I have nothing to hide. I asked at the end if there was a problem, they said no, they will inform their boss and if they want to know more they would come to visit me ?!?!? Overall this seems quite strange to me, tbh I have no obligation as far as I know to even be so transparent as to where I am

It's common for those on annual extensions to be visited by immigration in their first year, although that doesn't appear to be the case with you. Be careful with this 'no obligation to be transparent' attitude, because if they really are IOs, you absolutely are obliged to be transparent.

[Surelynot]

1 minute ago, Led Lolly Yellow Lolly said:

It's common for those on annual extensions to be visited by immigration in their first year, although that doesn't appear to be the case with you. Be careful with this 'no obligation to be transparent' attitude, because if they really are IOs, you absolutely are obliged to be transparent.

Never had a visit (shouldn't have said that).

 

I guess a six hour round trip to the back of beyond doesn't really appeal...........or can they sub this visit out to the local police????

[Led Lolly Yellow Lolly]

When they came to visit me many years ago, they got lost, I had to drive over to the nearest town to guide them into our house. No joke.

 

They came in marked vehicles. The modus operandi is that they visit in order to go through the motions of verifying one's marriage etc etc. They set up a trestle table in our car park, plugged in their notebook and printer, invite the Puu Yai Baan over and an independent witness from the village both of whom state that they know me and my wife and they confirm our marriage is genuine. They make lots of copies of everything in the way Thai people love to do, pack their stuff away, wai, and then they're gone never to be seen again. I don't know if they found their way home without help.

 

What I describe is probably more common in the boonies.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 15, 2021 by Led Lolly Yellow Lolly

[The Hammer2021]

49 minutes ago, Destiny1990 said:

Do u believe ur submitted data is safe at immi? 

Safe from what? As opposed  to safe where?

[anchadian]

You should never converse with anybody who are complete strangers, especially on the telephone/mobile.

 

If there was a chance that this was immigration, you should have asked him for his name, immigration office and inform him that you will visit the IO to discuss.

 

End of.

[bert bloggs]

16 minutes ago, Led Lolly Yellow Lolly said:

When they came to visit me many years ago, they got lost, I had to drive over to the nearest town to guide them into our house. No joke.

 

They came in marked vehicles. The modus operandi is that they visit in order to go through the motions of verifying one's marriage etc etc. They set up a trestle table in our car park, plugged in their notebook and printer, invite the Puu Yai Baan over and an independent witness from the village both of whom state that they know me and my wife and they confirm our marriage is genuine. They make lots of copies of everything in the way Thai people love to do, pack their stuff away, wai, and then they're gone never to be seen again. I don't know if they found their way home without help.

 

What I describe is probably more common in the boonies.

 

 

 

 

 

They came to our house,smiled said can we take a picture of you your wife and your neighbour in front of the house and in the garden ,did not even come indoors, i bet they remembered our neighbour from last year she is quite attractive her husband owns a large company ,when they asked how much she gets a month ,they all looked shocked and nearly fainted, ( as did i  ) i think this year they all just smiled at her and said nothing ,were not interested in me lol.

[The Theory]

Did you give your condo phone number to immigration when you extended your visa ? 

[Destiny1990]

3 hours ago, The Hammer2021 said:

Safe from what? As opposed  to safe where?

The yearly hundreds of submitted signed photocopies including photos of inside ur bedroom sitting with partner on bed, map to house, bankbook details , bank statements details, copy passports, copy driver license, most of them including signature. Phone numbers, email addresses. Identity theft on a golden platter. ????????

Edited July 15, 2021 by Destiny1990

[BTB1977]

11 hours ago, TimRa said:

If I wanted to go and stay with my ex-girlfriend in Surin I could (accepting for covid restrictions) in which case they would never find me. 

They can now. 

Edited July 15, 2021 by BTB1977

[mtls2005]

Nigerian prince on line 2 for you.

 

Bad move to take the call. Condo staff are probably in on this.

 

 

[gargamon]

18 hours ago, TimRa said:

Yesterday I got a call through from reception in my condo to my room, when I answered it was someone from "immigration"

Immigration has your phone number from the documents you have provided to them. They would never call reception. They will call you direct if needed.

 

Don't do anything this stupid ever again. 

[tonray]

18 hours ago, Caldera said:

I have an easy solution for this kind of situation. If a number is calling me that isn't in my contacts, I don't answer. That has served me well.

Not answering numbers that are in my contacts list has served me even better !

[colinneil]

18 hours ago, Caldera said:

I have an easy solution for this kind of situation. If a number is calling me that isn't in my contacts, I don't answer. That has served me well.

OK saying you dont answer numbers not in your contacts, but the OP clearly states the call came from reception at his condo, so obviously he answered .

[ukrules]

Immigration have no business phoning you, if they call again just press the red button and ignore the number when they call back.

 

If they really want to speak to you then they can get off their asses and come and see you or wait for you to do a 90 day report.

 

You have ZERO obligation to entertain any of their whims and I suggest you don't.

[tonray]

7 minutes ago, ukrules said:

Immigration have no business phoning you

Nonsense, they have every right to phone you. The reality is there is little they can do if you do not answer and they will then visit.

[chuang]

20 hours ago, Caldera said:

I have an easy solution for this kind of situation. If a number is calling me that isn't in my contacts, I don't answer. That has served me well.

I blocked the numbers..

[brianthainess]

I'm confused as to why they would phone the condo building/reception instead of phoning you direct. If they had phoned you direct you would have had their number which could have been traceable. Seems like a scam to me and in theory should be reported to the immigration police or dare I say tourist police, If you are that concerned then then I would phone or visit your I.O. and ask why/if they rang you, they did say they would inform their boss after all . The receptionist who took the call is a witness, or even involved in this.  Giving personal information over the phone to an unknown person is, sorry to say idiotic at best. If you report it, it will put your mind at rest and could save someone else from being scammed. I sincerely hope you didn't give them your D.O.B. and passport number. edit; Ask reception if they gave out your room number. Should you be worried? YES.

Edited July 17, 2021 by brianthainess

[JJ Madcow]

1 hour ago, brianthainess said:

I'm confused as to why they would phone the condo building/reception instead of phoning you direct. If they had phoned you direct you would have had their number which could have been traceable. Seems like a scam to me and in theory should be reported to the immigration police or dare I say tourist police, If you are that concerned then then I would phone or visit your I.O. and ask why/if they rang you, they did say they would inform their boss after all . The receptionist who took the call is a witness, or even involved in this.  Giving personal information over the phone to an unknown person is, sorry to say idiotic at best. If you report it, it will put your mind at rest and could save someone else from being scammed. I sincerely hope you didn't give them your D.O.B. and passport number. edit; Ask reception if they gave out your room number. Should you be worried? YES.

Not hard to understand.

They might have call the Office to check if the foreigner is living in the condo or not.
Before covid 19 some time Immigration come to condo tower.
And start with the Office before going to the foreigner room.

So After talking to the office, And if the person say, Hey you want me to put in contact with the foreigner direct, That simple easy.
And Thai do love easy ????

People make a problem out of nothing (again)

Kindly.