Dozens of foreigners in Phuket allegedly defrauded by visa agency, police investigating

[webfact]

 

By Goongnang Suksawat

 

Phuket – Multiple news outlets have reported an estimated 100 foreigners in Phuket have allegedly been defrauded by a visa agency.

 

Facebook page ‘Help Crime Victim Club’ posted earlier this week that a visa agent in Phuket did not properly do their job after receiving money and passports from foreigners to extend their visas under various programs.

 

Many affected foreigner visas are now in an overstay status as a result. Phuket City police also believe some victims have not come forward out of fear of their visa status and estimated the total number of victims at around 100 people.

 

Many of those affected are reportedly individuals who had regularly used this particular agent previously to extend their visas and stamps throughout the pandemic, with many claiming to be “stuck” in Thailand during the Covid-19 period.

 

However, recently this particular agent has left many people without their visas and passports for up to three months and is unresponsive to clients, leading dozens of foreign nationals to file police reports and ask for assistance from their respective embassies.

 

Full story: https://thephuketexpress.com/2022/06/28/dozens-of-foreigners-in-phuket-allegedly-defrauded-by-visa-agency-police-investigating/

 

-- © Copyright The Phuket Express 2022-06-29

 

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[bristolgeoff]

I,am sure it could happen many times over,offer a visa service pay up front.Then the visa service will do a runner or not provide what they say

[Crusader]

I used a visa service many, many years ago...when things were easier. But after an 'issue' always done things myself...and no problems since.

[steve187]

parting with your passport, and paying up front for something extremely dodgy is just asking for trouble, the most important thing while staying in Thailand is keeping hold of your passport, and having the permission to stay stamp up to date.

[Lacessit]

I used a visa service for quite a few years in Chiang Mai, then started doing it myself. Cheaper to the tune of 6000 baht.

Even with a completely legitimate service, there is still the risk an application can be mishandled, or one's passport is lost. Not through malice, just incompetence.

I have learned how to do the 90 day report online, so I only have to present at Immigration once a year for my retirement extension. Safer, the only other people handling my passport are the IO's.

[JimmyJ]

No mention of the Agency's nor Agent's name.

 

Same with the linked article.

 

 

[RichardColeman]

1 minute ago, JimmyJ said:

No mention of the Agency's name nor the agent on the Webfact post!

Yes, you would not want a criminal to launch a lawsuit against you for criticizing his illegal business would you

[khunjeff]

Very unclear from these reports as to whether this particular agency's services had been legitimate (form-filling, handholding), semi-legitimate (getting mysterious but genuine extensions from small provinces in other parts of the country where the applicant had never set foot), or illegitimate (fake or stolen stamps). We've seen all three over the years. If the last, this could end up being very painful for the clients involved. 

[JimmyJ]

2 minutes ago, khunjeff said:

Very unclear from these reports as to whether this particular agency's services had been legitimate (form-filling, handholding), semi-legitimate (getting mysterious but genuine extensions from small provinces in other parts of the country where the applicant had never set foot), or illegitimate (fake or stolen stamps). We've seen all three over the years. If the last, this could end up being very painful for the clients involved. 

Not painful per the linked article:

 

"We will help and those defrauded by this agent will not be held accountable or suffer penalties or punishment for their current visa status."

[Iamfalang]

Well, we will never know what agent this was.  Overstay at a tune of 20,000 per person times 100.....maybe they say, "10,000, you OK?".   I understand what the article says, and I understand how reality works.  It's not like these falangs will make it out on top.  never.  Maybe 1900 baht for every two months.......I would be shocked if the falangs pay nothing.  0% Maybe some money changes from one hand to the other to the other and this agent is driving in a lambo......

 

Amazing how protecting an "alleged" (not convicted) and even convicted criminal is a thing.   Falangs will never know.    Maybe your agent has been convicted 10000000000000000x and you are not allowed to know.

 

It's my country, so I have to account for this and do it myself.  But I feel bad for the falang......

[DezLez]

41 minutes ago, JimmyJ said:

No mention of the Agency's nor Agent's name.

 

Same with the linked article.

 

 

Click on the "‘Help Crime Victim Club’" link in the Phuket link where there is a photo of an agency shop!

[Henryford]

Someone ripped off in Phuket, surely not.

[Robert Tyrrell]

Good Morning 

 

what I don’t understand is when Visa and Immigration Laws changed I believe between  2018-2019 , These Visa Services would be illegal and not in accordance with Thai Immigration Law.

Most of these agency use

bogus/ fraudulent bank accounts and those are the services I’m referring to, Showing that foreigners have the Financial required amounts in there possession for the financial requirements under Thai Immigration Law , But most do not !! It seems a double standard to me.

The other thing is I’ve herd and seen Visa Services charging between

12,000-20,000 Baht for one annual visa to be processed, Absolutely highway robbery in my opinion, Especially when I can meet the financial requirements and pay 1900 Baht annually with the fee Visa Services charge I could do between 7-9 Years of Visa renewals at that cost, CRAZY !! 
If they were shafted/Ripped Off using that type of service I mentioned above,  I don’t feel sorry for them one bit.

There stupidity buying into this double standard and shadiness is on them !! ???? 

[proton]

33 minutes ago, JimmyJ said:

Not painful per the linked article:

 

"We will help and those defrauded by this agent will not be held accountable or suffer penalties or punishment for their current visa status."

Does that mean those who got an extension from another province with no cash in the bank will be let off as the agent did a runner? ????

[Andycoops]

A blow to the 'use a visa agent' brigade.

Surprised it doesn't happen more often.

The visa lottery continues in the hub of scams.

[OneMoreFarang]

It would be interesting to know how many people had all the legal requirements and just wanted to have somebody who helped them to get it done and how many had i.e. no money in the bank, etc.

 

If all legal requirement were fulfilled then I am sure everything will be sorted out.

In the other cases - maybe not so much, or only after paying a big "fine".

[proton]

13 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

It would be interesting to know how many people had all the legal requirements and just wanted to have somebody who helped them to get it done and how many had i.e. no money in the bank, etc.

 

If all legal requirement were fulfilled then I am sure everything will be sorted out.

In the other cases - maybe not so much, or only after paying a big "fine".

Those having all the requirements but pay out thousands to get a form filled in and avoid the queue must be a small part of the business. Most are of the dodgy money under the table type people always claiming there is no problem with. Well there is if the agent vanishes with your cash and passport.

[Bangkok Barry]

2 hours ago, JimmyJ said:

No mention of the Agency's nor Agent's name.

 

Same with the linked article.

 

 

If you read the linked article properly you will see it offers another link which names the business. With photos.

[Bangkok Barry]

2 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

2 hours ago, JimmyJ said:

No mention of the Agency's name nor the agent on the Webfact post!

Yes, you would not want a criminal to launch a lawsuit against you for criticizing his illegal business would you

Try reading the linked article.

[Bangkok Barry]

1 hour ago, Iamfalang said:

Well, we will never know what agent this was. 

You will if you bother to read the linked article.

[Jen65]

"you pays your money and takes your chance" as they say !!   All this so called work by visa agents can actually be done by the individual if they bothered to take the time ( unless they are already in trouble of their own making ) . No sympathy here. 

[dick turpin]

2 hours ago, Lacessit said:

I used a visa service for quite a few years in Chiang Mai, then started doing it myself. Cheaper to the tune of 6000 baht.

Even with a completely legitimate service, there is still the risk an application can be mishandled, or one's passport is lost. Not through malice, just incompetence.

I have learned how to do the 90 day report online, so I only have to present at Immigration once a year for my retirement extension. Safer, the only other people handling my passport are the IO's.

"I have learned how to do the 90 day report online"

 

Did that involve going to evening classes?

[Orinoco]

Big payday for immigration coming up.

Mission accomplished.

Nah they wouldn't do that would they.

After all,  it is the land of smoke and mirrors. 

 

 

 

 

[Lacessit]

3 minutes ago, dick turpin said:

"I have learned how to do the 90 day report online"

 

Did that involve going to evening classes?

Don't give up your day job.

I can teach myself to do most things independently, as I have not killed most of my brain cells on a Pattaya bar stool.

[4MyEgo]

1 hour ago, Henryford said:

Someone ripped off in Phuket, surely not.

Let alone Thailand ????

[4MyEgo]

23 minutes ago, Jen65 said:

"you pays your money and takes your chance" as they say !!   All this so called work by visa agents can actually be done by the individual if they bothered to take the time ( unless they are already in trouble of their own making ) . No sympathy here. 

A large part of the problem is these guys don't have the 800,000 baht in the bank, hence the reason they use the agents and take the risks, and we all know with risks, the greater the risk, the greater the loss.

 

I too have no sympathy for those who can't afford to have 800k in the bank and use these types of agents, I also have the utmost disrespect for I/O's who are on the take and allow this practice to flourish, as long as they get their cut.

 

Will be interesting to see how this problem is sorted, no doubt there will be money to be made by these I/O's.

[JimmyJ]

35 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

If you read the linked article properly you will see it offers another link which names the business. With photos.

If you read my post properly you will realize it is correct and accurate.

 

(I won't bother posting this 3 times, as you did with your responses).

[shackleton]

I am shocked to read this sort of thing scamming people out of money especially involving people's passports via a visa agent 

I am lost for words ????

[Peterw42]

The OP and the linked article "IS NOT" about people getting caught doing bogus extensions. Its about an agent doing a runner with money and passports.

There is no mention of checking the legitimacy of any visa's/extensions.

[dingdongrb]

Paying anyone for something you can easily do yourself is surely a ripoff.