Advice needed: Scammed by seedy Visa Agent

[asiasurfer]

Hi. I did the big mistake to entrust a Visa Agent in Bangkok (a registered Thai company) with the application for my Permanent Residency 2.5 years ago. I paid her 200000 Bath to do this job. During the last two years she did little to nothing for me however. And now I'm having a hard time to get my money back. Does anybody have similar experiences? The Lawyers ask me for so much money that it's hardly worth the outcome. Yes I can go to the Police, but probably not much will happen. Thanks for advice...

[Ralf001]

555

[Yellowtail]

THB200,000? 

 

555 indeed

[Denim]

AI much.

[richard_smith237]

6 minutes ago, Denim said:

AI much.

 

Who is AL ?  

 

 

Artificial indeed...   Not a lot of intelligence in handing over 200,000 baht to an agent up front... 

 

... that doesn't help the Op though... 

 

Could he file a police report as part of a scam - then show the agent and if she doesn't refund threaten to file charges ?...   

 

Ops objective is surely to get his PR... so it could push the agent into action. 

The real possibility that he'll get any money back is extremely thin IMO - the agent is probably broke !

 

 

 

[OneMoreFarang]

2 hours ago, Yellowtail said:

THB200,000? 

 

555 indeed

I don't think 200k is an unreasonable amount for a lawyer to handle the whole permanent residency procedure.

As far as I know it takes a long time and is a lot of work.

 

[mogandave]

1 minute ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I don't think 200k is an unreasonable amount for a lawyer to handle the whole permanent residency procedure.

As far as I know it takes a long time and is a lot of work.

 

But to pay 200k up front and then wait 2.5 years to start squeaking? 

 

As I understand it, it’s not difficult, but it does take a long time.

[NativeBob]

If you have the proof of money transfer than just file a report to police, than ---> court.

but it it was cash than sorry, you lost 200K

don't call her, let the justice work

[Upnotover]

But I read on here all the time, "use an agent".  

[asiasurfer]

37 minutes ago, NativeBob said:

If you have the proof of money transfer than just file a report to police, than ---> court.

but it it was cash than sorry, you lost 200K

don't call her, let the justice work

Thanks. Yes it was a money transfer. The problem with the Court is though that the Lawyers ask for so much money that it's almost not worth the amount any more...

[scoutman360]

Just last week I was talking to a smart Thai lady friend. She asked me why I don't use an agent. I said, "If I am not smart enough to do it myself, then I should not be here."

[Banana7]

Go to the provincial court to consult a lawyer, onsite, who will provide a consultation, free, for 30 minutes. Sometimes these free guys are useful and sometimes they are useless.

 

You can personally file a case with the Kwaeng Court, no lawyer needed, but everything needs to be filed in Thai language. I don't know the location of the Kwaeng court in Bangkok. In Pattaya, it is adjacent to the Provincial Court, on Thappraya Road. Basically, the cost is very small, like paying delivery charges for the court summons, etc.

 

Use this court as the first step in all legal proceedings. If you decide to go to a higher court, that court will look favorably upon you in that you tried to resolve the matter seriously before coming to the higher court.

[save the frogs]

what is the upper limit for small claims court?

 

you could represent yourself in small claims court. no lawyer, but maybe pay a legal expert a modest fee to help you prepare the case?

 

 

[asiasurfer]

1 hour ago, Banana7 said:

Go to the provincial court to consult a lawyer, onsite, who will provide a consultation, free, for 30 minutes. Sometimes these free guys are useful and sometimes they are useless.

 

You can personally file a case with the Kwaeng Court, no lawyer needed, but everything needs to be filed in Thai language. I don't know the location of the Kwaeng court in Bangkok. In Pattaya, it is adjacent to the Provincial Court, on Thappraya Road. Basically, the cost is very small, like paying delivery charges for the court summons, etc.

 

Use this court as the first step in all legal proceedings. If you decide to go to a higher court, that court will look favorably upon you in that you tried to resolve the matter seriously before coming to the higher court.

Thanks a lot for good advice...

[KhunLA]

I think it's going to depend on what your 'contract' states.  If simply she will 'assist' in filing, then don't bother.   

 

I'm guessing any contract didn't state, her 'assistance' would 'guarantee' a positive result, approval.

 

Always love when the "just use an agent' advice is given 

[watgate]

Myself and my thai wife went to a visa agency in Chiang Mai to assist us in obtaining a spousal visa to go to the U.S. This was just before Covid-19 hit and everything was put on hold for a long time. After Thailand started to open up again, as well  as the rest of the world, we approached the visa agent to see what the progress was with our visa application. He basically was stringing us along and, unbeknown to us he closed up his visa agency. Thia was after he stopped answering his phone calls from us or returning our calls. We found out from sources he had stiffed other clients and we traveled to Chiang Mai to see the police there. We were informed by the Police that since this was a civil matter, a complaint needed to be filed with them within 3 months. It was fruitless to try and explain to them that we were in the midst of a pandemic and not very practical to file a complaint with them within 3 months even had we known about this requirement because everything during this time was shutdown including the U.S Embassy and Consulate office in Thailand. The bottom line was the Police said there was nothing they could do and tried to refer us to a lawyer. They were insistent that we contact this lawyer and they gave this atty our ph# who called us to try and get our business. He wanted a few thousand baht to get the ball rolling, and God only knows how much he would have hit us up for with no assurances of being able to get our money back. We decided to just drop our case  and didn't hire this atty and just chalked up our loss of money as an example of how it is easy to get fleeced in Thailand.

[Lucky Bones]

Scammed, move on.🙃🙃

[oldscool]

10 hours ago, asiasurfer said:

she did little to nothing for me however

All the agent can actually do is make the application, obviously not guarantee the result.

 

So you need to provide a bit more information, for example about what kind of PR and what papers she requested from you, and what exactly she has done so far (for example has she given you evidence that the application has been submitted, and when) if you want anyone here to give you meaningful advice.

 

You would need to get that information together anyway if you want to take legal action.

[Lucky Bones]

7 hours ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I don't think 200k is an unreasonable amount for a lawyer to handle the whole permanent residency procedure.

As far as I know it takes a long time and is a lot of work.

 

Nope. Scammed.🙃🙃

[asiasurfer]

7 hours ago, KhunLA said:

I think it's going to depend on what your 'contract' states.  If simply she will 'assist' in filing, then don't bother.   

 

I'm guessing any contract didn't state, her 'assistance' would 'guarantee' a positive result, approval.

 

Always love when the "just use an agent' advice is given 

There was no proper contract. But she gave me a receipt for my payment where it says "guaranteed".

[asiasurfer]

5 hours ago, oldscool said:

All the agent can actually do is make the application, obviously not guarantee the result.

 

So you need to provide a bit more information, for example about what kind of PR and what papers she requested from you, and what exactly she has done so far (for example has she given you evidence that the application has been submitted, and when) if you want anyone here to give you meaningful advice.

 

You would need to get that information together anyway if you want to take legal action.

After 2 years she didn't even manage to hand in my application to the Immigration. Yes she made me sign some papers here and there. But other than that her whole process just seemed totally chaotic.

[FritsSikkink]

13 minutes ago, asiasurfer said:

After 2 years she didn't even manage to hand in my application to the Immigration. Yes she made me sign some papers here and there. But other than that her whole process just seemed totally chaotic.

No contract with deliverables and handover 200K, is not very smart.

"Yes she made me sign some papers here and there." won't get you anywhere in a court. To call someone a scammer, you need to show exactly:

• what needed to be done
• what did they do
• what is lacking and for how long
• what was their explanation why things are lacking

 

[ColeBOzbourne]

11 hours ago, scoutman360 said:

Just last week I was talking to a smart Thai lady friend. She asked me why I don't use an agent. I said, "If I am not smart enough to do it myself, then I should not be here."

I think paying an agent is usually a matter of convenience rather than intelligence. Example: Many people are smart enough to clean their own swimming pool, or mow the lawn, yet they choose to pay somebody else to do it. Nothing wrong with that.

[Zapitapi]

17 hours ago, asiasurfer said:

Hi. I did the big mistake to entrust a Visa Agent in Bangkok (a registered Thai company) with the application for my Permanent Residency 2.5 years ago. I paid her 200000 Bath to do this job. During the last two years she did little to nothing for me however. And now I'm having a hard time to get my money back. Does anybody have similar experiences? The Lawyers ask me for so much money that it's hardly worth the outcome. Yes I can go to the Police, but probably not much will happen. Thanks for advice...

 

watch this..the lady in the video might be able to help for a small fee,,shes from patts but i dont see why she cant help anyway

[bradiston]

Have you confronted her with this? Asked her wtf is going on? Threatened legal action?

[chuang]

15 hours ago, Upnotover said:

But I read on here all the time, "use an agent".  

Some are white and some are black..

[Middle Aged Grouch]

Why even waste time going to court in Thailand as usually the falang is always at fault, no matter what or how.

[NativeBob]

13 hours ago, Banana7 said:

I don't know the location of the Kwaeng court in Bangkok.

Ratchada Rd. is the place I submitted my complain. they even helped me to do some paper works.

about 5-6 month I got money back with interest.

[heybuz]

some police act as collection agents in their spare time/ask about

[Lopburikid]

19 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Who is AL ?  

 

 

Artificial indeed...   Not a lot of intelligence in handing over 200,000 baht to an agent up front... 

 

... that doesn't help the Op though... 

 

Could he file a police report as part of a scam - then show the agent and if she doesn't refund threaten to file charges ?...   

 

Ops objective is surely to get his PR... so it could push the agent into action. 

The real possibility that he'll get any money back is extremely thin IMO - the agent is probably broke !

 

 

 

It all depends on what he was paying the agent for.........If it was for an under the table job because he didn't have the right paperwork/money. blacklist, overstay. it seems a lot 200,000 for a visa and nothing happens in 2 years. Is he on overstay????? Could be a number of reasons.