Japanese man falls victim to visa fraud in Thailand

A Japanese businessman has fallen victim to fraudsters while trying to get a residence permit in Thailand, losing $9000 and facing extortion from the police.

According to the Thai publication Khaosod, 51-year-old Japanese businessman Shinichi Maeda, who exports garments from the Bobe Pratunam area to Japan, has been the victim of a significant fraud in Thailand. On 21 August 2024, he and his 34-year-old secretary Namthan filed a complaint with the Complaint Centre of Thailand’s Central Bureau of Investigation against fraudsters and unscrupulous government officials.

The story began in 2019 when Maeda decided to obtain permanent residency in Thailand. The accounting firm he was working with introduced him to a man named ‘Tong’, who claimed he could help with the visa application. Trusting him, Maeda wired some money to start the process.

In 2020, Tong said that the visa process was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, he contacted Maeda again, requesting additional funds and stating progress on the visa. As a result, the Japanese businessman made 16 transfers of 10,000 and 30,000 baht each, totalling more than 300,000 baht (about US$8,760).

Two years later, seeing no progress, Maeda consulted friends and realized he had probably been a victim of fraud. He went to the Petkasem police station to report fraud against Tonga. Someone also advised him to contact the Cybercrime Unit.

Here, however, Maeda encountered a new deception. A cyber police officer offered to change the case from criminal to civil, presenting it as a loan agreement to get the money back faster. The officer asked for a ‘coffee fee’ of 5,000 baht (US$146) and ‘borrowed’ another 5,000 baht for his services. Despite handing over the money, progress has yet to be made on the case.

“I want my money back. If this is impossible, I demand legal action,‘ Shinichi Maeda told the Complaints Centre.

The investigating officer accepted the victim’s statement as evidence and referred the case to higher authorities for further orders.

The case highlights the importance of caution when dealing with paperwork in a foreign country and the need to check intermediaries’ reliability. It also raises questions about possible corruption among some law enforcement officials in Thailand.