![[Thailand] British expats warned of fast-track passport renewal scams](http://gpa.net/cdn/shop/articles/bigstock-Tourists-Visiting-Wat-Mahathat-471513035_1200x.jpg?v=1681467652)
In Thailand, fraudsters have been targeting British nationals who are seeking to renew their passports amid delays by striking government workers in the UK, Pattaya Mail reports.
Adverts from scam websites such as UK-renewpassport.net, or emails from similarly-named sources, promise to bypass the three months-plus waiting period by cash transfer using international money transfer systems such as Western Union, according to Pattaya Mail.
The scams are reportedly a variation of those already identified by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) whereby many UK-based Brits have been fooled into believing bargain-basement air tickets and incredibly cheap foreign holidays were also on offer.
The Thai version of the scam appears to target expat Brits specifically seeking to renew their passports quickly, rather than to book a holiday or get an air ticket.
The British foreign office website confirms that a British national in Thailand in need of a passport must deal solely with the authorised application centres in Bangkok or Chiang Mai.
Currently, the full cost of an adult renewal is £127.51 (34 pages) and £138.51 (50 pages) inclusive of courier fees. 10-year passports are reportedly issued in the UK, but local staff in Thailand will check the required paperwork before transfer and return the original documentation to the applicant.
There is no fast-track service available overseas at present and desperate Brits have been known to travel to the UK to take advantage of quicker alternatives. It is not illegal to use a representative or agency to submit a passport application in Thailand but applicants are cautioned to be selective about who they place their trust in.
The CTSI said, “This scam has arisen as people try to bypass the inevitable delays, but paying money online for special favours is a recipe for disaster.”
Source: Pattaya Mail
(Quote via original reporting)
In Thailand, fraudsters have been targeting British nationals who are seeking to renew their passports amid delays by striking government workers in the UK, Pattaya Mail reports.
Adverts from scam websites such as UK-renewpassport.net, or emails from similarly-named sources, promise to bypass the three months-plus waiting period by cash transfer using international money transfer systems such as Western Union, according to Pattaya Mail.
The scams are reportedly a variation of those already identified by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) whereby many UK-based Brits have been fooled into believing bargain-basement air tickets and incredibly cheap foreign holidays were also on offer.
The Thai version of the scam appears to target expat Brits specifically seeking to renew their passports quickly, rather than to book a holiday or get an air ticket.
The British foreign office website confirms that a British national in Thailand in need of a passport must deal solely with the authorised application centres in Bangkok or Chiang Mai.
Currently, the full cost of an adult renewal is £127.51 (34 pages) and £138.51 (50 pages) inclusive of courier fees. 10-year passports are reportedly issued in the UK, but local staff in Thailand will check the required paperwork before transfer and return the original documentation to the applicant.
There is no fast-track service available overseas at present and desperate Brits have been known to travel to the UK to take advantage of quicker alternatives. It is not illegal to use a representative or agency to submit a passport application in Thailand but applicants are cautioned to be selective about who they place their trust in.
The CTSI said, “This scam has arisen as people try to bypass the inevitable delays, but paying money online for special favours is a recipe for disaster.”
Source: Pattaya Mail
(Quote via original reporting)