Go to http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=410482 for:

The largest visa fraud ring directed by Vietnamese Americans ...

What a shame!!!!

When will they stop doing this?

When will they stop? Never.

I recently read an article in an Asian newspaper stating that all visa petitioners in the near future will be required to attend the interview. This was to cut down on the fraudulent marriages, but mostly cases of trafficking.

Ive been trying to find it, was an article written by Agentur Deutsche Press, but no luck, sorry.

I think when this happens it would help all legitimate petitioners like myself. Right now, the consulate office's attitude in HCM city toward all petitioners is that all cases are fraud unless the petititioners and applicants prove to them other wise. I would report all fraudulent cases if I ever get prove of known fraud cases, so that it'd help others in this process.

I agree with you, I know Vietnam is tough on everyone. If being there and giving them a chance to assess the relationship makes it less stressful or move faster, the better for everyone who has nothing to hide.

What a shame. I really think having the petitioner there would be very good and helpful for making the proper decision. My fiance had a 2 week timeframe from the time she got the interview letter tot he interview date. It is a very short notice for someone who lives in the US to ask for time off work as well as getting a Visa, and plane tickets. They would have to give the US citezen an advance warning. My fiance will have her interview in a couple days, and I am just sitting here thinking, Our love and relationship is as true as any relationship. We should have no worries, but with things like this makes it so difficult on everyone. You sit there and worry over every little detail. Did we do everything the way the consulates wants you to do it???? Is that how a relationship should be based? I think those who are fraud would actually know every detail they need before setting there scam up. Those of us who have a true relationship don't go into the relationship and know everything involved for the interview.

Good luck to everyone on their Journey!!!

Here's one just for the co's on here. Good job busting the scammers in Utah! Now howzabout letting the non-scammers through?

Let me ask you this: If I can catch one or two scammers for you and get enough proof for you to prosecute or whatever, would you make a deal with me and let my sweetie through? I am convinced that an acquaintance I met has information which could be useful and I think I could probably find out what you require. However, last time I helped you out it didn't do us any good. All I got was escorted out of your consular building by an armed guard after offering up information. This time I want it in writing the deal and then I would be willing to invest my time in tracking down a criminal for you. Without any assurance that it would in fact helop our case I pretty much don't care anymore about helping you. PM me with the written deal and it will be done. You can be the big hero and take all the credit. I don't care about that I just want my sweetie with me.

Say, I were the C.O. you were writing the previous to...

"JUST FOR EXAMPLE:

1. You're wasting your time and mine by reporting frauds
2. I have more cases to handle than you can imagine, for every real case I approve, there will be 10 cases I deny.
3. How do I know you are REAL and the ones you reported are frauds? Back to square one! Adding more times to my work-day.
4. You're not a professional, has no credential in law enforcement and criminal investigation. You may be interferencing with the officials and task force, endanger yourself and others if you set out to investigate this type of activity on your own. Please stop!
5. I will not and can not promise anyone who turns in a fraud case or two to issue visa to his/her fiance. This is the State Department, not bounty hunter, or Bond office. How didn't you know if someone did drop a dime on you with us? So that's why we are investigating your case and cause all the delay right now?

I can go on and on but I need to get back to Mike and Huong's case, or Icarus' case or other's cause They seem to have everything in order...

C.O. done talking "

Ok, back, chuck and kim You get my point? They can't do a trade!

sometimes fraud is so difficult to spot. The hard part is that people who intend on comitting fraud are the most prepared.

I understand what you're saying ChuckandKim, but I still think it's worth a chance. Here, let me answer you the best I can:

1. Wasting time? I thought the U.S. government was spending millions of dollars trying to catch fraudulent sham marriages, now you don't even want to know about them or what?

2. What does that have to do with what I am talking about? Ok, get me to the person who DOES care and let's make a deal.. Why not? But if you don't care why are you working at the consulate anyway? Get someone in there who does please. I'm saying there is a good chance I can give you the reasons necessary to deny case(s) but more than that to make arrests.

3. Like I say IF I can get you the evidence you need, why not agree to it with a major IF thrown in there. IF I am wrong and can't turn up anything, no expediting for us, but if I am right, expedite the hell out of our case and maybe even a "thank you?" You know I am real because you know who I am and I know who you are too. Send the offer and let's roll. I'll have an attorney look it over and you've got an abundance of them to write it up. Put all the IF statements in there you need. IF I can't help you, it's no loss right? If I can, who knows, maybe you make the biggest bust ever and get promoted - no promises but I would be willing to spend my time trying with the belief that I can make a difference.

4. Maybe you should hire me (hell, I'm offering to work for free!) then and "train" me but it seems like I can do this easy work without any training whatsoever. It's not rocket science though it would involve some legwork on my part and the fact that I have no law enforcement training makes me all the less suspect. I've got a voice recorder... I am also not worried about the risks involved. Walking at night in HCMC is at least as dangerous and I have lived in neighborhoods most people, including most cops, won't venture in. So what are you worried about? I'm not. If I get myself killed in the process it would be my own fault right? So that's one less visa applicant for you to worry about. I'm not asking for any type of protection or anything either. It makes your job real easy I'd think so why not? If these are the people holding up our case I would be happy to see them stopped (and our case actually processed.) All I am saying is a big IF.. IF I can then___ ? IF I am right _____...? What's the big deal? I almost want to waste my time and do it anyway.

5. I'm only asking for it IF I can provide the evidence necessary for a conviction, etc. Not asking for open-ended promises here. I have no doubt that someone very well could have tried to say that we are a fraudulent marriage, but if you can find any evidence of that whatsoever, I'd be extremely interested to show you how it's not so. We have nothing to hide, go ahead and investigate us all you need as I have invited you to several times before. Like I say, we have nothing to hide from you and have tried to be as cooperative as possible. Maybe this was a mistake according to the last poster, because we were very prepared but you could also say that is a sign that someone didn't want to experience extremely long delays so they provided everything they possibly could originally.

I just think it's worth a try. Maybe I am wrong but it can't hurt right? If I turn up nothing, no result. But if I am able to.. Why not? Now if I could figure out why vj has disallowed me from posting using my original screen name.. Is vj that sensitive?

This sounds like a witch hunt or the "red scare" to me. People will start claiming that their neighbors are doing fake marriages. That will waste our tax money because the government has to investigate false claims. This does not sound like a good idea.

i agree...that the same as a vigilante tactic. who are you to decide who's fraudulent or not? since we live in a democratic society...we must follow certain rules of law. if we did not have such a thing...everyone and their sisters/brothers/uncles will go around "pointing" fraud cases.

also, you are definitely not qualified to do that...since you are personally vested.

As soon as people can't use money in the U.S, and the wages in Vietnam pick up dramatically.

You know, the ring leader on the top middle of the photograph looks pretty cute. She'll do okay in prison, but the rest have already gotten their punishment. Vietnamese in Utah???! Wait until December.

Sweetiewynn,
Your home address is in Utah, right? I wonder if the Consulate put your case on ice because of the Utah ring that was busted recently. Your case would have been going through HCMC just as they were conducting an investigation on all these other people. Hmmm... What do you think?

Wait4ever: We can only hope that WAS the problem but in saying that I mean that it is not STILL the problem. Could very well explain the distrust.

Dalegg - what's coming in December? Santa?

Vigilante? Witch hunt? No, hardly. Who am I to judge? Well, when someone flat out offers up information without asking for it and admits to wrongdoing I am not judging, it is by definition what it is, nothing more, nothing less. I'm not talking about going on some sort of witch hunt or some sort of vigilante mission either. Just talking about the possibility that I can get it on tape this time if I were to go back looking for the guy and put the effort into it. Have Americans become such cowards that we can't stop injustice and we have to call on some government agency to do anything? Geez, that is sissy talk if I ever heard it! Since when do I need to be an ordained minister to stop crime when I see it? I'm sorry but I can't believe the response I got! If you witnessed a rape would you go running home and call the police? If so I might turn vigilante on you for not being a vigilante! I don't think any cop would argue that the help of citizens (I think I am still considered one of those even if I AM a total jerk sometimes or run my mouth) is invaluable in fighting crime. I am sititng here right now trying to think of one case that I know of personally where the cops were able to catch the crook without the help of a citizen and I can't think of one. I can, however tell you that I caught the kids who broke into my car and when I called the police to tell them who it was they couldn't even find the guy's house. I had to look up the freaking address myself and only after I did that did the cops go and bust the little sh#ts. When my buddy's car was stolen - same thing, he solved the crime, located the car, and actually drove in front of the cops to the guy's house where they arrested the thief. I can think of more examples but you get the idea. Cops come to clean it up and make the arrest but citizens are the ones to offer up the leads and very often are also the ones to solve the crime, detain the crook, etc. It happens all the time. Geez! Unbelievable. Next time I feel like committing a crime I won't worry at all about any citizen being willing to turn me in because I know they are a bunch of scared sheep who don't think they have the right to do a damn thing! No way dude, YOU have the right to investigate anything you want to without asking for permission from anyone. If law enforcement is already investigating and asks you to get out of the way then you might oblige but it is still your right to seek information. I'm not talking about breaking any laws or anything of the sort. Quite to the contrary. The government and its agencies are not your savior.

arright citizens and wannabee citizens, name this quote:

‘All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing’

and I must add too that if the Consular Officers are at all interested you need to let me know asap because this is a seasonal place to find the guy. When wintertime comes the window will close.

sweetiewynn,

Welcome back to VJ.

Your comment quoted below could be your biggest downfall (i.e. the people your associating yourself with). If I were you, I would definitely not be boasting about any association with anyone doing fraudulent activity or anyone that has information regarding such activity. You're only drawing more attention to yourself for all the wrong reasons and creating even more speculation.

STL_HCMC

Sweetiewynn,
You should probably deal with this matter discreetly by contacting the post security officer, or other DSS office in the US or Bangkok. They deal with the investigations. Don't bother dealing with anyone in the IV unit.
Please be careful in your endeavors.

sweetiewynn,

But you do realize that "The government and its agencies" will decide whether your fiance(e) gets a visa or not.


STL_HCMC

oh geez.. No, like I said, and ACQUAINTANCE, not a friend or anyone I know well or even at all. I don't even know the guy's name but I can recognize his face. If I knew who he was I would have already reported him. I don't even know for sure and can't promise that I can run into him again, but I can and will try. You might have a good point there but I am counting on the c.o.s to have more sense than that. If they want to accuse me of something they can go right ahead. Like I say neither I nor my fiancee has anything to hide. None of my friends are married to, marrying, or even considering marrying a foreigner so they also have nothing to worry about and I also don't have shady friends like that to worry about either.

Hi Sweetiewynn2,

I feel you and you have every right to be on fire brother! Frauds = Crimes = Problem for everyone! I am not questioning your ability to fight crime, your bravery to walk the street of Saigon at night, or roam the back alley of some ghettos in the US. I want to make sure that nobody starts something that will end up affecting EVERYONE. Say, you will start reporting folks who you THINK or deem to be frauds to the Consulate to investigate. All of the sudden, the Consulate realize "HOLLY COW, there are so many cases that potentially frauds and we need to STOP everything and investigate everything all over. Delay everyone, let work this out with this Sweetiewynn2 guy... he's a good guy who reports crimes"

Great! Now guys like Mike and Huong will be PISSED out of his you know what, because his case is almost done. Just because of some guy who reports something... now HCMC stops processing his case! I know I'll be pretty mad! In short, the current system is pretty straight forward, NOT the best, but it works 80% of the times. People who went through with lot worse circumstances than yours, got through no problem in the end.

I hope you do what you can to help YOUR case and try to avoid creating more roadblocks for other. Believe it or not, the Consulate does have their own investigator who they actually send to your locality to verify your facts (living arrangement of your fiance, her jobs, asking your neighbor) You know what, maybe they did, and your fiance's neighbor might have thought your case was fraud and report it you? (twisted!) No, I have no doubt or no reason to give doubt in your case but it could happens. You can not control the C.O.'s gutfeeling and instince he/she has developed during their time working at the consulate, their experience with Vietnamese and they may claim: We can spot LIES!

Yes, they may not CARE about your report of crimes for some reasons, and NO they don't need to explain anything to you, why? You are the one who in need of their service and approval! You can't demand what you can't have Have you ever thought, by walking up to some C.O. to tell them: Hey, I found frauds in these cases A, B, C. Can I get a visa for my wife now? Good trade huh? The initial reaction from the C.O. would be: Who the #### is this guy to tell me how screw up I am to approved these cases? Are you questioning my competency? Security!!! Please remove this guy from me!

Yeah, that's how it is at the consulate. You and all people will need a little grace, like it or not, you need them more than they need you. Need to think through and not to be afraid when you start blowing the whistle, but there will be consiquence IF things don't work out the way we think it would in our head.

What I said above is just another point of view that MAY be seen in the light of HCMC, of couse it could never happen to any of us. My only advice right now to you is Focus on your case and your case only, prepare to fight the consulate if they don't get your visa. Redirect your negative energy to positive out-come for you and your fiance rather than looking for frauds and reporting them. Don't lose focus brother, the end game is: Get your honey here!!!! Reporting frauds to get visa is NOT your job and that's why I say you are wasting your time. Pick your battle, this is not one of them! IMHO

Good luck and may the VJ force be with you

chuck and kim

I hear what you're saying everyone. I am surprised at the response but let me just assure anyone worried that I'm not on a wild goose chase here and would NEVER and I mean never ever make a false claim. I'm not talking about speculation or jealousy here, I am talking about admitted crime and being in a position to stop it. It almost makes it my duty, no? Sure, I wish our case flew through like a lot of people's, but does that make me hate them? Are you crazy? Me neither! Actually I am not jealous of any couple who has had more success than we have and if you think that about me you have judged me very wrongly and actually it makes me wonder, why would you even consider that I would go around making some sort of false claims with the intention of holding up someone's case? My god, if anyone understands the frustration of this process I think I am one of those. No way would I ever want to be the cause of delay for anyone, even if I didn't like the person! That's just sickness you're thinking about and I do realize that it probably does happen a lot like you say with jealous neighbors and the like. I don't doubt it but my god, if you've judged me as one of those you are severely mistaken.

I just want to make that clear.