Thailand is unfortunately rife with fraud and tricksters. Con men are notorious in Southeast Asia and Thailand and their favorite past time is bilking naïve investors out of their money through boiler room set ups and land fraud deals. There are unfortunately a number of foreign con men impersonating lawyers, some with impressive websites and fancy names.
Apparently, Thailand is not alone. Even the squeaky-clean land of law and order, the United States, has a problem with con men impersonating lawyers. The State of Illinois has recently arrested a fake lawyer. The Skokie Review reports:
“A Skokie Illinois man who authorities say falsely sold his services as a lawyer in more than 60 Cook County cases was indicted Tuesday on charges of forgery and falsely impersonating a lawyer.
Tahir Malik, 47, of Skokie has been held at the Cook County Jail since Dec. 17 on a contempt of court and false impersonation charge, a release from the Cook County Sheriff’s office stated.
Evidence linked him to more than 60 cases at the Skokie and Bridgeview courthouses, the release said.
On Tuesday, Malik was formally charged with two counts of forgery and one count of false personation of a lawyer, Cook County State’s Attorney’s office spokesman Andy Conklin said. He’ll appear for arraignment Jan. 31.”
In Thailand a similar case is authorized against persons impersonating lawyers pursuant to Section 341 through 344 of the Thailand Penal Code, which covers theft by deception. Penalties for each count range from 3 years to 7 years in Thailand prison.
Chapter 3 of the Thailand Penal Code on Offenses of Cheating and Fraud, Section 341 states:
Whoever dishonestly deceives a person with the assertion of a falsehood or the concealment of facts which should be revealed, and, by such deception, obtains a property from the person so deceived or a third person, or causes the person so deceived or a third person to execute, revoke or destroy a document of right is said to commit an offence of cheating and fraud, and shall be punished with imprisonment not exceeding three years or fine not exceeding six thousand baht, or both.
Since the con men impersonating lawyers do not normally know a great deal about law, they are not likely to understand that they are playing with fire. If you have been duped by a con man impersonating a lawyer, contact a Fraud Lawyer in Thailand, and perhaps we can send them up to the Klong Prem Hilton for an all-expense-paid vacation from their fake law practice with free room and board.
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Legal services are often sought out during times of distress, uncertainty and urgency. People want to trust their lawyers and usually do not verify credentials before sharing confidential information with them. After reading this article by Thailand Lawyer, I became alarmed and would like to know more. The following questions came to mind: What is the most full-proof and least time consuming way to authenticate your lawyer’s qualifications?; If I am a victim of fraud, what happens to my property, documents, etc., that have been placed in jeopardy?
My partner and i wasn’t alert to several from the information which you described so I want to just give you thanks
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