Possible fraud situation

[diadromous mermaid 36]

Thanks, I called the ICE hotline today - gave them all the details, I feel better that I did.

And told them what? Was there a crime to report?

I don't know if I should report this incident or not, but its certainly been bugging me!

Report what exactly? That a 50 year old American drunk is going to Thailand to

hook up with his 18-year old fiancée? Yah, that's highly illegal. So illegal in fact that

there are probably 50 VJ members doing the same thing as we speak.

I don't believe that many people who are lured into a situation like this cab driver was would bother to participate on VJ, but then ... opinions vary.

Lured? Who are you trying to protect again? The poor innocent 50-year old drunk

who was "lured" to Thailand to sleep with an 18-year old? Or the poor innocent

18-year old who wants a green card and is willing to sleep with the old man to get it?

I ahve to agree in this case. Unless money has exchanged hands and until either one of the petitioned and attempted to gain entry to the USA, there's nothing more going on here than just two rather unorthodox love birds, or sex birds, meeting!

[Aussielad 37]

they'll, if they ever do find out his name, just put it on "the list"...and eventually,...if they ever get around to it and stop eating their doughnuts, will get around and investigate it lol

[Fandango 1,439]

meddling at its finest!

[Yodrak 7]

Bill,

I'd report the same details to the consulate in Ho Chi Min City as well.

Yodrak

Bill,

Contact ICE. They may already have a file on this restaurant owner or ring, who may have 'lots of cousins'. Your added info may assist.

Thanks, I called the ICE hotline today - gave them all the details, I feel better that I did.

[mawilson 2,133]

they'll, if they ever do find out his name, just put it on "the list"...and eventually,...if they ever get around to it and stop eating their doughnuts, will get around and investigate it lol

Oooh yeah they are going to find out his name -- they are sending Columbo

to Thailand to work the case! Mulder and Scully are looking into it as well - LOL

Edited October 30, 2006 by mawilson

[Yodrak 7]

mawilson,

Vietnam.

Yodrak

Report what exactly? That a 50 year old American drunk is going to Thailand to hook up with his 18-year old fiancée? .....

[mawilson 2,133]

mawilson,

Vietnam.

Yodrak

Thailand's next door neighbor

[Ban Hammer 13,110]

mawilson,

Vietnam.

Yodrak

Thailand's next door neighbor

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Bill, you did the right thing. Whether ICE arranges to investigate or not is their concern now. You have given them the details. If it turns out to be a 'real' relationship that will surface, however I find it difficult to believe a real relationships exists between an 18 year old and a 50 year old who have never met or talked with each other, and he only has to take his photo with her and then 'have his way' with her afterwards. The whole situation seems fraught with the potential for fraud and/or abuse and is highly suspect. You will probably never know the outcome, but you have done what you could based on the information that you had. I would have done the same.

Edited October 30, 2006 by Kathryn41

[Yodrak 7]

mawilson,

As Canada is to the USA. Yet they are two separate and distinct countries that prefer to not be confused with each other.

You're Irish, right?

Yodrak

mawilson,

Vietnam.

Yodrak

Thailand's next door neighbor

Edited October 30, 2006 by Yodrak

[Fandango 1,439]

I think the cabbie is the one who sat next to the schmuck.

You don't know the first thing about these people, other than the ramblings of a drunken man. Who are you to say what a marriage should be? There are many on here who make no bones about saying that soemtimes marriage can be a 'mutually beneficial relationship' that doesn't necessarily mandate love. How many ppl on here were introduced to their foreign SOs by family members already living in the states? Anwer: A LOT! Go look around.

Yet you had to take it upon yourself to stick your nose into something that had nothing to do with you. Bravo! Feel better now?

Honestly, some people

I once knew a man whose 3 yearold lil girl had open heart surgery. After she was out of the hospital and feeling better, he took her to the store. She had bruising still from the surgery. Some do gooder much like yourself took it upon herself to report him. Years and thousands of dollars later, including supoenaed doctors' testimonies, they started rebuilding their lives.

All cos some yahoo like you decided (s)he had the story sussed.

I'm sorry, but the self-righteousness in this thread has me sick, If there was a poster here who told his story about how he flew to Vietnam with his friend who is her cousin, you all would be 'yay for love!' and you know it.

[almaty 19]

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Bill wrote: "He was approched by a Vietnamese man who owns a restraunt in LA, with a photo of a very pretty vietnamese girl and the asked if he would like to marry her. The restraunt owner said it was his cousin. . . . he was told all he had to do was accompany this restraunt owner to Vietnam, get his photo taken with the girl in Vietnam, and he could 'do with her what ever he pleased' while there.... He elaborated, I won't, (trust me, this man was disgusting!)."

and Lisa wrote:

"Who are you to say what a marriage should be? There are many on here who make no bones about saying that soemtimes marriage can be a 'mutually beneficial relationship' that doesn't necessarily mandate love."

The point is, US immigration is the one who gets to determine if a relationship between a US citizen and a foreign national is valid or if it is fraudulent and made only to get a foreign national into the US to obtain a green card. The age difference, the fact they have never met, the fact that the drunken sot is willing to have an 18 year old to 'do what he will with" all merit closer attention. To ignore this situation and pretend it is unconscionable interference is strongly akin to those who see some little old lady getting beaten up on a public street and refuse to get involved because it is 'none of my business'. I would rather err on the side of caution than otherwise and apologize later if I was wrong and accept whatever consequences are due from my 'interference'.

And one other point of consideration, I am very curious just how many 'cousins' this restaurant owner lays claim to; I wouldn't be surprised if he proves to have an impossibly large 'family'.

Edited October 30, 2006 by Kathryn41

[mawilson 2,133]

I know, Yodrak. I only said Thailand because they were going to Thailand

("got on the plane for Taipei enroute to Bangkok Thailand") and missed the fact

that the woman was Vietnamese.

Let's see...

The age difference,

Not important.

the fact they have never met,

They will have met by then.

the fact that the drunken sot is willing to have an 18 year old to 'do what he will with"

Hearsay.

all merit closer attention.

Nope.

[Fandango 1,439]

Bill wrote: "He was approched by a Vietnamese man who owns a restraunt in LA, with a photo of a very pretty vietnamese girl and the asked if he would like to marry her. The restraunt owner said it was his cousin. . . . he was told all he had to do was accompany this restraunt owner to Vietnam, get his photo taken with the girl in Vietnam, and he could 'do with her what ever he pleased' while there.... He elaborated, I won't, (trust me, this man was disgusting!)."

and Lisa wrote:

"Who are you to say what a marriage should be? There are many on here who make no bones about saying that soemtimes marriage can be a 'mutually beneficial relationship' that doesn't necessarily mandate love."

The point is, US immigration is the one who gets to determine if a relationship between a US citizen and a foreign national is valid or if it is fraudulent and made only to get a foreign national into the US to obtain a green card. The age difference, the fact they have never met, the fact that the drunken sot is willing to have an 18 year old to 'do what he will with" all merit closer attention. To ignore this situation and pretend it is unconscionable interference is strongly akin to those who see some little old lady getting beaten up on a public street and refuse to get involved because it is 'none of my business'. I would rather err on the side of caution than otherwise and apologize later if I was wrong and accept whatever consequences are due from my 'interference'.

And one other point of consideration, I am very curious just how many 'cousins' this restaurant owner lays claim to; I wouldn't be surprised if he proves to have an impossibly large 'family'.

When we start dissecting the relationships on vj with the same fine tooth comb, then you will have a point. But since you're so concerned with the legitmacy of this relationship re: US immigration standards, have there been any posters here that raise red flags to you as well, and if so, what have you done about them?

I have seen more than one 'CONGRATULATIONS' post where there's

1) no shared common language

2) a huge age diff

3) limited physical contact...or even none at all!

4) a 'cousin' who introduced them.

Have we reported them? Called ICE? Called the foreign embassy? Not to my knowledge, no......

So tough luck for the cabbie cos he's not a VJ member. If he was, we'd be all 'YAY! ENJOY YOUR LAUNDRY!'

I'm right, and everyone here knows that.....you all might not publicly admit it, but you know it's true.