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Bahrain Cracks Down on Conmen Selling Fake Visas

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Bahraini authorities have launched a crackdown on con artists selling fake visas to foreigners, following a recent scam that saw three Indians attempting to enter the country with fake documents. The Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) has pledged to take legal action against rogue agencies and freeze their activities, while a committee has been formed to investigate the case and collect evidence.

Key Takeaways:

  • The scam involved a conman who sold fake visas to 12 men from Kerala, charging each BD1,400 (approximately $3,650 USD) and collecting an advance of BD2,000 (approximately $5,300 USD) from the group.
  • Three of the men, who were traveling by Air India Express, were caught at Bahrain International Airport with fake visas, and their Bahraini friend Faisal's accomplice was arrested.
  • Authorities have frozen the operations of the agency involved in the scam and warned other agencies to be cautious with documents presented to them.
  • The LMRA has also announced that it will remove any agencies found involved in the scam and take legal and administrative action against them.
  • Activists in Bahrain managed to prevent the remaining nine men from traveling to the country after the scam was exposed.
  • The lmra CEO, Ali Radhi, emphasized the importance of following the correct procedures for visa applications and warned agencies to be careful with documents presented to them.

Statistics:

  • 12 men were targeted by the conman in the fake visa scam.
  • BD1,400 (approximately $3,650 USD) was the cost of each fake visa.
  • BD2,000 (approximately $5,300 USD) was the advance collected from the group by the conman.
  • 3 men were caught at Bahrain International Airport with fake visas.
  • 9 men were prevented from traveling to Bahrain after the scam was exposed.

Sources:

  • Crown Prince attends official opening of Bahrain Industrial Exhibition (MENA) -Week [No date provided]
  • Bahrain to set up low-cost carrier (Times of Oman) [No date provided]
  • Bahrain's economy now recovering (TradeArabia) [Published: December 26, 2009]
  • Bahrain's rip-off visa racket (TradeArabia) [Published: December 22, 2009]
  • Bahrain: police arrest two over visa scam (Al Hilal Publishing & Marketing Group)

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