Bogus websites, staged protests and pretend atheists: Inside the fake asylum industry
Inside the fake asylum industry
Undercover investigations have revealed a growing network of individuals and organizations that fabricate evidence to support false asylum applications. Tactics range from creating misleading online content to orchestrating fake protests and inventing personal narratives, such as pretending to be gay or an atheist. These methods are part of a broader system designed to exploit immigration processes, with costs varying depending on the type of claim being fabricated.
Creating false identities and evidence
Zahid Hasan Akhand, a barrister who qualified in 2022, demonstrated how asylum seekers can be coached to present fabricated stories. During a session at an office near Mile End Road in east London, he guided an undercover reporter through the process of appearing as a Bangladeshi student seeking refuge from persecution. Akhand outlined three potential grounds for asylum: sexual orientation, religious beliefs, or political views, emphasizing the need for tailored evidence for each.
“No way to know who is an atheist and who is not… You just told me you are not an atheist, which means you are not an atheist. But there is no system to check these things,” Akhand explained.
To bolster claims, applicants must generate credible evidence. For those choosing the atheist route, Akhand suggested creating social media posts that criticize Islam or the Prophet Muhammad, followed by comments from religious clerics implying threats. He also mentioned using AI tools like ChatGPT to draft articles for atheist publications, both in the UK and Bangladesh, to enhance authenticity.
Staged relationships and club memberships
Akhand emphasized the ease of crafting a gay claim, noting that the Home Office often focuses less on verifying past lives. “For gay cases, it’s private, but politics and atheism are public,” he said, highlighting the challenges of proving these claims. He proposed connecting the reporter with individuals who could act as fake partners, providing letters to confirm relationships.
“If you go to those associations, you will not get caught out. Most of the people there are not gay,” Akhand added.
Additionally, he recommended attending events by groups for former Muslims to create a narrative around one’s changing beliefs. “This is not the age of posts anymore, it is the age of live videos,” he noted. The reporter was also advised to choose between atheism or gay claims, with Akhand offering a detailed plan once the decision was made.
Costs and confidence in success
Legal fees for guidance ranged from £1,500 to £3,000, depending on the claim’s complexity. Akhand claimed that with proper preparation, all cases could succeed, stating, “Everyone is being successful, God willing. If you listen and get the evidence arranged properly, it will be successful.” Despite the lack of verification mechanisms, he assured the reporter that the system would accept their fabricated stories.