Bogus websites, staged protests and pretend atheists: Inside the fake asylum industry
Bogus websites, staged protests and pretend atheists: Inside the fake asylum industry
Asylum seekers and their consultants are leveraging a range of deceptive tactics, from crafting misleading online content to orchestrating fake demonstrations and fabricating personal identities, to strengthen their claims. This scheme, unveiled during the initial phase of our covert exploration into the immigration framework, highlights a growing trend of manipulation within the system. Among these strategies, creating a false narrative of atheism or homosexuality has emerged as a notable method, with migrants being charged for guidance on how to simulate these identities.
A hidden network in east London
In early April, an undercover operative attended a session at an office near the bustling Mile End Road, where a professional claiming to be a barrister outlined the process of submitting an asylum application. Posing as a Bangladeshi student who had recently left university, the reporter expressed interest in using asylum as a means to remain in the UK. The barrister, Zahid Hasan Akhand, detailed three possible avenues for the claim: persecution based on sexual orientation, religious convictions, or political beliefs.
“They will not dig too much into your past story,” Akhand remarked about the gay claim. “For gay cases, it’s private, but politics and atheism are public, so establishing that is a bit difficult.”
Akhand emphasized that while the legal aspect would be handled by him, the individual would need to select a path—gay, atheist, or political—and prepare accordingly. A fee of £1,500 was required for legal support, including mock interviews and application preparation. However, the reporter would also need to generate evidence to validate their fabricated story, which Akhand claimed could be sourced from networks he knew. The cost for this evidence creation ranged between £2,000 and £3,000, depending on the chosen route.
Fabricating religious and sexual identities
For the atheist angle, Akhand advised creating online content that criticized Islam or the Prophet Muhammad. He explained that religious figures could then issue threatening statements, reinforcing the claim’s credibility. The reporter was encouraged to publish articles in UK-based and Bangladeshi atheist publications, with AI tools like ChatGPT assisting in drafting these materials. Additionally, participation in events for former Muslims was recommended to add authenticity, as “this is the age of live videos,” he noted.
“You just told me that you are not an atheist, which means you are not an atheist,” Akhand said, underscoring the lack of verification systems for such claims.
Regarding the gay claim, Akhand suggested gathering evidence such as club memberships and arranging a partner to submit a letter confirming the relationship. He claimed that people in these groups were often unaware of the fabricated nature of the stories, making it easier to pass off as genuine. When questioned about cases where individuals were not truly gay or atheists but still succeeded, Akhand responded, “Everyone is being successful, God willing. If you listen and get the evidence arranged properly, it will be successful.”
A barrister without a licence
Akhand qualified as a barrister in 2022 but lacks a practicing licence. This detail raises questions about the legitimacy of the services he provides. Despite this, he confidently asserted his ability to connect the reporter with individuals who could assist in creating the necessary evidence. The combination of AI-generated content, social media posts, and staged interactions forms the backbone of this deceptive industry, blurring the lines between genuine and manufactured asylum cases.
