Bogus websites, staged protests and pretend atheists: Inside the fake asylum industry

Bogus websites, staged protests and pretend atheists: Inside the fake asylum industry

Undercover investigations have revealed a growing network of tactics used to fabricate asylum claims, including deceptive online content, coordinated demonstrations, and fabricated personal identities. These strategies, often orchestrated by migrants and their consultants, aim to create convincing evidence of persecution, as highlighted in the first segment of this probe into the UK immigration system.

The Undercover Setup

Early in April, an undercover reporter visited a London office near Mile End Road. Posing as a Bangladeshi student who had recently left university, he expressed interest in staying in the UK through asylum. There, Zahid Hasan Akhand, claiming to be a barrister, offered guidance on how to manipulate the Home Office’s processes. He outlined three potential grounds for asylum: persecution based on sexual orientation, religious beliefs, or political activism.

Strategies for Deception

Akhand emphasized that the legal component would be handled by him, but the reporter needed to select a narrative—whether as an atheist, a political figure, or a gay individual. Each path required preparation. For £1,500, he would assist with mock interviews and application drafting. However, the reporter would also need to generate supporting evidence, which Akhand promised to help secure for between £2,000 and £3,000.

“If you go to those associations, you will not get caught out. Most of the people there are not gay,” Akhand said.

Creating Fake Evidence

To bolster a claim of atheism, the reporter would create social media posts criticizing Islam or the Prophet Muhammad. Akhand suggested that religious clerics could then respond with threats, making the evidence appear authentic. He also recommended using AI tools like ChatGPT to draft articles for atheist publications, both in the UK and Bangladesh, to amplify credibility.

“You would say that you became an atheist after coming here. You were not one in Bangladesh,” Akhand said.

For a gay claim, the process included forging club memberships and arranging a fake partner. This partner would provide a letter confirming the relationship, which the reporter could use during interviews. Akhand noted that gay cases often rely on private narratives, while political or religious claims demand more public proof.

Uncertainty and Confidence

When asked about cases where the individual was not genuinely gay or atheist, Akhand claimed success was achievable if evidence was properly arranged. “Everyone is being successful, God willing,” he replied. “If you listen and get the evidence arranged properly, it will be successful.” Despite qualifying as a barrister in 2022, Akhand lacks a practicing license, highlighting the questionable credentials within this system.