Pre-reading questions:
- Have you tried applying for a passport or a visa?
- Have you tried transacting with your local government offices?
- What do you think embassies do?
GHANA—A fake U.S. Embassy was discovered in the capital city of Accra. It was issuing illegally obtained authentic visas for the past ten years. The fake embassy was operating in an old, weathered pink two-storey building, along with the U.S. Flag outside and a portrait of President Barack Obama inside.
Ghanian and Turkish organized crime rings were said to be working in the fake embassy, along with a Ghanian lawyer practicing immigration and criminal law. Turkish people who can speak English and Dutch posed as embassy staff. Investigations revealed that the fake embassy asks $6000 for illegally obtained U.S. Visas, identification documents as well as birth certificates. The real U.S. Embassy in Ghana is a conspicuous building located in Cantonments, one of Accra’s high-end communities.
Vocabulary:
authentic- [adjective] real
weathered- [verb] worn out by exposure from weather
immigration- [noun] migration to a country which a person is not a native
conspicuous- [adjective] obvious
high-end- [adjective] exclusive, posh
Comprehension Questions:
- How many years did the fake embassy issued illegally obtained authentic visas?
- How does the fake embassy looks like?
- Who works at the fake embassy?
- How much was asked for illegally obtained U.S. Visas, identification documents and birth certificates?
- What kind of community is Cantonments?
Express Your Opinion:
- What will you do if the office where you’re doing your transactions is a fake one?
- Why do you think U.S. visa applicants are tricked by the fake embassy?
- Why do you think some people do illegal things?