Why can't I pay US property taxes online while in Thailand?

Jul 20, 2024
4 months ago
Frances ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
I’m not tech savvy. But once I tried to pay US property tax online from Bali and the website wouldn’t accept my payment. The website didn’t work. I also tried once to make a Homeowners Association (HOA) payment online from Thailand and the website didn’t work or accept payment. Why don’t those websites work for me to use on my phone while I’m overseas?
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TLDR : Answer Summary
The user experiences issues paying US property taxes online while in Thailand due to website blocks on overseas IP addresses, often a security measure against fraud. Other users recommend using a VPN to appear as if accessing from within the US, thus bypassing such restrictions. Additional advice includes ensuring reliable two-factor authentication methods and considering desktop access for better connectivity. Many expats share their own solutions and experiences to facilitate online payments from abroad.
Mark **********
Did you not know the USA is the center of the universe?.....according to many Americans.
Mike *****
@Mark *********
And apparently, you don't have to be from america to share a pompous @ss comment.
John *********
I paid my US property taxes in January 2022, 2023 and 2024 while in Thailand. I used a PC for this. I don’t recall any issues using my PC.

Paid US federal taxes in April from Thailand using my PC.

I have a desktop PC in the US that I connect to remotely, but this is a bit cumbersome at times.

I had to change to T-Mobile so I can receive text messages while in Thailand at no extra charge. All my banking and financial accounts require the 2 factor authentication. I just switch between AIS SIM and T-Mobile SIM as needed.

I use SurfShark VPN as needed.i just bought an Apple MacBook Air to see if it is better.

I have YouTube TV, Prime Video, Max and many others with SurfShark VPN for all my US television viewing.

My Thai wife and I spend the winter 6 months (179 days) in Thailand annually.

It took plenty of trial and error to get this collection. Ongoing learning.

Hope this information helps someone
Frances ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@John ********
yes. Being able to pay these taxes while I’m overseas is important and I have to figure out how to do it. For the past couple years post Covid, we do what you do; 6 months in Thailand, 6 months in California. I use TMobile as well for the reason you mention. TMobile is great. I only have my phone while I’m in Thailand; not even a laptop.
John *********
@Frances *******
I had to learn by trial and error. Just follow my instructions and you will succeed.
Frances ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@John ********
thank you🙏
Dover **********
most countries you can’t pay your taxes from overseas online, lots of paperwork get a lawyer
Joe *********
My app detects I am using a vpn. Is there an anti-vpn-vpn? I use express von
Mark *********
Yesterday everyone with Microsoft components was not working, try again?
Dava ***********
I can see why they would want to prevent scammers from scamming, but if YOU are trying to PAY them, not take money, why do they block it?
Robert *********
VPN or Google Fi phone and service in Thailand as a backup.
Robert **********
Sometimes it’s not just for security, but they don’t want you logging in from overseas, because if you are out of your own country, they don’t want you to have the account or have additional restrictions.
Art ************
Try a VPN
Bill *********
You might also consider using a desktop computer to access. I personally have not had any trouble accessing any of my homeland websites directly. I know some websites have a special access via mobile and I sometimes have trouble with those.
Gregory ********
What are you using to pay—your credit card or your normal bank account
John *******
10 years in Southeast Asia and no concerns
Frances ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
Thanks everyone for your input. I understand the problem. Now I have to learn how to work in the solution. Because I can see this is the normal way of life. I just have to catch up.
Jonathin *******
You should always have two things for stuff like this. 1. Open a Skype account if you don’t already have one. 2. Write down the toll free phone numbers for your bank accounts and what ever else might concern you. I now have three of my CC’s one ATM that I must call to make things happen, or not happen in the case of an actual fraud claim.
Ricky ********
They think you are a scammer . I got blocked from a few accounts i tried using from Thailand

Had to wait till i got home and verify it was me
Austin ****
Some websites block access from overseas IP addresses for security reasons (e.g. fraudulent transactions, denial of service attacks, etc.).

To access these websites, you need to use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) service that connects you to a server in the country that is allowed to access the websites.

For example, to access the websites you mentioned, you need to connect to a VPN server in USA so that your IP address is from the USA. That way, the website thinks that you are accessing the website from USA.

I have been using NordVPN for 3 years for exactly this reason - so that I could log in to bank websites, retailer websites, etc. in my home country.

You can find out more about NordVPN here:

****************************
Bill *********
@Austin ***
I like NordVPN too
Edward ******
You need to use a vpn. They think it’s fraud when it’s from such a distant ip address
Kenny *****
Need VPN.

Alot of web cannot work/access from oversea IP.
Brandon ************
You need to use VPN because these websites do not accept connections from SE Asia due to the large number of hacking attempts that originate from this area.
Max *************
Tony Birnseth You obviously didn't understand a word I said about location in Google Play Store. You can't turn it off temporarily. It's not a location service.
Robert *****
@Brandon ***********
agree sir. I will say that I can’t log into my Bank account in California with a VPN. So that’s something to consider.
Max *************
@Robert ****
It might depend on which vpn you're using. Free vpn's are most of the time useless.
Tony **********
@Max ************
he using surfshark
Tony **********
@Robert ****
try turning off location. YouTube TV won't work with VPN alone.
Jason *******
@Tony *********
Could you expound on this ? Im newly returned to Thailand, and my YouTube TV wont work even with my VPN on.. last time i lived in Thailand I wasn’t a YouTube tv subscriber so haven’t dealt with this before.. when you say ‘turn off location’ do you mean within the VPN or within the YouTube tv settings, and how do you specifically do that ? Thanks .
Tony **********
@Jason ******
I was using it via my phone. I use surfshark VPN . If I didn't run off location services on my phone it wouldn't work. So I was using: phone->wireless carrier (like AIS)->VPN->YouTubeTV
Jason *******
@Tony *********
Ok thanks, i too use Surfshark but i watch YoutubeTV on my iPad, i will try turning off Location Services on my iPad.. i thought it was odd that YouTube TV showed me a message that i was outside of the US even though i had my VPN on .
Tony **********
@Jason ******
let folks know if it works on iPad. My phone is Android.
Max *************
@Tony *********
There's another reason for VPN not working. If you're staying in Thailand long term as s retiree and have bought an Android phone, you're location will automatically be Thailand in Google Play Store.That location is what many websites now are able to detect.I've been using Surfshark for years and the last year I haven't been able to download some apps and even log in to some websites. YouTube is actually a google company and it detects the location in Google Play Store.
Tony **********
@Max ************
try just temporarily turning off location services.
Jason *******
@Tony *********
Yes it worked, thanks again ! I was thinking of cancelling YoutubeTV, but since it’s now working I’ll probably keep it so i can watch American football (NFL & college) in the Fall.. fwiw i had to go into settings and turn off location services AND had to go into the individual app settings for YoutubeTV in settings and turn off location services there too, then made sure the Surfshark VPN was on when i logged back into YoutubeTV .
Tony **********
@Jason ******
if you turned off location services on your device, the app shouldn't be able to get your location....
Jason *******
@Tony *********
Im not sure which one worked, like i said i turned off location services both places within general settings and within the app .
Mike *****
@Brandon ***********
What's hilarious is that although VPNs are used to protect oneself while traveling, many financial websites are now detecting when a VPN is being used and block access...."for your safety". 🤯
Peter **********
@Mike ****
Thai banks do this a lot. You need to be in Thailand to open their apps for the first time and some Thai bank apps even require you to disable WiFi to ensure that you use an in-country connection.
Brandon ************
@Mike ****
I don't actually use a VPN to bypass this stuff as I just remote session into my computer at home to pay my bills and such. But I'm not surprised they're starting to do that. It's a difficult situation that doesn't have any easy fixes. Though most of my credit card apps let me login normally from anywhere, I can't pay my mortgage if I'm connected from Thailand.
Mike *****
Brandon Thurkettle "remote to computer at home" 👍👍.

I will make sure that I keep this option as a backup.
Frances ********
ORIGINAL POSTER
@Brandon ***********
oh!😨. Well thank you for clarifying that for me.
Neil ********
@Frances *******
the VON must be logged into a USA location not just use a vpn
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