Be cautious of identity thieves and know how to spot a fake immigration consultant

1. Be cautious of companies offering jobs with high salaries that seem too good to be true. They may be recruiting for low wage or ordinary jobs and promising fast visa approvals within weeks for you and your family to come to Canada.

2. Be wary of social media ads that offer jobs and quick visa approvals at high wages. These ads may lead you into a chat, and then the scammers will move you off to WhatsApp or email to close the deal and take your money.

3. Be suspicious of agents who ask you no qualifying questions, no language tests or education requirements, and promise that everyone gets approved.

4. Do not trust agents who send you photos of their passport data page and CICC license to establish trust, as it is illegal, and no legitimate RCIC consultant would ever do so.

5. Watch out for scammers who reverse the name of the consultant or their company name, show last name first, first name last, and use emails with the reversed name @gmail.com.

6. Be cautious if the phone numbers given by the agent are different from those listed on the RCIC’s website or CICC verification page.

7. Be wary of fake job offer letters and work permits. To get a work permit, you need to have a job offer from a Canadian employer, and the employer needs to apply to Service Canada to get an LMIA. If you’re unsure about the validity of a job offer, you can contact both the employer and Service Canada directly to confirm it.

8. Be cautious of low-priced immigration services, as they may be illegal agents not authorized to represent you to CIC, and the quality of their service may be low.

9. Research the company thoroughly before engaging their services. Check their registration with the CICC, ask for references from previous clients, and verify their business details. You can also check their online reviews and social media presence to see what others are saying about their services.

10. Verify the identity of a genuine RCIC by checking their profile on the CICC website. They should have a unique identification number, and you can cross-check it with the CICC’s database to ensure their authenticity. You can also verify their identity through their own company or consultant’s website, which should have the same email and phone number as listed on the CICC website.

Remember, always be vigilant, cautious, and do your research before engaging with an immigration service. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Protect yourself from identity theft and other online scams by verifying the legitimacy of the company and the agent representing you. If you’re unsure, contact the regulatory body CICC at https://college-ic.ca/protecting-the-public/find-an-immigration-consultant   for assistance.

Quick Facts: COVID-19 IMMIGRATION UPDATES

• Due to the exceptional and fluid circumstances arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, information will be updated as soon as possible. We direct you to government resources for a fulsome and up-to-date account of the current situation.
• Immediate family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada.  “Immediate family member” means the spouse, common law partner, parent/grandparent, dependent child, the dependent child of the dependent child, guardian or tutor of the Canadian citizen/permanent resident of Canada.