Immigration

There are a number of immigration scams that target those going through the lengthy immigration process or who are new to Canada. Language barriers can add to the pressure and anxiety around ensuring your documentation is in order. Some offer fee for services, promising faster processing, or help with identification.

Means of contact

• Internet
• Phone
• In person
• Email
• Text message

Description of scam
Posing as government officials on the phone, scammers try to scare people into thinking they have made an error in their documentation, are in trouble, and/or need to pay outstanding fees. They threaten deportation and other tactics. Another scam is to send an email with a link to a fee for services website to "help" you with your application or promising to speed up the processing time. The forms required for government identification are free. No one can speed up the process.

Tactics used

• Promises faster processing times or other guarantees
• Offers to help with immigration by paying a fee