The short answer
Scammers target people who are moving countries, because newcomers are dealing with unfamiliar systems, deadlines and money. IRCC's advice is simple: no one can guarantee you a visa, a job or permanent residence, and IRCC will never threaten you or rush you to pay. If a message is urgent, secret, threatening or asks for payment in an unusual way, stop and check using the official website, not the contact details in the message.
Common scams
- People posing as government staff. A caller or email says you have done something wrong, such as not filing paperwork, and that you must pay a fee or lose your status or be deported. IRCC says it will never threaten to deport you over outstanding fees. Caller ID can be faked, so a number that looks real is not proof.
- Fake or unauthorised representatives. Someone promises a result, asks you to include false information, or is not licensed to give immigration advice.
- Guaranteed visas and fake job offers. A "job offer" that needs a fee, or a "package" that guarantees a visa.
- Phishing emails and texts. Messages that send you to a website asking for personal information, bank details or passwords.
- Computer virus scams. A caller says your computer is infected and asks for access.
- Fake prizes and contests. You are told you have won something you did not enter.
- Tax scams. Someone promises to reduce your taxes or to get you benefits you are not eligible for. IRCC warns that benefits can only be claimed for periods after you arrived.
- Fake accommodation listings. A cheap place, a landlord abroad and a request to pay before you can see it.
What IRCC says its staff will never do
IRCC employees will never:
- ask you to deposit money into a personal bank account
- rush you into paying fees right away
- ask you to pay with prepaid cards, money transfer services, gift cards or similar
- threaten to arrest or deport you, or send police, over unpaid fees
- offer special deals to people who want to immigrate
- promise your file will be approved if you send more money or information
- use free email services or social media to contact you
- ask for private information, except to verify what you already gave
IRCC fees are the same all over the world, and IRCC accepts online payment through its website.
If you are unsure
- Do not reply or click. Do not give your unique client identifier (UCI) or file number.
- Go to the official website yourself and check the fee, form or status.
- Check any representative on IRCC's page for authorised representatives before you pay.
- Ask someone you trust, or a settlement organisation.
If you have been scammed
- Contact your bank at once to try to stop the payment.
- Report it. IRCC has a page on how to report fraud, and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre takes reports. You can also forward unwanted text messages to 7726 so your provider can block the number.
- Keep evidence, such as messages, receipts and screenshots.
- Tell IRCC if the scam involved your application.
Checklist
- To do: Save the official IRCC site, not links from messages
- To do: Never give your UCI, passwords or banking PINs to callers
- To do: Pay IRCC fees only through IRCC's website
- To do: Check that any paid representative is authorised
- To do: Never sign a blank form or include false information
- To do: Verify a rental before you pay anything
- To do: Keep copies of every payment and message
- To do: Know where to report fraud
Common mistakes
- Trusting caller ID. It can be faked.
- Paying under pressure. Real agencies do not demand immediate payment.
- Letting an agent hold your original documents. Keep them yourself.
- Believing a guarantee. No one can promise approval.
- Staying silent after being scammed. Report it quickly.
Things that change
Scams change constantly. IRCC updates its advice, and reporting channels can change.
Verify before you act
Read IRCC's page on fraud targeting newcomers, its protect yourself from fraud and report fraud pages, and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. To check a representative, see authorised representatives.