Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (“IRCC”) have been suggested of one more phone rip-off, this time focusing on worldwide college students dwelling in Canada.
Worldwide college students throughout Canada have reported that individuals claiming to be staff of IRCC have referred to as to threaten them with arrest or deportation if the scholars don’t acquire an immigration lawyer and, in some instances, switch cash to the callers. The caller tells the coed that there’s an immigration or arrest warrant towards them and that the coed could possibly be faraway from Canada if they don’t adjust to the caller’s request. IRCC has reported that some college students have transferred hundreds of {dollars} as a result of they believed that they had been following IRCC’s directions or retaining an immigration lawyer who would make sure that they might not be deported from Canada.
These calls could be scary and it is very important stay calm if you’re contacted by a person claiming to be from IRCC and requesting you to pay cash or rent a specific lawyer to keep away from deportation. Don’t reply to those requests, give the caller any private data, or switch any funds to them.
An IRCC worker, officer or official lawyer or authorized consultant won’t ever make a telephone name of this nature. Additional, no IRCC officer or lawyer would ever request you to switch the cash as a assure to keep away from deportation or the revocation of your examine allow or one other immigration standing.
IRCC has issued an alert on its web site confirming that it by no means contacts people over the telephone, in particular person or on-line asking for charges or fines associated to stopping deportation proceedings or avoiding revocation of immigration standing. IRCC won’t ever ask candidates to deposit cash right into a checking account, ship an electronic mail cash switch or deposit cash by way of a personal cash switch service (e.g. Western Union).
Additionally, should you obtain an electronic mail from a person claiming to be from IRCC, examine the sender’s electronic mail handle. Authorities staff won’t ever contact you from a Gmail, Yahoo mail, Hotmail, or different free electronic mail service account and could have an electronic mail that comprises “@gc.ca” or one other authorities identifier.
Selecting a Authorized Consultant
It is usually essential to know who’s legally approved to offer immigration recommendation and assist you to with an utility. Approved professionals are attorneys or paralegals in good standing with a Canadian regulation society, immigration consultants who’re members in good standing with the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council, or notaries who’re in good standing with the Chambre des notaires du Québec. No different particular person or firm is legally allowed to cost a payment for immigration recommendation.
You possibly can affirm the id of a possible authorized consultant by asking them for his or her skilled registration data and checking with their licensing group over the telephone, or on-line. If they aren’t registered as an expert in one of many official organizations listed above, then they aren’t legally approved to present you recommendation.
If you’re contacted by a person who claims to be an immigration lawyer or guide and so they let you know that you should switch them cash to allow them to hold you in Canada, you must report them to Canada’s Anti-Fraud Centre or the Border Watch Tip Line.
Report Immigration Fraud
For those who suspect that you’ve been contacted by a fraudulent particular person or firm, don’t interact with them or give them any private data. It’s best to instantly report the exercise to IRCC by calling the Border Watch Tip Line (Toll-Free): 1-888-502-9060 or Canada’s Anti-Fraud Centre by calling 1-888-495-8501. All data you present might be saved confidential and will help forestall others from being focused. Legislation enforcement authorities could be pleased to obtain related data in order that they’ll examine and arrest the scammers concerned.