Scam Alert: Beware of Canadian Visa Fraud!

Thousands of people move to Canada each year, and this has created an opportunity in the market for immigration companies who provide assistance to people looking to move to Canada. This has also resulted in an increase of fraudulent immigration companies, who prey on the desperation of applicants to scam them out of thousands of dollars, never to be heard of again. At Canadian Visa Review, we have made it our mission to weed out these fraudulent companies by taking a very close look at their online presence, who their representatives are and if they are legally able to handle your immigration needs. This process has been helpful in compiling some tips on separating the real from the fake. Have a look at our top 5 below.

1. Signs on Social Media

One of the easiest ways to uncover signs of a fraudulent company is to have a proper look at their social media. The signs lie in negative comments from people who have dealt with the company before, who claim that they were scammed out of money. Although the possibility exists that these comments could be false, multiple statements of the same kind usually signal some sort of problem. In addition, Facebook has a function where you can see the date a page was established. If the page is only 6 months old but has hundreds of thousands of followers, this usually indicates that these followers were bought and that you should tread carefully. The same can be said for companies who have turned their reviews section off on their Facebook page, as this hints towards the fact that they could have something to hide.

2. Proof of Regulation

Any reputable company needs to have consultants who are registered RCIC’s. Many fraudulent companies claim to be regulated, but make no mention of a registration number, which is a smart way of cheating the system and appearing to be a legitimate company. If you are unsure whether the person or company you are dealing with is indeed ICCRC regulated, you can head to their website and do a search of the representative or the company to verify this.

3. Poor Website

Chances are that if the website of the company you’re dealing with looks shady, they probably are too. Look out for poorly written content, broken links, and outdated or incorrect information. A poor website is usually lacking in essential online documents, like a privacy policy as well as terms and conditions.

4. Pinky Promises

If something sounds too good to be true, it most likely is. This is particularly true in the world of immigration. The company only has so much control regarding your visa application. Beware of companies that guarantee you a visa, as this is an impossible promise to make. The outcome of your visa application lies in the hands of the Canadian immigration authorities alone.

5. Pressure to Provide Your Bank Details

One of the biggest signs of a fraudulent company is one who puts pressure on you to provide your credit card details over the phone. This usually indicates some sort of credit card fraud, as a reputable company would never do this. Fraudulent companies are becoming increasingly talented at appearing to be legitimate, so it is difficult to differentiate between the two. To assist you with a smooth visa application process assisted by a credible and regulated company, we have compiled a list of ten of the most trusted immigration companies in the world here.