How Can You Tell if an Immigration Agency is Real or Fake

Lately, two major developments have given online immigration scammers incentive to pursue potential Canadian immigrants as targets for their immigration scams. Knowing how to tell if an immigration agency’s web page is real or fake will save you time, money and embarrassment. The first is the rise in interest in getting a Canadian visa. The result of this is scammers setting up copycat websites; sometimes they will steal entire web page designs, other times they will cherry-pick vital parts of a website to lend their site false legitimacy, such as stealing the credentials of legitimate company’s Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants. The second is because many countries are on lockdown, a rise in online activity is inevitable. People are visiting more sites, services are being moved online and while the jump will prove beneficial in the long run, there are inevitably going to be scammers taking advantage of it in its infant stages.

How to Spot if a Canadian Visa Company is a Scam or Real

First Things First!

Make sure the web page is secure. This is very easy to check, look for a small lock icon in the top left corner of the web address bar, usually next to the web address itself.   The code on secure websites is encrypted; this means sensitive information, such as your payment details, cannot be traced. Obtaining a secure status (SSL certificate) requires a lot of work and verification from a company, which is why scammers skip this step. For one they wouldn’t get an SSL certificate, and secondly, it requires spending time and money, which is something they want to steal not give.

https not http

This is the same principle as the above warning sign, cybercriminals will put ‘http’ in front of their web pages to make them appear legit, don’t be duped. The https is further proof that the website has an SSL certificate which protects users private information from scammers.

Privacy Policy

Another small check whether a website is fake or real is to look out for a privacy policy. It is usually at the bottom of the home page. The web page’s privacy policy lets you know how your data is collected, used, and the measures in place to protect that data. Canada has strict data privacy laws, so if a website doesn’t have one, you know you aren’t on a legitimate immigration company’s web page.

Contact Information

Contact information such as a telephone number or email address being freely available on a web page is usually a good sign of reliability. In the immigration world that is not always the case. Immigration scammers will use Whatsapp or generic email addresses to build trust and extract information and money from people.

• Beware of an ‘immigration expert’ that asks you for payments via Whatsapp, professional consultants would never do that.
• Look out for unsolicited emails, especially those from generic free to use platforms such as gmail.com or hotmail.com

Outrageous Offers

Is the immigration consultancy offering you the whole package? A visa and a job waiting for you in Canada for an unbelievable price? It is unbelievable because you shouldn’t believe it, it’s an IMMIGRATION SCAM. Only legitimate recruiters can offer people a job, and the immigration process is not a cheap one, it is difficult and takes a significant amount of time. Never click on pop-ups with amazing offers. Always trust google search when it warns you a website may have malicious content or spam. Most importantly, use a legitimate company that does not make false promises, has a lot of positive reviews and is verifiable. If you are going to immigrate to Canada, do it the right way, there are no shortcuts.

Why Using a Professional Immigration Service to Apply for Your Canadian Visa is So Important

Navigating the Canadian immigration system can be complicated, especially when you have to deal with the added stress of worrying about whether the Canadian visa agency you are dealing with is real or fake. We not only suggest but actively encourage all our clients to check our legitimacy with the Canadian government but also to ensure that they are 100% comfortable with our services and what we offer before you allow us to take that first step with you on your Canadian journey. With the copious amount of forms and documents needed to complete your Canadian visa application and strict submission dates to adhere to, we wouldn’t blame you if you felt nervous about starting the process. But that's what we’re here for. At MDC, we take the stress and hassle out of planning to relocate abroad. Our accredited RCICs (Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants) are ready to evaluate your eligibility, review all documentation and submit all documentation on your behalf. Using an RCIC not only gives you the best possible chance of receiving an ITA but will make the entire process simple and stress-free. We handle the paperwork while you choose your dream job in Canada. All you have to do is complete our online form and we’ll take care of the rest. It's just that simple. The Canadian Anti-Fraud immigration department is constantly cracking down on these cases. If you suspect that you have been a victim of Canadian visa fraud, you can make an official report to the Canadian government online or telephonicall