Watch Out for These Canadian Visa Scams

Over 300,000 people started their new life in Canada last year, which has continued the trend of Canada being one of the most popular places in the world to immigrate to. However, fraudulent companies have used this gap in the market to scam innocent people out of thousands of dollars-without helping them to get any closer to actually moving to Canada. Below, we break down how to spot the indicative traits of a Canadian visa scam, and how to find a company you can trust. 

Red Flags to Look Out For

1.Shady Social Media

If you have a close look at the social media of a company it can give you a good idea of their legitimacy. Things to look out for include 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. Bad Website

It’s probable that if the website of the company you’re dealing with has a website that looks sketchy, they probably are too. Keep an eye out for poorly written content, broken links, and outdated or incorrect information.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. In addition, if it’s not easy to use or navigate with contactable support like an email, phone number or live chat you should probably find a different company.

3. If it Sounds too Good to be True, It Probably is

Always be wary of promises that seem to good to be true. 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.

4. 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.

5.Signs of Desperation

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. 

How to Find a Legitimate Canadian Visa Company

A trustworthy company would contain all components that a fraudulent one would lack. This includes but is not limited to enlisting the help of accredited RCIC’s, having a user-friendly website that contains essential documentation like terms and conditions, making an effort across social media platforms and maintaining a level of transparency through all means of communication.

Where we Come in

At MDC, you can enlist the help of government trusted, experienced and professional RCIC’s (Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants). Our immigration consultants have assisted many people to immigrate to Canada and will try their best to help you to do the same.  Our consultants adopt a personal approach to every case, so you can rest assured that your application is in the right hands.