Canada Warns Immigrants: 7 Things IRCC Officers Will Never Ask You to Do

OTTAWA — Canada has issued a scam warning to newcomers and immigrants, urging them to be alert to fraudsters who impersonate immigration officials to obtain money or personal information.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said newcomers should know how to spot fake calls, emails and messages, particularly those that threaten deportation or demand immediate payment.

The government has identified seven requests that genuine IRCC employees will never make:

1. They will not ask you to deposit money into a personal account

An IRCC employee will never ask an immigrant to pay immigration fees by depositing money into a personal bank account.

Anyone claiming to represent the Canadian government and providing a personal account for payment should be treated with suspicion.

2. They will not pressure you to pay immediately

Immigration officials will not force applicants to make an urgent payment.

Scammers may claim that an application will be rejected or immigration status will be affected unless money is sent immediately. IRCC advises newcomers to independently verify such claims through official government channels.

3. They will not request payment through gift cards or money-transfer services

IRCC will never ask immigrants to pay government processing fees with prepaid or gift cards, Western Union, MoneyGram or similar services.

Applicants should use the official payment methods provided by IRCC.

4. They will not threaten you with arrest or deportation for unpaid fees

One common scam involves fraudsters pretending to be immigration officials and threatening victims with arrest, deportation or police intervention if they fail to make an immediate payment.

IRCC says its employees will not threaten to arrest or deport someone, send police to arrest them or threaten to harm their family over unpaid fees.

According to the government, threats of deportation over outstanding fees are a scam.

5. They will not offer special immigration deals

Newcomers should be wary of anyone claiming to work for Canadian immigration and offering a special deal.

Immigration officials will never offer special arrangements or guarantee a favourable outcome.

The Canadian government also stresses that no individual can guarantee a job, visa or permanent residence in Canada.

6. They will not demand extra money for special treatment

IRCC employees will not promise approval or faster processing simply because an applicant pays additional money or supplies extra information.

Requests for extra payment in exchange for guaranteed approval or faster processing should immediately raise suspicion.

7. They will not contact you about immigration through free email or social media

IRCC employees will not use Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo Mail or social media platforms to contact people about immigration matters.

The government also cautions that scammers can manipulate caller ID, so a number displayed on a phone may appear to belong to a government agency even when it does not.

Unexpected calls and messages should therefore be verified through official Canadian government channels.

Other scams targeting newcomers

Canada said immigrants and newcomers should also watch out for phishing emails and text messages, fake computer virus warnings, fraudulent prize and contest notifications, and tax scams.

Phishing messages can contain links to fraudulent websites designed to steal banking details, passwords and other personal information.

The government advises newcomers not to click on suspicious links or provide personal information when they cannot confirm who sent a message.

People should also be suspicious of claims that they have won a prize in a competition they never entered.

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