Canada is one of the best nations in the world, it is known to be the second most peaceful country on earth after New Zealand. The country provides great education and is presently ranked number 1 in the world as the most educated country, additionally, the country provides great job opportunities both for unskilled and skilled workers.
All these listed above have made Canada a major destination for foreigners, a lot of people wants to come and settle with their family in this beautiful country and this alone has created a target for online manipulation. Numerous people have been scammed, they were promised a secure visa for themselves and their family and they ended up losing their money.
They are many fake immigration websites, agents and pages that look legit and official. They promise a lot and feature lots of fake testimonies on their sites and pages. This is more reason why everyone has to be very vigilant, smart and be able to decide if the person you called an agent is real or fake.
In this article we will explain how to tell if your Canadian immigration agent can be trusted, keep reading.
How to Spot a Fake Canadian Immigration Agent
1. Does he or she have a registered number with the ICCRC
Note that all Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) or certified immigration lawyers should have a registered number with the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC) and also must be on good terms with them.
So, anyone who contacts you saying that they are a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) should be willing to tell you their registration number. If they refuse to share the number with you, know that they are not who they say they are. Ensure that you check the number on the IRCC website list and if does not correspond, just know that they are fake or they are not registered.
2. Making unrealistic and too many promises
Majorities of these fake consultants make unrealistic promises, they give you hope and tell you all you want to hear in other to collect your money.
For instance, if an agent tells you that they can grant you a Canadian work permit under two weeks then that already demonstrates that they are fake. One of the things they usually demand is just your passport number and their fee. Note that your passport number alone cannot grant you a work permit. Below are some of their unrealistic promises:
- Guarantee you that your application will be successful
- Promise you a Canadian passport
- Promise you permanent residence in Canada
Most of these promises do come with testimonies that will solidify the lies, give you false hope and make you want to pay them properly.
3. Fake consultants will use legitimate immigration agencies to look reputable
Fake consultants will always claim that they work with companies that have authorized visa consultants. They even pose with the names and information of registered immigration consultants to look more real and legit. Ensure you research properly and check with the ICCRC that the name and information match. With scammers consultant’s websites or pages, you’ll find that they don’t.
They are multiple websites that pretend to be the real immigration consultant’s websites, they create almost similar websites almost with the same web name and display fake testimonies.
4. Ask you to alter your documents
If the immigration agents ask you to doctor your documents making it look false or produce fake document and promise you that it will grant your Canadian visa or Canada permanent residency, then it already a sign that they are fake. This act alone is illegal and can land you in serious trouble. A real visa consultant won’t ask you to do such.
5. Paying in cash
If an agent asks you to make payment in cash, then this should be a sign that they are fake. Paying in cash simply shows that they are no proof of business between you two. Payments are only meant to be paid via the following means
- Credit card
- Debit card (a Canadian bank is preferable)
- Bank cheque
This means of payment can work in your favor because they are all very traceable payments method and this means of payments provides you with receipts for any payment made to the agent.
6. Do they have insurance?
Additionally, a legit immigration agent should have insurance, start by checking if they have Error & Omissions Insurance (O&E Insurance) because all licensed immigration agents are meant to have it.
