E-Mail and Internet Scams

Don’t be the victim of a scam. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. The results of these scams can include:

• identity theft
• fraud
• theft from your bank account or credit card
• computer viruses

Remember:

• No one can guarantee you a job or a visa to Canada.
• Only authorized officers at Canadian embassies, high commissions and consulates can decide whether or not to issue a visa.
• Processing fees are the same at all Canadian visa offices around the world. Fees in local currency are based on official exchange rates and correspond to the amount in Canadian dollars.
• Fees for Canadian government services are usually paid to the “Receiver General of Canada,” unless the visa office website specifies something different.
• Canadian visa offices will never:
  • ask you to deposit money into an individual’s personal bank account
  • ask you to transfer money through a specific private money transfer company
  • use free e-mail services such as Hotmail or Yahoo
• You will find free application forms and guides for all types of visas on CIC’s website.
• Be careful if the salary of the job you’re applying for seems unbelievably high.

Fake websites and other Internet scams

It is easy for criminals to copy a real website or build one that looks professional. Websites may claim to be official Government of Canada sites or affiliated with the Government of Canada. Others may claim to offer special immigration deals or guaranteed high-paying jobs to trick people into paying them money. Some of these sites may try to get you to provide private information that could be used to steal your identity.

Some things to watch for:

• CIC’s website address is www.cic.gc.ca. Remember, if even one character is different, that means it’s a different website. All Government of Canada websites end in “.gc.ca” (for example, www.canadainternational.gc.ca).
• If the website claims to be for an immigration organization offering special deals to potential immigrants, be careful. Do not pay for offers of guaranteed entry into Canada or faster processing of your application. These claims are false.
• Check the address in your browser’s address bar after you arrive at a website to make sure it matches the address you typed.

Other ways to protect yourself:

• Never enter private information unless there is a padlock in the browser window or ”https://” at the beginning of the Web address to show it is secure.
  
  Examples:
   
• If you’re suspicious about a website, do a Web search to see if anyone has reported any problems with that site.
• Make sure your browser is up to date. Browser filters can help detect fake websites.
• Be wary of websites advertised in unsolicited e-mails from strangers.
• Don’t give out personal information unless you’re sure you know who you’re dealing with.
• If in doubt, contact the website owner directly by telephone or e-mail before doing anything.
• Find out more about who can legally represent you if you choose to hire an immigration representative.

E-mail scams

You may get an e-mail that appears to be from a legitimate company, asking for private information such as your date of birth, passwords or credit card information. Sometimes you will be asked to do this by visiting a fake website like the ones mentioned above.

Some people have received e-mails that appear to be from CIC and that offer special immigration deals in exchange for personal information. CIC will never send you an e-mail asking for private information.

If you get this kind of e-mail, do not click on any links or provide any information about yourself. If you have any doubts, contact the local Canadian embassy, consulate or high commission directly.

Some things to watch for:

• The sender’s e-mail address doesn’t match the real website address. CIC’s website address is www.cic.gc.ca. All Government of Canada websites end in “.gc.ca” (for example, www.canadainternational.gc.ca).
• The website claims to be for an immigration organization offering special deals to potential immigrants. Do not pay for offers of guaranteed entry to Canada or faster processing of your application. These claims are false.
• The address in your browser’s address bar after you arrive at a website is not the address you typed. Make sure it matches.
• The e-mail is sent from a completely different address or a free Web mail address (e.g., Yahoo mail, Hotmail, gmail, etc.).
• The e-mail uses a generic greeting like “dear customer” instead of your real name.
• The sender requests personal information like your date of birth, password or bank details.
• The e-mail is unexpected.
• The message is an image instead of text.

Note: CIC does not send visas by e-mail.