IRCC and the collection of fines/fees

With phone scams on the rise, it is important to note that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) don't call anyone or contact them either online or in-person to collect fees or fines. IRCC notes that scammers will “often give a fake name and agent number to appear legitimate" but urges that these types of calls are always a scam.

IRCC’s official scam/fraud identification resources

IRCC also offers official government resources (FAQs and tip sheets) to help immigrants and those looking to immigrate to Canada identify and avoid immigration-related fraud and scams.

A CIC report stated, there are extensive online resources provide by the IRCC to help people get information on a particular type of fraud/scam or looking to understand what to do if they fall victim to a scam/fraud

Verifying the legitimacy of Canadian immigration service providers

When coming to a new country, immigrants often need help from other people, especially immigration lawyers, representatives or consultants. 

To ensure that you do not fall prey to scams,  you can take the help of the official Canadian registries and directories to verify the legitimacy of individuals who claim they are authorized to represent immigrants/provide immigration advice. 

For instance, all Canadian citizenship and immigration consultants must be a member of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants. Likewise, Canadian immigration lawyers and notaries must be registered with a Canadian provincial or territorial law society and Ontario-based paralegals are required to become members of the Law Society of Ontario.

IRCC notes that most provincial and territorial law societies provide online tools to verify if a particular individual registers as a member in good standing, and an individual’s “standing" is a worthwhile indicator of whether immigrants should use the services of that immigration lawyer.