Warning to refugee and immigrant communities about fraudulent calls

April 26, 2018 – Ottawa – The Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) is reminding people about an ongoing scam targeting members of the immigrant and refugee community.

In recent days, there have been new scams centred mostly on the Greater Toronto and Vancouver areas. Victims have reported receiving telephone calls from persons claiming to be representatives of the IRB and are being told that they are under investigation and owe money. In some instances, these calls are made to appear to be coming from the IRB or the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The scam appears to be the same scam that began in December 2017.

It is important to note that the IRB will never ask its clients for money. The Board is currently working with law enforcement agencies to identify the perpetrators and bring an end to this scam. In the meantime, the Board continues to seek the help of the media and stakeholders in sharing this message to limit the impacts of this fraud.

The IRB takes the privacy of its clients very seriously and has strong safeguards in place to protect individuals’ private information.  If anyone receives a call like this, immediately hang up and contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501. If you believe that you have been a victim of fraud, call your local police as soon as possible.