International students in Canada are reporting that they have been targets of a re-emerging telephone scam whereby individuals claiming to be employees of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) are asking them for personal information and/or money or risk deportation.
The call consists of an individual posing as an Immigration Officer who informs the student that unless they go to a specified off-campus location immediately and transfer a sum of money they will be deported or jailed within 24 hours. In more sophisticated versions of this scam, the caller will also pose a representative of the student’s educational institution in order to confirm the information provided by the previous scammer as accurate and impress upon the student the urgency to transfer funds.
The calls appear to be coming from Canadian telephone numbers, but it is believed that they are originating from overseas. IRCC and local, provincial, and federal law enforcement agencies are aware of the scam, and encourage anyone impacted to report this immediately to relevant authorities.
We urge all students who may be contacted to not provide the caller with any personal information of transfer any money to them.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will never contact students in person, online or via telephone to collect fees or fines and say that it is to avoid deportation or jail. Further, Carleton University will never contact students on behalf of IRCC to request immediate transfers of funds.
IRCC is aware of the scam, and encourages individuals to consult with the resources section of their website for information on how to protect yourself from scams or report them.
In addition to these resources, please do not hesitate to reach out the International Student Services Office (ISSO) with any questions or for additional guidance and support.
International Student Services Office (ISSO)
Room 128 University Centre
Telephone: +1 (613) 520-6600
Email: isso@carleton.ca
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm