Investigations Immigration Fraud Awareness

Red Knights Defending Integrity: Confronting Misinformation, Debunking Disinformation, Fraud, and Unethical Practices in Immigration Services.

TrustVisory Team
  • 13 minutes read

SummaryThis article advocates for respect, equity, and collaboration in immigration practices, urging a shift from divisive rhetoric toward addressing real issues like fraud and unethical activities. It critiques organizations and media for unfairly targeting Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs), calling for greater professionalism, accountability, and fact-based discourse. Highlighting an investigation into fraudulent LMIA advertisements, the article details the reclamation of the domain pacific-immigration.ca by Trustvisory Ltd. to prevent further scams, educate the public, and support authorities in combating fraud. It It emphasizes unity, ethical practices, and collective action to build a fair and inclusive immigration ecosystem. This article is published as part of the "Red Knights" series, which focuses on advocacy, fraud prevention, and investigative reporting.

Content-list

Analysis

This investigation was carried out based on claims in the CILA and Toronto star article.

2. Investigation

Findings from Our Investigation: Sequence of Events

With all the information mentioned in the article, we began an independent search for instances of fraudulent LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment) advertisements on platforms like Kijiji. We conducted this investigation using analytical means, as we believed the claims warranted deeper scrutiny. Undeniably fraudulent activities need to be addressed, but rigorous investigation is necessary to separate fact from conjecture. Here's the sequence of events from our investigation:

1. Initial Search on Kijiji

We started the search on Kijiji using the keyword LMIA. We found 88 advertisements. These advertisements were triggered as they used keywords such as “Help with LMIA,” “LMIA provided if needed,” "I need an LMIA," “If need LMIA will provided,” and “LMIA available,” in thier adverts. We analyzed these ads by category and identified several patterns:

Sector-wise Breakdown:

  • Transport and Related Sectors: 46 ads
    • Trucking companies, tow truck drivers, truck mechanics, and long-haul drivers were included.
    • Notable findings:
      • Trucking Company 01: 5 ads
      • Trucking Company 03: 8 ads
      • ........................................................
      • Trucking Company 14: 1 ad
      • Trucking Individual & Long-Haul Truck Driver: 13 ads
  • Restaurant and Food Sector: 8 ads
    • Positions include restaurant manager, kitchen helper, barista, and food service supervisor.
    • Some ads explicitly mentioned LMIA support, while others were vague. Note: LMIA support does not mean they are selling LMIAs, many employers struggle to find resources and they use this terminology to attract Foreign Workers inside Canada.
  • Miscellaneous Jobs: 5 ads
    • Examples included a retail sales supervisor, general laborers, and framers for construction companies.
  • Immigration Companies: 29 ads
    • 2303900 Alberta Inc. (Pacific Immigration)- 22 ads
    • Email [email protected] was flagged for being visually deceptive.- 1 ad
    • Licensed Immigration Professional 01- 1 Ad
    • Licensed Immigration Professional 02- 3 Ads
    • Licensed Immigration Professional 03- 2 Ads

Policy

We maintain a Zero Tolerance Policy for fraudulent or unethical activities and have launched the Zero Trust Index initiative. If Licensed individuals 01 to 03 are also found engaging in such misconduct, their profiles will be flagged and listed in the Zero Trust Index List of Licensed Professionals. Recognizing that time is of the essence, this initiative ensures public protection even before a formal complaint is lodged with regulatory bodies. It enables us toto monitor licensed professionals—consultants or lawyers passively to safeguard the public interest.

Who grants us this authority? It stemsfrom our role as regulated professionals and the most important stakeholders in any true democracy: "ordinary citizens". In a democracy, citizens hold more power than any public servant, association, or other body.

Fact Check
While the volume of ads is concerning, the platform's misuse reflects a broader issue that requires action from Kijiji and other hosting platforms. If these activities are known to media outlets or professional associations, they should be reported to the appropriate regulatory bodies, local authorities, and the platform rather than remaining passive. If they cannot take action, why sit back and demonize an entire profession and its hardworking professionals?

Kijiji Ads Screenshots
3 images
Placeholder Image 1
Placeholder Image 1
Placeholder Image 1
×
Large View
>

2. Transition to an “Actual Search”

Recognizing the limitations of a cursory search, we escalated to a more thorough investigation:

  • Cross-referencing CICC Database:
    • We searched for licensed immigration consultants using CICC’s open database.
    • No matches were found for names and emails such as Pacific Immigration 
  • Filtering “Pacific Immigration” Matches:
    • The name yielded 21 results in CICC’s database. By negating locations, phone numbers, and websites, we confirmed no exact matches related to Edmonton-based entities of that name.

3. Investigation into “Pacific Immigration”

From Kijiji Advertisements, here is the initial information that we gathered.

Contact Information:

Name: Unkown

3. Domain Analysis of "pacific-immigration.ca"

We purchased a historical report on domain ownership and usage. Our goal was to identify digital footprints to to verify the facts further.

Domain Analysis: Historical data revealed the domain pacific-immigration.ca was last active on December 16, 2023. The domain appeared to have been used exclusively for email communications without an active website, suggesting a proxy or parallel agency setup.

Domain History Report Screenshots
2 images
Placeholder Image 1
Placeholder Image 1
×
Large View
>

4. Social Media Discovery

We did a basic Google Search the data we had.

We found two Facebook pages associated with Pacific Immigration Services:

  • Page 1: 70+ followers.
  • Page 2: 1.5K followers.

Both pages labeled their operators as "lawyers," though no verifiable credentials were provided. Despite this, they also actively used the "ICCRC Certified" logo to appear credible.

Fact Check
Does the category on the Facebook page mean anything? The answer is "No". The category on a Facebook page does not hold any significance. It does not justify assigning a new label, such as "fake lawyers" or "people calling themselves as lawyers". On Facebook, "Immigration Lawyer" is the only category available related to immigration, but this category is meaningless and does not imply whether someone is genuine or fake.

Facebook Page Screenshots
2 images
Placeholder Image 1
Placeholder Image 1
×
Large View
>

Keywords Uncovered:

  • New terms such as "Pacific Relocation" and "Pacific Relocation Services"  emerged on Pacific Immigration Pages, and specific names of individuals emerged during this search.

Facebook Inner Pages Screenshots
12 images
Placeholder Image 1
Placeholder Image 1
Placeholder Image 1
Placeholder Image 1
Placeholder Image 1
Placeholder Image 1
Placeholder Image 1
Placeholder Image 1
Placeholder Image 1
Placeholder Image 1
Placeholder Image 1
Placeholder Image 1
×
Large View
>

5. Cross-Referencing New Leads

We identified names and contact details associated with the fraudulent entity:

  • Nitin Patil aka Nitin Patel: +1-780-993-9399 / +91-9307308843. - 12 times
  • Aman: 780-2XX-XXX.
  • Manvir: 780-6XX-XXX.
  • Sana: 587-5XX-XXXX.

Upon further investigation:

  • No matches for Nitin Patil or Nitin Patel were found in the CICC database.
  • Comparing logos from Nitin Patil’s LinkedIn profile and Facebook pages confirmed they were identical, indicating the same entity was behind these fraudulent operations.
  • From archives, we found them to be operating way before 2024, around 2018-2019.
  • They run operations in multiple countries.

3 images
Placeholder Image 1
Placeholder Image 1
Placeholder Image 1
×
Large View
>

6. Corroborating Evidence

Placeholder Image 1
News of Scam Done by Nitin Patil or Nitin Patel of Pacific Immigration Services, aka Pacific Relocation Services
1 image(s)
×
Large View
>

Additional evidence reinforced the fraudulent nature of these activities:

  • A news article from Gujarat Samachar reported a couple duped of ₹35 lakhs (~CAD 57,000) by "Pacific Relocation Services." This matched the details of Nitin Patil and the related scams.
  • Another news article from Gujarat Samachar reported a woman duped of ₹8 lakhs (~CAD 13,000) by "Pacific Relocation Services." This matched the details of Nitin Patil and the related scams. It even mentions document-related scams.
  • Consistent phone numbers, email addresses, and logos across platforms established a clear link to the fraudulent entity.

7. Locations

We also found out about their other office locations. 

Other Office Locations
2 images
Placeholder Image 1
Placeholder Image 1
×
Large View
>

3. Public Safety

Transforming a Domain Used to Commit Fraud into a Public Safeguard: Turning Tides-The Trustvisory Approach

1. Acquisition of the Domain and its Takeover by Trustvisory Team

After confirming that the domain pacific-immigration.ca was inactive, we recognized it as a critical asset previously exploited for fraudulent activities. To mitigate further misuse:

  • The domain was purchased under Trustvisory Ltd., a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting public interests in immigration services, on December 3, 2024.
  • This swift action ensured that scammers could no longer use the domain to deceive unsuspecting individuals, effectively cutting off a key tool in fraudulent operations.

Fact Check
Why do fraudsters and scammers abandon domains?Fraudsters and scammers often abandon domains to evade detection and maintain anonymity. This strategy helps them avoid leaving a traceable digital footprint, as domains can expose their operations to investigations. A live domain can easily reveal critical information such as servers, IP addresses, location details, payment information, and other data that can be traced back to them through payment processors, ISPs, and hosting providers. These tactics are designed to minimize risk while maximizing impact. Such deception strategies are not new, this is not the first domain we have taken over. Alternatively, they may become too complacent, believing that nothing can happen to them as they operate beyond reach. We also have statistical data that shows Facebook and Instagram are the most misused social media platforms. The next are messaging systems like WhatsApp and Telegram. In China, they use different platforms.

Domain Purchase
1 images
Placeholder Image 1
×
Large View
>

2. Autoresponder Implementation

To address ongoing fraudulent communication, we implemented the following measures:

  • An email service was established on the domain to intercept all incoming communications.
  • A comprehensive autoresponder was set up to:
    • Notify senders about the domain’s history of fraudulent use.
    • Redirect them to legitimate resources verifying licensed immigration consultants. Ask victims or people who have more information to come forward.
  • We have implemented "Catch All Email System". Any kind of Email id like [email protected], [email protected] etc. will be caught.

This proactive measure ensures that potential victims are informed and provided with tools to verify authenticity, preventing further exploitation by unauthorized practitioners and scammers.

Placeholder Image 1
Email Autoresponder Message
1 image(s)
×
Large View
>

3. Hosting an Educational Message

We hosted a Domain Takeover Notice on the domain's homepage to safeguard the public. This notice serves as an educational resource and includes the following:

Message Hosted on the Domain:

Domain Ceased Notice

The domain you attempted to access has been deactivated and is no longer operational. This domain was associated with activities in violation of applicable laws and regulations. It was used to commit fraudulent activities, misleading the public and and potentially compromised user trust and security.

Are You a Victim of Fraud?

If you believe you have been affected by any activities associated with this domain, we encourage you to contact your local consumer protection authority or law enforcement authorities for assistance. For more information on protecting yourself from online fraud, please refer to official guidelines provided by your government’s consumer protection services.

How to Report Fraud:

If you are unable to resolve the issue independently, we encourage you to contact us and provide as many details and any evidence as possible. We will add this information to our fraud alert system to help prevent similar incidents in the future. You can send your information to [email protected]. We will do our best to assist you.

Who We Are:

Licensed immigration professionals for public and licensed immigration professionals have established 12876680 Canada Association O/A Trustvisory Ltd. United in our mission to protect consumers, safeguard our profession, and uphold the integrity of the immigration system, we stand as a pillar of trust and accountability.

Our commitment ensures that every individual seeking immigration services receives accurate, ethical guidance from qualified professionals. As a not-for-profit organization, Trustvisory Ltd. is dedicated to addressing the growing issue of unauthorized professionals (UAPs) and unauthorized corporate entities (UACEs) offering immigration services without proper credentials.

Domain Notification Messages
3 images
Placeholder Image 1
Placeholder Image 1
Placeholder Image 1
×
Large View
>

4. Continuous Monitoring and Lead Gathering

To maintain the domain as an active resource for public protection, we implemented daily monitoring to:

  • Capture incoming emails and messages, often including valuable details about fraudulent schemes and operations.
  • Analyze patterns in fraudulent activities to identify additional connections and new scams.

This ongoing monitoring transforms the domain into a hub for intelligence gathering, which can be shared with regulatory bodies for enforcement actions.

Placeholder Image 1
Messages being received from Kijiji Ads
1 image(s)
×
Large View
>

4. Impact

From Data to Action: Tackling Fraud with Impactful Reach and Statistics

1. Real Statistics

Our efforts have reclaimed the fraudulent domain and significantly turned it into a tool to safeguard public interests. Here’s how the numbers highlight our impact:

  • One-Fourth of Total Ads on Kijiji: Among the Immigration companies posted ads identified on Kijiji, 22 out of 29 (75%) originated from this single domain, demonstrating its pivotal role. By taking control of the domain, we neutralized a substantial portion of fraudulent activity.
  • Absolute Majority: With 75% of related ads tied to this domain defunct, our actions target the issue's core, marking a critical intervention in the fight against unauthorized practitioners. Out of 88 ads with LMIA as a keyword, 22 are neutralized that is 25% of the total.

Placeholder Image 1
Stats
1 image(s)
×
Large View
>

2. Wider Reach and Influence

  • The scammers used this domain not only on Kijiji but across social media platforms and various online channels. Its pervasive misuse underscores the importance of our intervention.
  • Google already indexed the domain, amplifying its reach and making it a key point of contact for potential victims. Instead of misleading information, it serves as a hub of accurate guidance and public protection.

3. Impactful Transformation

The reclaimed domain is actively relaying its Domain Ceased Notice message across platforms where it was previously used for fraudulent purposes. By leveraging its indexed status, the domain ensures its visibility directs individuals towards legitimate resources, further safeguarding the public and reinforcing trust.

This transformation demonstrates how reclaiming and repurposing key assets can significantly disrupt fraudulent operations and provide accurate information to those most at risk.

4. How Our Actions Protect the Public

a) Prevention of Future Fraud:

  • By acquiring the domain, we closed a critical avenue used by scammers to mislead the public.
  • Any attempts to use the domain for fraudulent purposes are intercepted and neutralized.

b) Public Awareness and Education:

  • The hosted Domain Ceased Notice ensures that anyone visiting the site is made aware of its past misuse and learns how to verify consultants’ credentials properly.
  • The educational content enhances public understanding of online fraud and how to avoid it.

c) Collaboration with Authorities:

  • Information gathered through the domain’s email and alert systems will be shared with regulatory bodies like the CICC, CBSA, and law enforcement, enabling them to take action against broader fraud patterns.

d) Empowering Victims:

  • Victims contacting the domain are directed to legitimate resources for protection and resolution, helping them seek redress and avoid further scams.

e) Transparency and Accountability:

  • We demonstrate our commitment to transparency and public trust by hosting a clear and informative notice.
  • Visitors are reassured that the domain is now responsible for safeguarding their interests.

Conclusion

We advocate for a united, evidence-based approach to tackling fraud and unethical practices in the immigration sector. The Article underscores the importance of professionalism, respect for all professions, and collaborative efforts to address systemic issues. By repurposing a fraudulent domain, Trustvisory Ltd. demonstrates a proactive, impactful model of public protection and accountability. The message is clear: fair immigration practices require partnership, not division, and a focus on addressing the root causes of fraud while safeguarding ethical practitioners and the public.

Supported By

X
Trust Visory Cookie Policy

At Trust Visory, we employ cookies on our website to enhance the site, providing the best service and customer experience possible

Category

Necessary (Always active)

These cookies enable essential site features like secure log-in and consent preference adjustments, without storing any personally identifiable data

Functional

This category aids in specific functions such as sharing website content on social media platforms, receiving feedback, and incorporating third-party features

Analytics

Analytical cookies are utilized to comprehend visitor interactions on the website, offering insights into metrics like visitor numbers, bounce rates, and traffic sources

Performance

These cookies help in understanding and analyzing important performance indicators of the website to enhance the user experience

Advertisement

Tailored advertisements are provided to visitors based on previously visited pages, while also evaluating the effectiveness of ad campaigns