Videos making false claims about Canada's immigration policies are popping up on TikTok and Instagram in an attempt to scam travellers coming to FIFA World Cup matches this summer, according to immigration and anti-fraud experts.
Analysis from the CBC's visual investigations team revealed that the social media accounts connected to these posts are based in multiple countries, including India, Pakistan and Canada. CBC News has independently translated videos in Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi and found several making inaccurate claims about entering the country for the international soccer tournament.
One video displays screenshots from the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website, a graphic of a Canadian passport and a waving Canadian flag with a big green check mark next to it.
In the background, a woman speaking in Hindi makes a common claim observed by CBC News: that people coming to Canada on visitor visas for the World Cup can also work and stay for the long term.
"For those who have been wanting to settle in Canada for a very long time ... it's a golden opportunity," she said.
"In most of these cases, these are scams," Calgary-based immigration consultant Mandeep Lidher said. "They are preying on vulnerable people who lack the knowledge or who don't go online and check the official requirements."
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