The High Commission of Canada in Pakistan has issued an urgent public advisory after scammers exploited its name and Google Maps location to deceive visa applicants. According to the mission, fraudsters added a fake WhatsApp number to the High Commission’s Google Maps PIN and have been demanding payments ranging from €250 to €450 in exchange for visa appointment slots.
In an official statement shared on X (formerly Twitter), the Canadian High Commission clarified that it does not use WhatsApp for booking appointments and has no official WhatsApp contact number. The mission further identified the individual allegedly behind the scheme as Rana Usman Khalid, who is accused of tricking applicants through the fraudulent listing.
The High Commission emphasized that visa appointments are completely free, and applicants should rely solely on the official email addresses and verified phone numbers available on travel.gc.ca for any immigration or visa-related queries.
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Although the mission did not explicitly state whether legal action is currently underway, it is believed that a formal complaint has likely been lodged with the authorities to investigate and prosecute the perpetrator.
