How to spot fake housing or job ads?

As exciting and challenging as searching for housing or work abroad can be, fake ads masquerading as legitimate offers are a serious obstacle. With demand for affordable housing and stable employment in Canada remaining extremely high, scammers are devising increasingly sophisticated schemes. To avoid disappointment, financial loss, and unwanted legal consequences, it is important to arm yourself with knowledge about the typical signs of fraud and ways to verify offers. Below is a detailed description of methods and practical tips to help you distinguish fake ads from real ones, protect yourself, and defend your rights.

Characteristics of fake ads

Before moving on to specific verification tips, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the typical signs of fake offers. Fraudulent ads have common features, united by the desire to obtain money or personal data from the victim as quickly as possible and without risk to the fraudster.

  • Overly favorable terms Incredibly low rent or wages that significantly exceed market rates. For example, an apartment in downtown Toronto for half the average price or a job in Calgary with pay twice as high as competitors.

  • Absence or vagueness of contact details Official agencies and employers use corporate email addresses, employees' mobile phones with names, links to websites, and LinkedIn profiles. Fraudsters, on the other hand, only provide Gmail, Yahoo, or a chat form.

  • Rushing to pay Insistent requests to pay a deposit or “insurance fee” before viewing the accommodation or interviewing. Any request to pay in advance is a serious red flag.

Checking sources and contacts

  1. Check the author of the ad. Enter the name of the agency or employer along with “reviews,” “scam,” or “fraud” in a search engine. Ukrainian forums and Facebook groups in Canada may contain warnings.

  2. Check photos and descriptions. Use Google Images or TinEye for a reverse image search. If the photos appear in other ads or on foreign websites, they are fake.

  3. Check the documents and contracts.

Reliable employers send offers on company letterhead with a stamp and signature, while landlords send detailed contracts with a Business Number (Canada.ca). If the information is missing or inconsistent, this is a reason to refuse.

Payment transactions: secure and unreliable methods

Secure methods:

  • Escrow services that hold funds until check-in
  • Interac e-Transfer

Unreliable methods:

  • Western Union, MoneyGram, Bitcoin, and other anonymous systems

Any request to transfer cash or cryptocurrency without secure mechanisms is a direct sign of fraud.

Personal meeting and viewing stage

  • For housing: Arrange a viewing on site. Inspect all rooms, furniture, utilities, and security at the entrance. Constant postponement of meetings is a sign of dishonesty.

  • For work:

Conduct interviews in the office or via corporate platforms (Microsoft Teams, Zoom). Anonymous chats or suspicious websites are a reason to stop communication.

What to do if you suspect fraud

  1. Save all messages and screenshots of ads and payments.

  2. Contact the police, specifically the cybercrime unit.

  3. Notify the Competition Bureau and platform administrators (Kijiji, Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace).

  4. Contact Ukrainian organizations in Canada (UCC, communities in Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver).

Conclusions

You can avoid fake ads for housing or work in Canada by:

  • analyzing the terms of the offer
  • checking sources and contact details
  • using reliable payment platforms
  • entering into formal contracts
  • conducting a personal meeting or viewing

If you notice any suspicious signs, contact law enforcement and immigrant communities. Such caution will save you time, money, and nerves, and will also contribute to a safe adaptation in a new country.