Australian Travellers Hit by Canadian Working Holiday Visa Scams

Dean Van Es, the Founder and CEO of Australian travel insurance company Fast Cover, is urging Aussies heading to Canada for the snow season to beware of a new round of online scams.

The latest scams include websites and phishing emails that coax travellers into paying exorbitant application fees for fake visas and guaranteed entry into Canada.

“No one can guarantee entry into a country and travellers should be especially wary of any websites or agents that claim to do so,” says Mr Van Es.

The scam websites often have application forms designed to capture passport details and other personal information such as employment history and credit card details.

“Not only are travellers being scammed into paying for fake visas, but they’re handing over sensitive information and risking identity theft or fraud as well,” Mr Van Es says.

Canada is an especially popular working holiday destination for young Australians, and many have taken to travel forums like TripAdvisor to share their experiences and warn others.

Most travellers complain of losing a few hundred dollars to these scams, but some victims have reportedly made it as far as the airport immigration counter before being informed their working permits are invalid.

For the full media release please visit the Fast Cover Media Centre.