Scammers have been pretending to be Members of Parliament (MPs) on the messaging platform WhatsApp in an effort to deceive people into giving money in exchange for false assurances of access to subsidized housing, according to a parliamentarian. Liberal MP Ryan Turnbull, who serves as the parliamentary secretary to the minister of finance, made a statement about the scam recently. Turnbull mentioned, “We have been informed about two deceptive WhatsApp groups falsely promising housing or benefits and pretending to be members of Parliament.” Screenshots shared by Turnbull with CBC News reveal a WhatsApp account using his name and image that offers housing access under the guise of “Building Canada Home,” likely trying to exploit the name Build Canada Homes, the government’s new agency responsible for federal housing programs.
In response to this fraudulent activity, Turnbull condemned it, calling it misleading and illegal. He emphasized the government’s commitment to increasing housing availability and providing genuine assistance to Canadians, stating that the public does not need to be targeted by unscrupulous individuals seeking to deceive them through scams and impersonation. The fake WhatsApp profile directs users to a now inactive website that also utilized Turnbull’s identity. Additionally, it is associated with WhatsApp groups posing as federal initiatives, such as “Canada Subsidized Housing Legal Handover Group” and “Canada’s Housing Plan.”
Another Liberal MP, Caroline Desrochers, the parliamentary secretary to the minister of housing, was alerted to an account impersonating her as well. Desrochers labeled these activities as financial scams and urged individuals to report them. She encouraged constituents with inquiries or worries to reach out to her office for assistance. Turnbull and Desrochers reported the fraudulent behavior to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. Turnbull also informed that he contacted Meta, the company that owns WhatsApp, and they agreed to eliminate the fake accounts.