http://www.cbc.ca/toronto/story/to_refugee20060206.html

Mexican says she was duped in immigration scam
Last updated Feb 6 2006 11:44 AM EST
CBC News

A woman from Mexico has found herself caught in Toronto without proper documents after she says she lost her life savings in an immigration scam.

Diana Agular arrived in Toronto two weeks ago with her 11-year-old daughter.

Agular says she paid an immigration consultant $4,600 US to expedite her application for landed immigrant status in Canada.

She says the man told her that she would be accepted in Canada on compassionate grounds because she is a single mother.

However, when she arrived, Agular was detained by immigration authorities for not having a work permit.

At that point, she says, she realized she had been a victim of fraud.

Agular was subsequently released from custody, but she and her daughter are now stuck in Canada with no savings and no guarantee that they will be allowed to stay.

Once in Toronto, she says she contacted an associate of her immigration consultant, but was only told that she would have to pay more money.

Her case has been taken up by the FCJ Refugee Centre, which referred it to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

"My interest is, does this uncover an organized group that is systematically taking advantage of vulnerable people," said RCMP Insp. Glen Hanna.

"We will look at this one but it really doesn't assist the person now caught in limbo."