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The Competition Bureau said Ontario residents John Jesse Breslin and Phoebe Hui Ting Wong ran a scam from 2016 to 2020 through websites that purported to be official government services for getting and renewing passports quickly. Besides Criminal Code charges of fraud and possessing the proceeds of crime, the bureau said police in the Toronto suburb of York Region charged the pair with deceptive marketing. (The Logic)
Talking point: Under the Competition Act, deceptive marketing more typically refers to things like fake testimonials and lies about what a product can do or how long it’ll last, rather than pretending to be the federal government. Interim competition commissioner Jeanne Pratt said in a press statement that the bureau will go after “those who use misleading tactics to take Canadians’ hard-earned money.” A deceptive-marketing conviction doesn’t come with jail time but it can mean very hefty cash penalties—up to $750,000 for a first offence by an individual. None of the bureau’s claims against Breslin or Wong has been proved in court.
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