By Edwin Mercurio
“Cruelty, like every other vice, requires no motive outside itself—It only requires opportunity” George Eliot 1819-80.
When the opportunity to make money by false promises arise, a company hiding under the name of MG immigration consultancy goes full swing by recruiting hapless Filipinos to apply for “express” immigration to Canada. Many of the victims who complained about the lack of progress of their immigration application are then swindled to invest thousands of dollars in buying the same store in line with the promise of faster processing of their immigration papers.
Once the promise to speedy immigration to Canada has been exposed as a scam and the scheme has been uncovered by more complainants, the cruel and agonizing process of asking for a return of their money and investments leave many of the victims stunned in disbelief.
Marissa Odi Gonzales of M.G. Consulting Services located at 1008 Unit # 2W in Toronto scammed many unsuspecting Filipinos “who want to come and stay here in Canada.”
Desperate to sponsor her children, after a long wait of 7 years, one of the victims Ms. Aida Sicat was introduced by a friend to Ms. Gonzales. She was told to come to her office and talk to her lawyer. “There was no lawyer,” said the complainant. Instead Ms. Gonzales called Mr. Jason Escalano Ibanez, who the former introduced as a lawyer. Over the phone, Mr. Escalano instructed the victim what to do.
An initial amount of $1,000.00 was demanded by Ms. Gonzales after the meeting. Three days later, Ms. Sicat had second thoughts about her application and informed the former that she was not satisfied and was backing off. After 5 days, Ms. Gonzales asked the victim for another $500.00 even as the complainant asked her to give back the money paid. The complainant repeatedly asked for a return of her $1,000 CAD to no avail.
In a letter to the Immigration Border Services and a formal Complaint against a non-member (unauthorized consultant) to the Immigration Consultancy of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC) Ms. Aida Sicat, asked for a formal investigation as soon as possible due to the numerous victims of Ms. Gonzale’ Immigration scam. The complainant described the following in her letter: A.) Service as discussed and agreed was not provided. Monies paid have not been returned despite being asked multiple times.
B.) Operating an immigration consulting firm without a license or licensed consultant in violation of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA). C.) Absence of signed retainer agreement in violation of the retainer fee agreement regulation of IRPA. D.) Clients monies were not deposited in a trust account in violation of the client account regulations of IRPA.
Last October 5, a rally in front of Chelsea Store owned by Marissa Odi Gonzales was staged by numerous victims of the scam. The rally caught the attention of Ms. Gilda Guerrero who wrote Balita about her encounter with former.
She wrote this letter to Balita.
“I do not personally know Marissa Odi Gonzales. I was looking for a legal consultant to process papers for my grand daughter. She was recommended by my sister for the reason that she has a Recruitment Agency and she knew her husband. They were classmates. So, for her initial services, we sent $500 CAD last May 11, 2019. We sent the requirement to her the following day, and it was already a month but there was still no update and no receipt was provided. But she was still communicating with us. Last June 17, 2019 she told me she was selling her store”Chelsea” at Pape Avenue. According to her, there was someone who wants to buy it last December for $70,000 CAD but she refused since according to her, the store gains a lot of profit. She offered it to me for $40,000 CAD, so I was curious because I also want to start a business and that I know I can provide the money. I decide to meet her and see the store on that same day. I came with my husband and my niece. Everything was going good so far. I saw the store, we were talking and she was a good talker. While we were talking, according to her, she wants to sell the store for the reason that she is already somewhat neglecting her daughter, and that, the social services will take her daughter if she was not attended properly. She also informed me that there are a lot of buyers interested in the store, and since I am interested as well, I gave her the $1,500 CAD as advanced payment for Chelsea. After I gave her the money, she informed me that there was a basement. When I saw the basement, I was actually disappointedly because there were wires hanging. It was unsafe, and according to her, sometimes the basement floods. Over all for me, there were just a lot of safety issues.
When we went home that day, I was second guessing the decision I did because of the safety concerns I have with the store. I also asked the opinion of my son and he told me that, maybe, it will not be a good investment.
The next day we went to Niagara and soon after we came back she asked if we can give her the remaining money. I was not feeling well that time, I am diabetic and I have high blood pressure also. She kept on insisting that I pay her the money for the store. So I had some suspicions as well. I even sent her the reading for my blood pressure because she was really insistent for me to pay the remaining balance immediately. To think that we still do not even have a contract made me worried.
I talked it over with my son again and we came to the conclusion that we would not take the store. So, on June 20, 2019, I sent Marissa a message that I want to cancel and that I would like to have my money back. She told me that she will give it back, she just needs some time.
I never thought that there would be a problem because first and foremost according to her there is a lot of profit from the store. Secondly, because we came from the same province and she is a Filipino, we believed and thought she will deal with us professionally. But as days passed by she has ignored my text and my calls. I called her multiple times but she never responded even once. And, I found out that she has already blocked me from Facebook.
Until October 3, 2019 not even once did she respond to any of my text or calls. That was almost four (4) months. I tried messaging her sister asking for help to remind Marissa of the money but no one responded to me.
On the following day, October 4, 2019, I came across the page of Tess Cusipag on Facebook and I was shocked and very surprised that there were a lot of people complaining about Marissa Gonzales. I made sure that we were talking about the same person and it was indeed the same one. There were lots of testimonies stated by victims on how Marissa Gonzales took their money. So I need to make my testimony as well. I posted in Facebook my experience from this lady and stated that people should be aware since she is a fraud. She is a scammer. After seeing Tess posted something about the rally last October 5, 2019 in front of the store, I decided to join the protest to put Marissa to justice.”
More victims’ testimonies next issue of Balita***