My PR Card Withheld by Friend's Acquaintance in Canada

[pksajjads]

Hi,
I'm in a bit of a weird situation right now. I did my soft landing back in June and gave my card's delivery address to a 'person' who is a friend of my friend. A few days later, I returned to my home country. Before returning, I asked the 'person' to courier my card to me once they receive it. In July, the 'person' informed me that they had received my card. Great! So, I asked the 'person' to send it to my address in my home country. But here's the weird part: for the past two months, the 'person' has been making excuses and hasn't sent me the card. Every time I reach out, there's a new excuse. I'm starting to wonder if the 'person' might be up to no good or misusing my card. I'm unsure about my next move. What do I do now?

 

[Naturgrl]

Hi,
I'm in a bit of a weird situation right now. I did my soft landing back in June and gave my card's delivery address to a 'person' who is a friend of my friend. A few days later, I returned to my home country. Before returning, I asked the 'person' to courier my card to me once they receive it. In July, the 'person' informed me that they had received my card. Great! So, I asked the 'person' to send it to my address in my home country. But here's the weird part: for the past two months, the 'person' has been making excuses and hasn't sent me the card. Every time I reach out, there's a new excuse. I'm starting to wonder if the 'person' might be up to no good or misusing my card. I'm unsure about my next move. What do I do now?

So you let someone you didn’t know receive your PR card. Do you know someone who can go to the house and see if they can get it. Report it as lost or stolen but you will have some explaining to do since you sent it to an address in Canada but are not in Canada.

 

[pksajjads]

So you let someone you didn’t know receive your PR card. Do you know someone who can go to the house and see if they can get it. Report it as lost or stolen but you will have some explaining to do since you sent it to an address in Canada but are not in Canada.

That's exactly the problem I trusted a friend's recommendation, which in hindsight was not the wisest move. I do have a few acquaintances in Canada, but asking them to confront the 'person' might be awkward or even escalate things. I understand reporting it as lost or stolen is an option, but as you said, explaining the situation to the could be tricky even though I was asked to give out an address at the time on entry. I'm really concerned about the motive of the ‘person’

 

[Naturgrl]

That's exactly the problem I trusted a friend's recommendation, which in hindsight was not the wisest move. I do have a few acquaintances in Canada, but asking them to confront the 'person' might be awkward or even escalate things. I understand reporting it as lost or stolen is an option, but as you said, explaining the situation to the could be tricky even though I was asked to give out an address at the time on entry. I'm really concerned about the motive of the ‘person’

You are guessing about the motive of the person, and have no proof. This is not on him but you. So you either get someone to go get your card or you report it as lost/stolen. You will then need a PRTD to re-enter Canada.

 

[pksajjads]

You are guessing about the motive of the person, and have no proof. This is not on him but you. So you either get someone to go get your card or you report it as lost/stolen. You will then need a PRTD to re-enter Canada.

Identity theft and identity misuse are real concerns. Since I don’t live in Canada, I’m not sure how these issues manifest there. That’s why I’m concerned about their motive, specifically what the person plans to do with it. Your point is valid 100%. I’ll see if I can retrieve it otherwise I’ll report it as stolen/lost.

 

[Naturgrl]

Identity theft and identity misuse are real concerns. Since I don’t live in Canada, I’m not sure how these issues manifest there. That’s why I’m concerned about their motive, specifically what the person plans to do with it. Your point is valid 100%. I’ll see if I can retrieve it otherwise I’ll report it as stolen/lost.

Of course identity theft are real concerns but you trusted this person to mail you the card. If you didn’t know the person then you should not have trusted this person. The big issue is that you are not in Canada so IRCC will know the card was delivered to the address, and wonder how you lost it. It isn’t stolen.

 

[pksajjads]

Of course identity theft are real concerns but you trusted this person to mail you the card. If you didn’t know the person then you should not have trusted this person. The big issue is that you are not in Canada so IRCC will know the card was delivered to the address, and wonder how you lost it. It isn’t stolen.

You're right. I shouldn't have trusted that person. Regarding your second point, it is considered stolen because the person withheld it, which in itself is a form of theft. However, I'm also unsure about how to explain this to IRCC.

 

[Naturgrl]

You're right. I shouldn't have trusted that person. Regarding your second point, it is considered stolen because the person withheld it, which in itself is a form of theft. However, I'm also unsure about how to explain this to IRCC.

If it is stolen, you must file a police report. Then you have to explain to the police what you have done. You sent your PR card to an address that you didn’t even live at. Your decision whether to file a report against this person. Don’t know if the police will go to his house and or file charges against this person. The issue is that you aren’t in Canada and you are supposed to be at the address to collect the card. You will need a PRTD to return If you report it as lost.

The easiest thing to do right now is see if you can retrieve the card without involving the police or IRCC.

 

[pksajjads]

If it is stolen, you must file a police report. Then you have to explain to the police what you have done. You sent your PR card to an address that you didn’t even live at. Your decision whether to file a report against this person. Don’t know if the police will go to his house and or file charges against this person. The issue is that you aren’t in Canada and you are supposed to be at the address to collect the card. You will need a PRTD to return If you report it as lost.

The easiest thing to do right now is see if you can retrieve the card without involving the police or IRCC.

Thank you for providing valuable info. I am hoping it is easier said and easier done.

 

[armoured]

If it is stolen, you must file a police report. Then you have to explain to the police what you have done. You sent your PR card to an address that you didn’t even live at. Your decision whether to file a report against this person. Don’t know if the police will go to his house and or file charges against this person. The issue is that you aren’t in Canada and you are supposed to be at the address to collect the card. You will need a PRTD to return If you report it as lost.

The easiest thing to do right now is see if you can retrieve the card without involving the police or IRCC.

I'd add: I think the only credible way to even allege to police that this is stolen would be to write a formal letter demanding it be returned, AND provide some means (like prepaid envelope) for that person to return it to you.

[This is because that person came into possession of the card at YOUR request. Yes, they should return it, but without a legal demand to do so, it's all just a form of he said/she said.]

Anyway, you don't want to go there - too complicated and time consuming. Have someone go by and ask for it. Have that person bring something - letter or email - that shows they've been asked to get it (and therefore authorized to receive it). If they won't hand it over, then just report it as lost and apply for PRTD.

 

[pksajjads]

I'd add: I think the only credible way to even allege to police that this is stolen would be to write a formal letter demanding it be returned, AND provide some means (like prepaid envelope) for that person to return it to you.

[This is because that person came into possession of the card at YOUR request. Yes, they should return it, but without a legal demand to do so, it's all just a form of he said/she said.]

Anyway, you don't want to go there - too complicated and time consuming. Have someone go by and ask for it. Have that person bring something - letter or email - that shows they've been asked to get it (and therefore authorized to receive it). If they won't hand it over, then just report it as lost and apply for PRTD.

Alright, it'd be easier to report it as lost. However, thinking out loud, what could one exploit using a PR card? I could be wrong, but I had the impression that it wasn't really useful on its own for setting up anything. That's why I so casually opted to have it delivered to a friend's acquaintance's address.

 

[armoured]

Alright, it'd be easier to report it as lost. However, thinking out loud, what could one exploit using a PR card? I could be wrong, but I had the impression that it wasn't really useful on its own for setting up anything. That's why I so casually opted to have it delivered to a friend's acquaintance's address.

It's not so easy to use, no easier than using some other ID. hypothetically possible but would require some effort (and it would be a criminal act to do so).

There's a fairly high probability that your acquaintance is just lazy - they don't know you and you want them to go deal with the courier or whatever.

 

[canuck78]

Alright, it'd be easier to report it as lost. However, thinking out loud, what could one exploit using a PR card? I could be wrong, but I had the impression that it wasn't really useful on its own for setting up anything. That's why I so casually opted to have it delivered to a friend's acquaintance's address.

Lots of way to use a PR card to try and enter Canada. If you have already offered to cover any costs involved in sending your PR card to you and indicated that if there are any obstacles preventing them from sending you the card you are willing to help in any way possible and still aren’t receiving the PR card I would cut your losses and move forward. Would personally suggest reporting the PR card as lost/missing but include a letter of explanation detailing that you had trusted a friend of a friend to forward your PR card to your when you left Canada but you haven’t received the PR card. The truth is always the best option. You don’t really want file a police report that it has been stolen. You’ll then be able to apply for a PRTD and apply for a new PR card when you come to Canada.

 

[pksajjads]

Lots of way to use a PR card to try and enter Canada. If you have already offered to cover any costs involved in sending your PR card to you and indicated that if there are any obstacles preventing them from sending you the card you are willing to help in any way possible and still aren’t receiving the PR card I would cut your losses and move forward. Would personally suggest reporting the PR card as lost/missing but include a letter of explanation detailing that you had trusted a friend of a friend to forward your PR card to your when you left Canada but you haven’t received the PR card. The truth is always the best option. You don’t really want file a police report that it has been stolen. You’ll then be able to apply for a PRTD and apply for a new PR card when you come to Canada.

I've offered to pay for their Uber ride, courier charges, and even offered to cover income loss (as crazy as it sounds), but to no avail. To the IRCC, I will be truthful in my Letter of Explanation (LOE) and report it as 'lost'.

 

[pksajjads]

Posting this for the reference of future readers: I was able to collect my card through another friend who went in person to collect it on my behalf. Always be mindful when choosing a delivery address for a PR card.