No offence meant to any members on this board, but I thought I needed to mention this.
It is quite interesting, and indeed nice, to see all the interesting posts, helpful advice, experiences, the benevolence, community spirit etc etc displayed in the messages on this board, especially when this board for whatever reason, has become a favourite haunt of recent immigrants and also a source of information and advice for potential ones.
However, I do get worried when some members offer accommodation or airport pick up offers to desis who have not yet come but are expecting to land soon. I would like to remind everyone, that this is an open message board and the credentials of people cannot be verified or checked in anyway before they register themselves. While offers for airport pick up and such, indeed appear to be very obliging and philanthropic gestures, I would like to remind potential arriving desis to exercise adequate caution and prudence before promptly accepting such overtures, until the authenticity and integrity of the as yet "invisible" host has been verified. Judging a person's real intentions and purpose is not possible solely from reading his or her posts on a message board. No intention of casting any aspersions on the altruists here, but it is important to recognize the risks and not willy-nilly become a victim of one's own gullibility. Please do not forget that Toronto, Vancouver etc are behemoths and home to all types of people.
It would be helpful if the members of the board here can find a solution to this issue since it would also be regretful if considerate and helpful intentions of genuine persons cannot be translated into practice.

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wisernow

i agree with you wisernow, such traps (if any) can be deadly for prospective immigrants. well pointed out.

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Deal With Reality or Reality Will Deal With You

I completely agree with you. To a certain degree not all out there are out for themselves.
Its pretty bad when you try and so something good for others it sometimes looked upon in a way where we have something to gain from it.
Only reason why I was thinking of helping others is because I think thats the only way to live. Alot get hurt and used but I would never do anything like that.
I could give references my previous landlord and my employeer, I could even get a police clearance. I would never do anything to anyone, those who would take advantage of someone else are very pathetic.
I would pretty much do everything I could to help others from babysitting for free for newcomers to Canada so they can go out and get errands done faster or go with them and watch the kids with them..
I dont know maybe I just grew up differently.
Its sad to think that alot NOT all ppl out there have alternative motives to being kind. Those of us who r for real are afraid to reach out and help others cause of what others would think of them.

Hi,

Both the posts will help aspiring Landed Immigrants to exercise caution. I have seen some settlement services websites. Can somebody throw some light on settlement services that these promise to provide.

Thanks