OAKVILLE, ON — A 53-year-old Oakville man is facing multiple charges after police allege he defrauded new immigrants through a job scam that also involved identity theft.
According to Halton Regional Police, Rafael Layton posed as an executive from Toyota Motor Company and offered fake job opportunities to recent immigrants, many of whom worked as Uber or Lyft drivers. Police say Layton targeted individuals unfamiliar with Canadian employment standards, making them especially vulnerable.
Layton allegedly convinced victims to hand over sensitive personal documents, including passports, Social Insurance Numbers, banking information, and government-issued IDs. Police allege he used this information to:
Purchase mobile phones
Lease vehicles
Secure residential leases using false identities
So far, three victims have been confirmed, but investigators believe more may exist and are urging anyone who interacted with Layton—or aliases like “Rafiq” or “Ali”—to come forward.
Layton was arrested on Wednesday and charged with:
Fraud over $5,000
Identity fraud
Obtaining goods under false pretenses
Failing to comply with a release order
He is currently being held in custody pending a bail hearing in Milton.
Authorities stress that scammers often target newcomers unfamiliar with employment norms and encourage all new Canadians to verify job offers independently and report suspicious activity.
