QUÉBEC – A prominent Quebec television personality, Marie-Claude Barrette, is advocating for stricter laws to combat online fraud and identity theft after she and several other public figures fell victim to these crimes. During her testimony before a legislature committee in Quebec City, Barrette revealed the devastating impact of identity theft, suggesting that some victims have resorted to taking their own lives.
The testimony marked the beginning of consultations regarding a proposed bill intended to safeguard consumers against the fraudulent use of an individual’s identity or image. Barrette, along with fellow victims such as Véronique Cloutier, Normand Brathwaite, Maripier Morin, Claude Legault, and Ève-Marie Lortie, has experienced her identity used without consent by scammers to promote fraudulent products including high-yield financial schemes, cryptocurrency, and miracle weight-loss solutions.
The proposed legislation acknowledges that these frauds also affect innocent consumers, who are misled by the false advertisements. Barrette expressed her determination to combat identity theft, noting, “I’m still being impersonated, and it happens all the time. I had absolutely no idea what to do. As victims, we feel abandoned.”
The bill aims to enhance the powers of Quebec's consumer protection office and the Autorité des marchés financiers, the regulator of Quebec's financial markets. This enhancement would allow these bodies to swiftly order individuals or companies to stop using a person's image without consent. Barrette emphasized the necessity for the bill to include a dedicated budget for enforcement, suggesting the establishment of a contact point, such as a phone number, to provide immediate support to victims and address their feelings of isolation.
Sylvain Paquette, a fraud prevention consultant collaborating with Barrette, presented additional recommendations to the committee. He proposed mandatory registration for websites operating in Quebec, regulation of money transfer platforms, and reversing the burden of proof to require operators to demonstrate that they are acting legally. Paquette criticized Quebec's current approach, stating, “Quebec is a haven for fraudsters (often operating online from abroad) because we’re too nice.”
Under the considerations of the bill, failure to adhere to a takedown order could escalate to Superior Court, and offenders may be charged with contempt of court. The consumer protection office would retain the authority to pursue criminal charges against the companies promoting fraudulent products or services as well as the advertisers, which could include large corporations like Meta, the parent company of Facebook.
Barrette recounted her frustrations with Meta, having filed multiple complaints without resolution, even going so far as to send a bailiff to California. She claimed, “Facebook doesn’t care... I’ve lost hundreds of thousands of dollars because I dared to take on Facebook.” Currently, Barrette is seeking authorization for a class-action lawsuit against Meta, but the outcome is uncertain.
If Bill 24 is enacted, individuals found violating the provisions could face fines of up to $62,500, while companies could incur penalties of $125,000 or five percent of their global revenue from the previous fiscal year.
This push for legislative reform reflects a growing concern regarding online safety and the need for stronger consumer protection in a digital world increasingly rife with fraud.
