MONTRÉAL, July 3, 2024
/CNW/ - The Autorité des marchés financiers ("AMF") cautions Québec
consumers about the website dr-hypotheque.ca.
According to information collected by the AMF, Daniel Cousineau-Claveau is using the
aforementioned site to offer mortgage brokerage services despite
not being registered with the AMF.
On April 18, 2024, Daniel
Cousineau-Claveau was found guilty of illegally carrying
on the business of mortgage brokerage and was ordered to pay fines
totalling $193,440. The evidence
showed that he had engaged in brokerage transactions with
individuals experiencing financial hardship, offering, among other
things, to "inflate" the prices of their properties in order to
finance their down payments or to change their personal and
financial information on certain official documents.
On May 20, 2021, further to
proceedings instituted by the Organisme d'autoréglementation du
courtage immobilier du Québec, Daniel
Cousineau-Claveau was found guilty of similar acts by the
Court of Québec. Daniel Cousineau-Claveau also has an
extensive criminal record that includes certain financial
crimes.
The name "dr-hypothèque" is not to be confused with the business
name "Docteur hypothèque", which is used by the mortgage broker
mortgage broker Félix Di Gennaro,
who is duly registered with the AMF.
How to protect yourself
We recommend that you perform the following checks before taking
out a mortgage loan:
- Check the Register of firms and individuals authorized to
practise or contact the AMF Information Centre to find out whether
the individual or firm you are communicating with is duly
registered with the AMF
- If the firm or individual is registered with the AMF, verify
their identity by contacting them using the contact information
provided by the AMF
- Never share your personal information or transfer any money
before performing these checks
About the Autorité des marchés financiers
In its role as regulator, the Autorité des marchés financiers
acts to maintain a financial sector that is dynamic, operates with
integrity and warrants public confidence. It regulates, in
whole or in part, activities in the following sectors: insurance,
securities and derivatives, distribution of financial products and
services, deposit institutions, mortgage brokerage and credit
assessment.
Media only: Sylvain Théberge: 514-940-2176,
sylvain.theberge@lautorite.qc.ca; Information
Centre: 1-877-525-0337
Website:
lautorite.qc.ca
LinkedIn :
https://www.linkedin.com/company/autorit-des-march-s-financiers/
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: http://twitter.com/lautorite
SOURCE Autorité des marchés financiers