Fake IBEW Ads Offering Free Four-Week Training Program Circulating on Facebook and Instagram
It has come to our attention that multiple false advertisements are circulating on Facebook and Instagram using IBEW imagery and promoting a free four-week training program offered by IBEW Canada. We’ve included a sample list of these ads and associated profiles below for reference. These advertisements are being managed under suspicious accounts and have been reported to Meta (Facebook and Instagram’s parent company).
Each of these advertisements links to a landing page hosted on home-adviser.com (operating under the HomeAdvisor brand). This page is a known “deceptive lead-generation” page that operates on bait-and-switch tactics.
The landing page does not collect payment information; however, there is a form at the bottom where postal/zip code and email are collected. It is likely they are collecting data that could be sold to third parties.
A specific “How to Apply” section on the page directs users to apply via IBEW Canada or the Local IBEW union hall. It is possible that your local may have received inquiries about an ad offering free or paid four-week training courses.
If your local union has received an inquiry that is likely related to this ad, we ask that you advise of this situation and encourage those inquiring to avoid sharing any personal information such as their email on the form. Share with them the appropriate way to stay informed about official IBEW training related to your local union and where to apply when the intake process begins.
We are monitoring this situation and taking the necessary actions to have the ads removed and fake accounts suspended. While many have been removed, others are still in circulation, and it’s possible that new profiles and ads may appear.
Call to Action
If you come across any of these advertisements, we ask that you report the ad by clicking the three dots in the top right of the ad and then “report ad” at the bottom and reporting the ad under the category of “Scam, fraud, or impersonation.”
If commenting is not restricted, users can also leave a comment on the advertisement to advise others that the ad is fake.
How To Identify Official IBEW Canada Advertisements
Ads from IBEW Canada will always be administered through our official IBEW Canada Meta Business account and will show our profile picture and “IBEW Canada” in the top left corner of the ad and will always direct viewers to a page on the official IBEW Canada website, ibewcanada.ca. If you were to click the profile picture, it would take you to our official Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/ibewca/) or official Instagram account (@ibewcanada).
With the rise of AI and Meta’s concerning lack of advertising standards and associated safeguards to prevent fraudulent accounts from running paid ads, there has been an increase in deceptive ads on these platforms. If you see anything related to the IBEW that appears suspicious, please take a screenshot and send it to us.
We thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sample of Fraudulent Ads as of August 2026
