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This man, alleged to be behind a high-interest mortgage scam, is living large on social media
In his social media videos, Anas Ayyoub has painted a rags-to-riches story in which he says he went from having to “scavenge” for money to provide food for his family to a lifestyle that now allows him to drive a Lamborghini he says is worth $1.4 million.
But offline, a number of Canadians — mostly seniors — accuse Ayyoub of defrauding them, allowing him to enjoy that luxurious way of life.
Marketplace first reported on the scheme back in March. Many seniors allege he is part of a scheme involving door-to-door equipment rental contracts, questionable renovations and high-interest mortgages worth hundreds of thousands of dollars that many homeowners didn’t know they had and can’t afford.
Since then, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) executed a search warrant at Ayyoub’s home in Mississauga, Ont., which included seizing that Lamborghini earlier this year. Ayyoub hasn’t been charged.
Lawyer Greg Weedon represents many of the alleged victims and says that as far he knows, despite the search warrant, Ayyoub is no longer in Canada.
“The fact that he was able to get out of the country with all these victims’ … funds, at the end of the day, it is just a complete failure,” said Weedon.
In a statement provided to Marketplace through his lawyer, Ayyoub notes that he continues to be a Canadian resident. He says he has “always conducted his business dealings lawfully and in accordance with the advice and guidance of senior counsel and consultants.” Read more
To learn more about the scam and how to protect yourself, tune into “Housing Heist II,” Friday at 8 p.m., 8:30 in N.L., on CBC TV or anytime on CBC Gem.
Why several big-box stores have ditched self-checkouts
After Dwayne Ouelette took over the Canadian Tire in North Bay, Ont., last year, he decided to buck the trend and ditch the store’s four self-checkout machines — which had been there for a decade.
“I’m not comfortable using them and I don’t think some of my customers are comfortable [either],” said Ouelette, who removed the machines in July and replaced them with cashiers.
“I’d rather my customers see my cashiers and if there’s any questions or concerns, at least there’s somebody they can talk to.”
When self-checkouts began their rise to prominence about a decade ago, they were seen as a way for retailers to cut labour costs and speed up the checkout process.
Soon, the machines outnumbered cashiers in many stores. But now, some big-box stores that previously embraced self-checkout have backtracked, and re-embraced an all-cashier, full-service format.
Along with North Bay, a Canadian Tire in Mississauga, Ont., recently ditched its machines.
In the United States, three Walmarts in Albuquerque, N.M., abandoned self-checkout over the past two months. And in England, Booths supermarket is phasing out the machines in 25 of its 27 stores.
Retail adviser David Ian Gray predicts more stores will follow suit. “When self-checkout got introduced, it was heralded as a really great technology play to help improve the customer experience,” he said. “But the truth is, there’s a lot of friction.”
That friction includes technical hurdles, like when the machine freezes due to an “unexpected item in the bagging area.” There’s also growing customer anger over feeling forced to use self-checkout. Read more
Canada is moving away from Pap tests. Here’s what you need to know
Getting a Pap test can be an uncomfortable experience, but some relief could be coming.
Canada is moving away from Pap smears for cervical cancer screening in favour of testing for the human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes the vast majority of cervical cancers. The HPV test has been shown to be safe and effective — plus, people can do the swab test at home.
“HPV testing is well-proven to be an enormous improvement in terms of detection of pre-cancers over Pap testing,” said Dr. Kim Alexander, a gynecologist in Brampton, Ont.
“Screening with Pap testing misses almost half of existing abnormalities on the cervix,” Alexander told Dr. Brian Goldman, host of CBC’s The Dose.
There are two types of HPV self-testing kits approved in Canada, which work in similar ways.
The swab being used in B.C. looks like a long Q-Tip. It’s inserted in the vagina and turned for 15 to 20 seconds. It doesn’t need to reach the cervix.
The swab is placed into a vial, sealed in an envelope and mailed to the lab.
So far, Prince Edward Island is the only place in Canada using HPV testing as primary screening for the entire province. In the 2021, B.C. self-testing pilot, 10,000 kits were sent to regions across the province. Pilots are happening in other provinces. Read more
What else is going on?
Dozens have been sickened with salmonella after eating cantaloupes in Canada and the U.S.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is warning people not to eat three recalled brands of cantaloupe: Malichita, Save on Foods and Urban Fare.
Sobeys says it’s freezing prices until at least January
The move comes after the federal government claimed grocery price stabilization is coming.
The new Canadian Mortgage Charter, explained.
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said she included the charter in the Fall Economic Statement to help ‘vulnerable borrowers.’
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