FSRA says she 'accepts the funds but never deposits them to process a mortgage'
Ontario’s financial services regulator warned that consumers risk serious harm if they hand over money to an unlicensed individual who has been holding herself out as a mortgage expert in the province.
The Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA) said it received reports that Dianne Van Rossum, or Dianne Vanrossum, has been contacting consumers in person, by phone and by email. She reportedly urges them to hand over money that she claims would be put toward a mortgage.
According to the regulator, “Dianne Van Rossum (or Dianne Vanrossum) accepts the funds but never deposits them to process a mortgage.”
A mortgage agent in Ontario faces licence refusal and $25,000 in administrative penalties after supplying deceptive documentshttps://t.co/uG4o7v0JOF
— Canadian Mortgage Professional Magazine (@CMPmagazine) March 7, 2026
How the alleged scheme reportedly worked
FSRA said Van Rossum poses as a mortgage expert and encourages some consumers, including seniors, “to finance or refinance their homes, change the ownership of their properties, and/or later provide the proceeds from refinancing directly to Dianne Van Rossum (or Dianne Vanrossum).”
The regulator said she is not licensed to conduct mortgage brokering business in Ontario and warned there are “potential risks if you obtain mortgages arranged by or through this unlicensed individual.”
FSRA also reiterated that “consumers have fewer protections under the law if obtaining mortgages from unlicensed individuals and/or entities” and that such individuals “may not fully understand mortgage products and may recommend a product that doesn’t meet your needs.”
FSRA listed the following contact details as linked to Van Rossum:
- phone number 416‑829‑1377
- email addresses vanrossfam@gmail.com and donna6029@hotmail.com.
Consumers who believe they might have been victims of fraud involving these parties are urged to contact their local police department.
Why licensing still matters to the market
Under Ontario’s Mortgage Brokerages, Lenders and Administrators Act, anyone dealing or trading in mortgages in the province must be licensed by FSRA.
The regulator said a licence shows that individuals and entities meet “rigorous professional standards, including continuing education requirements,” and that licensing helps ensure mortgage professionals have “the skills needed to protect consumers and can recommend products that are suitable for you and your family.”
FSRA licences brokerages, brokers and agents and said it could review complaints and take regulatory action against unlicensed actors where there is supporting evidence. It also encouraged consumers to check its public registry before working with any broker, agent, brokerage or administrator.
In late 2025, the regulator revoked a brokerage licence and imposed $430,000 in administrative penalties after finding a mix of compliance failures, unlicensed dealing and unsuitable, high‑fee mortgages that left vulnerable clients at risk of losing their homes.
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