Zain Merchant, a realtor based in Ontario, has found himself at the center of a social media mix-up. He shares his name with Zain Alnoor Merchant, a 37-year-old man from Calgary who was arrested this week in connection with a serious case involving the alleged kidnapping of a minor. The case has drawn significant media attention and involved a group of youths in Airdrie who were attempting to catch a predator.

While enjoying dinner with his family, the Ontario realtor began receiving numerous messages on social media. "I started getting random Instagram requests, and I’m in real estate so that’s not new to me, but people were reaching out and they were referencing the article," he said. Upon reading the article, he expressed his concern about the troubling events in Airdrie and Calgary, stating, "I pray that those impacted families get justice."

The confusion has led to a significant misunderstanding online. Merchant explained, "Obviously since I’m in real estate, if you Google Zain Merchant, you’ll see all my realtor pages, and so people started thinking it was me and all of my socials just got flooded."

As a licensed realtor in both Ontario and Alberta, Merchant operates out of Toronto. He noted that his only connection to Calgary in recent years has been assisting families in relocating to the city. "My brokerage, Urban-realty, they’re a great place, but they kept getting calls saying — Oh, you’re employing Zain Merchant, and they’re telling them this is not the same person, he doesn’t even reside in Calgary, he’s in Toronto," he said.

Merchant emphasized that he looks very different from the accused and is significantly younger than the suspect. "I visited Calgary once in my life, and I hope to be able to do that again freely," he remarked. He added, "It’s crazy, there’s eight billion people in the world, you’re bound to have someone with the same name. I am simply a realtor that likes to help families transition into their new homes."

Despite the confusion, Merchant noted some positive aspects of the situation. "Although I was getting hate here and there, it was nice to see people defending me saying — that’s not the guy," he said. He appreciated the community's support, stating, "It comes from a place of care, because whenever something big happens in Canada, people come together time-and-time again to make the community stronger."

With his social media flooded with comments, he expressed gratitude to those who took the time to clarify the misunderstanding. "And for those people who were misunderstanding or misspoke because they didn’t know, it’s ok," he said. "It happens."