Officials with the British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) are warning residents about online ads making use of casino brands from the privacy to solicit private financial information from those seeing the advertisements.
The ads have been found on social media sites and promise players bonus and promotional offers for registering their information. The ads take viewers to websites that aren’t associated with the legitimate casinos and may be used to commit identity theft and financial crimes.
“While BCLC and its casino partners are actively working to have posts removed, British Columbians should be cautious when it comes to these predatory and sophisticated scams,” a BCLC representative said.
Officials Urge Caution
The ads make use of logos, images, and other icons associated with some of the province’s legal casinos. The only regulated online gaming site in B.C. is the PlayNow platform, which is operated by BCLC and offers online gaming, poker, and sports betting. The platform is also available to players in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Quebec.
The corporation advised gamblers that any site that asks users to pay fees or taxes on winnings is part of a scam and not associated with BCLC. The regulatory body’s official Twitter and social media accounts are also verified, and players should be especially careful when interacting with any other online gaming sites seeking financial information.
“BCLC encourages individuals to be on alert when a website or app asks for personal or financial information,” the regulatory agency noted. “BCLC’s verified websites and apps will never ask for your social insurance number (SIN), banking information or credit card details online to claim a prize from a B.C. casino.”
The scam is similar to a scheme uncovered in other provinces in November. The Great Canadian Entertainment (GCE) gaming corporation also reported that gaming ads were being used to obtain personal information and banking details from those viewing the ads on social media.
The ads also used branding and images from the company’s Casino Nova Scotia and Casino New Brunswick imaging as part of the efforts to fool Canadians. GCE asked residents to be on the lookout for: fake emails, domain names, and website links confusingly similar to GCE; social media apps that include the GCE imagery; mailed letters or promotions withe GCE branding; and text messages claiming to be from GCE.
In British Columbia, BCLC officials are encouraging anyone experiencing the fraudulent ads to call 1-866-815-0222 or use the BCLC website or PlayNow platform chat features. Those who feel they may have been victimized are asked to contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or reach out to their local police department.
