Avoiding Scams and Fraud at Online Casinos

How to Recognise Online Gambling Scams

Scams do not give themselves away right away. They have fancy websites, big bonuses, and a polished look. Once you look past the shine, you can see the real sites for what they are.

1. Unlicensed or fake websites. A real site will have their licensing information and the names of the companies they operate with in their footers. If the site does not have a licensing number, does not have a licensing number with a validator, or does have a valid licensing number for a site, look no further; you are dealing with a scam site.
2. Unclear payment conditions. If payment information is there, and you see vague claims of “fast payouts” or “no fees,” or see other such ‘buzzwords,’ they are not a real site and you should cash out all of your deposits before the site ‘departs’ with your money,’ and never come back to the site.
3. Unrealistic bonus offers. A bonus is probably not real especially if it is touted to be huge, for example, a bonus of over 5,000 dollars or 100 free spins with no playthrough clause. Variations of these offers are done by scam sites and designed to grab people who are not amateurs. Make sure to check out the limits on cashing out if there are any before you play, or probably even register to the site.
4. Lack of Customer Support. Established casinos have support via live chat, email, phone, or support webpages. A sign that a casino will not assist you in the future is if you can’t reach support, or if a live chat gives templated, robotic, or weasel-worded responses.

These are the bare minimum, but the average casinos will not take the time to do them. If you want to save time, here are some time-saving examples.

Check for errors in spelling and grammar; those are a sign of a fly-by-night operator.

For example, search for the casino name plus forum, scam, complaints, and withdrawal issues. Players voluntarily share important information that other players should access.

Newer websites claiming to offer a lot of services should be avoided.

There’s a longer way or a faster way. If you have trouble, leave it to us. Top sites sometimes have the most to hide.

Most Common Types of Online Casino Scams

It is important to know what these scams look like so you can avoid getting caught by these scammers. There are plenty of fake sites they use and scams they perform to get your money, so knowing their tricks can save you money and trouble.

1. Duplicate Websites. Scammers make fake duplicate sites or use similar names and logos to popular sites to dupe players and get their money. These sites may even have fake licenses. Make sure you investigate these licenses and make sure you check the brand’s domain.
2. Phishing Scams. Phishing scams are one of the most common scams. You can receive emails that look like they’re coming from the casino or a promotional offer from one of their partners. They help you “verify” your account by giving the scammers your credentials, or by posting your documents to a URL that is not familiar to you. \n These sites ask you to give documents that can be about your account, or where they ask you to give payment details. If you have done this, you have most likely lost your money.
3. Unscrupulous Bonus Offers. The most common scam in financial online gambling sites is the lure of ‘huge bonuses’. These sites get players in by promoting bonuses and adding extra terms like hidden clauses to their game. To get to the end, the players are not able to withdraw their money and can play as much as they want.
4. Websites that after a win block player accounts. A well-known scam is when a sudden freeze happens. You get a win, then almost immediately after, the site demands a lot of documentation, then finds a “violation” of the T&Cs and refuses to pay. In our experience, this is the worst. You win, spent the time and the money playing, then after you try to withdraw and your account is logged out and you can’t log in anymore. You have no money, no win and no fun. That’s it.

We can identify even more types, some of which are “lazy” and easily spotted while some are more unique. For instance, we have scam sites that have fake live dealer streams where the “dealer” and lobby are pre-recorded and the outcomes of the games are rigged.

This is a problem everywhere. Even when dealing with 10 legit and really good platforms, you can always find the scammers.

How We Protect Players From Scams

Casinos are never listed on the website until all verification checks have been completed. This consists of:

• Matching the operator’s name with the corresponding corporate registries.
• Cross-referencing the license number with the regulator’s master list.
• Validating the names of the payment processors and providers listed on the Cashier.
• Downloading & playing the games & testing all games (including the demo versions and of all types, from pokies to live dealers).

We have also been looking to see if there are independent audits (e.g., RNG, payout reports), if there are responsible gambling tools, and if there are verification processes.

Protection is ongoing. After a site is published, we monitor player complaints, scan forums and review sites for repeating issues, and re-check licence status and payment flows on a scheduled basis. If a casino suddenly changes ownership, removes details regarding the licence, or accumulates unresolved complaints regarding withdrawals, we flag it and update our reviews.

Security Best Practices For Players

It’s very easy to stay safe; you don’t have to be a computer whiz. There’s just some basic behaviours that can safeguard the majority of casino accounts and the payments you can make. So, the list below is some basic behaviours that have a big impact, and you should consider them non-negotiable.

• Always make sure that the URL has HTTPS on the website you are on. Scammers can even show up on your first visit to the website. Scammers that often “copy” other brands can have the same looking website, but the URL has tricked you. Look at the URL and you may see random misspellings, numbers in between words, or other behavior that seems suspicious.
• Beware of possible email and social media posts traps on suspicious guy to bypass this. If you are prompted to click on a link for a quick verification or bonus, type the casino address that you know and use a saved bookmark for the casino.
• Whenever possible, activate two-factor authentication. If a casino offers a type of 2FA that’s app-based or SMS codes, you should enable that and make bypassing your second factor authentication. 2FA may slow logging in by a few seconds, but it stops most account takeovers.
• Be sure to verify the reputation of the casino. You shouldn’t depend only on what the casino chooses to show you in their marketing. You should look at recent player feedback on things like Trustpilot, forums related to gambling, and records of complaints that regulators have on file. Occasional poor reviews without a follow-up but repetitive complaints of withdrawals going missing are a bad sign.

These are the practices so simple you’ll be able to easily integrate them into your everyday life. While cutting the most common scams off at the pass, these will also keep your gambling experience in control.

Only Trust Licensed and Audited Casinos

That sort of licence increases accountability. If a reputable regulator grants a licence, it means the operator will have to comply with a minimum standard of player protection, payment processing, and dispute resolution. A scam protection site will best include:

• A clear licence statement with a licence number and name of the operator.
• A link to the regulator’s license-search page with that number.
• Published audit statements, or a certificate from a reputable testing agency.
• Clear and unambiguous terms and conditions.
• Responsible gambling tools to be available and readily accessible.

Fake badges should be avoided! Trusting a platform for just a logo is a common mistake. Furthermore, it’s quite easy to determine whether a site is truly licensed.

Reporting a Scam or Suspicious Activity

If you are feeling a little off about the situation, the best course of action is to gather evidence quickly, as it can mean the difference between winning and losing your claim. If you can, you should collect as much as you can, including:

• Website screenshots for evidence, emails and chats, and any documents you can obtain.
• Transaction evidence, including bank or credit card statements that show the date, time, and amount of the transaction.
• Any messages for error screens or failed withdrawal and deposit screens to withhold documents.

If this is a scam site, this information will help fellow players in the community, even if your experience is a negative one. Otherwise, if this is a legit site, any information you provide may assist in an attempt for compensation.

Available Resources

These are very practical places you actually use when things are not going as intended.

Finally, trust your instincts. If something seems off, it probably is. Take screenshots and report it to help everyone.