Gambling text scam promising free money to Canadian residents: The rise of consortiums phishing for private consumer information to steal from unsuspecting respondents.
According to the province’s Auditor General, money laundering remains a danger at Ontario casinos due to lax enforcement by the provincial regulator and the Ontario Provincial Police.
The Provincial Regulator in Canada has issued a warning to Canadian customers about a rise in scam emails and SMS communications offering to give free gaming credit and spins.
Scam Text Message
According to local media sites in Mississauga and Brampton, a new text message scam is being perpetrated. The text message greets the receiver by name and offers a $1,000 welcome bonus if they follow the link and join the phony gambling site. Make sure you’re not signing up for any dubious links or websites.
A local citizen received a text message promising a large bonus if he signed up for a dubious website. He then contacted the domestic media to raise and boost awareness and to help in the protection of other residents from the two districts from having their personal information and accounts hacked.
A Hefty Welcome Bonus
According to the message from that text, the scammers are providing a sizable gaming welcome bonus to everyone who registers through the message’s given link. The scammers have been addressing the residents of Mississauga and Brampton by name in the communication.
The authorities are warning that if you have received any suspicious text messages, you should avoid clicking the link because that might leak your personal information to the scammers. A reputable casino site that offers legit bonuses would likely not send you a text massage unless you have signed up for that.
Authorities believe the scammers got the residents’ information after a large Facebook data breach in April, which exposed the phone numbers and personal information of 533 million users posted on a renowned hacker forum.
The individuals’ complete names, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, and personal information were leaked from over 106 countries throughout the world.
Scam on Facebook in 2019
Another example of internet fraud occurred in 2019 when Ontarians became the target of a Facebook scam. At the time, there was a flurry of illegal lotteries in the region, and con artists deceived the area’s most unsuspecting residents into playing.
According to the Canadian police agency, residents should not send out personal information over the internet and should report any such frauds as soon as they become aware of them. The con artists will use all means to lure unsuspecting residents to willingly offer their personal information.
These con masters have been convincing people that they had won a lottery win, but that to collect it, they needed to provide their Facebook account information and a photo of their driver’s license. Thankfully, the duped guy realized he had been the victim of internet fraud and alerted police. The cops were fast to respond to the situation.
Fraud in the Stars Lottery
This isn’t the first time that a Canadian has fallen victim to internet fraud. Albertan players were contacted by scammers pretending as staff of the STARS Lottery, who informed them that they had won a jackpot, and that they needed to transfer money first.
The victims were instructed to pay the money to a location in Kamloops, British Columbia, and the fraudsters frequently demanded more information, such as personal or financial information, stating that the information was required for the withdrawal of the supposed reward.
The RCMP advises that sharing personal information with strangers over the phone or online can result in far more serious repercussions than simply losing a few dollars.
Bank Text Message Scam
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is alerting customers of a text message scam that is tricking them into giving hackers their personal information. Banks, credit card firms, and other financial entities appear to be sending hoax SMS messages.
A victim said, “One of the texts arrived in my inbox this morning. Given that I am not even a CIBC client, it was difficult for me to fall for this one.”
Links that seem to be genuine.
To make their scams look legitimate, scammers are sending text messages with links that appear to be authentic. If the victim clicks on this link, their phones may be infected with malicious software.
Others will lead you to websites where you will be requested for personal information, which may be taken and used maliciously. The scammers are mainly phishing for the victims’ bank account information as well as their debit or credit card numbers.
Scams and Deception
Knowing how to respond in a suspicious circumstance might help you protect yourself by learning about frequent sorts of scams and fraud. Scammers may attempt to steal your identity to get access to your bank accounts or accumulate debts in your name.
As with charity scams or investment fraud, they may solicit money upfront. They could even appear to be a family member in desperate need of money. Even if you report the fraud, it may be tough to get your money back once you’ve been scammed. The greatest way to prevent being a victim is to educate yourself.
How to Protect Yourself from Scam and Deception
Below are some of the ways through which you can protect yourself from online scams.
Avoid Sharing Personal Information
Be wary of unwanted calls, emails, and text messages in which the caller requests personal information such as:
- Your name
- Postal address
- Date of birth
- Social Security Number
- Banking or credit card details
You have no idea who you’re talking to if you didn’t initiate the call.
Conduct Your Own Research
Before you proceed to give your personal information, be sure that the company you’re dealing with is legitimate:
- Check with the Canada Revenue Agency to see if a Canadian charity is legitimate.
- Check with the relevant provincial agency to confirm collecting agencies.
- Look for the phone number of the company that allegedly contacted on the alleged website and call them to confirm.
- Call the phone number on the back of your credit card to confirm any calls with your credit card provider.
If you receive a call or other form of communication from a family member who is in distress, check with other members of the family to confirm the situation.
