No, you don’t have to start gambling in Vegas to have your identity stolen . The casinos , poker rooms, and sportsbooks all have plenty of ways to steal your hard-earned money or ruin your credit.
But all is not lost ! With a little knowledge and effort , you can protect yourself from the most common casino fraud scams .
If you do fall victim to fraud , you can file a police report and take steps to get your money and credit back .
Here’s a look at some of the most common casino fraud schemes and what you can do to protect yourself against them .
1 . “I’m a Friend of a Player”
In this scam , the scammer pretends to be a friend or family member of a player. They contact the player and arrange to meet him or his girlfriend for a cash payment. When the unsuspecting player arrives, the scammer tries to distract him while an accomplice steals the money .
When asked where the money came from, the scammer claims it came from the casino or poker room. (He may even give a fake name , like “Joe Smith .”)
To avoid this scam , have a friend or family member accompany you when you visit a casino or poker room . Never agree to meet someone alone.
2 . “I’m a Player”
The scammer pretends to be a player and approaches you at cashout time . They claim their winnings have been withheld because of a mistake or because they were owed more money. They ask for the money to be released as soon as possible.
If you’re offered a higher payout than you won , it’s usually a scam. Never give in to their demands .
3 . “I’m a Casino Employee”
Unfortunately, casino bk8 employees sometimes commit fraud. They often play online poker games at their off hours to keep their hands in the game. However, when they go home at night , they take the persona of a regular player . Once they’re home, they can hack into online casinos and steal your money.
Casino employees also have an inside track on tips . If you give them money during a cashout , they may be able to pocket the rest for themselves.
To avoid this scam , don’t leave any money in a desk or on a table while an employee is out of the room .
4 . “I’m an Attorney”
This scam may seem strange, but it happens a lot. The scammer poses as a lawyer or claims to represent the casino or poker room . They’ll claim that you owe money to the casino , and if you don’t pay up immediately it can negatively affect your credit. They’ll even threaten you with a lawsuit if you can’t pay up.
In reality , these scammers can’t help you with anything and they’re just trying to steal your money by threatening you .
To avoid this scam , always request an attorney’s number before paying any debt. If an attorney contacts you asking for money, it’s a scam ! Don’t contact them back and avoid the scammers altogether .
5 . “I’m a Player’s Friend”
A friend or family member who you meet at a casino tries to distract you while an accomplice steals your cash or your credit cards . It’s really easy for this scam to happen to you when you’re not paying attention !
To avoid this scam , always have a friend or a family member accompany you to cashout time .
6 . “I’m Your Cousin”
A relative who’s visiting from overseas tries to convince you that you owe the casino money or something worse ! They may try to convince you to pay them with cash or with your credit card .
Even though you may think you’re protecting them , you’re actually putting your own identity at risk ! It’s better to let a relative pay in the casino rather than risk having your identity stolen .
7 . “Can You Help Me ?”
You might receive a text or a phone call from someone claiming to be from the casino. They claim you owe money to the casino and don’t know what to do about it . They demand that you wire money right away or face legal action !
Unfortunately , scammers often pose as real casino employees . Their goal is to separate you from your money as much as possible !
To avoid this scam, don’t trust anyone who contacts you by phone or text about owing money to a casino or other business ! If the person is legitimate , the casino will contact them directly .
8 . “The Casino Has Stopped Paying Players”
You may receive an email or text message from someone claiming to be from the casino . They tell you that the casino has stopped paying players because of the economy or because they’ve been hacked. To prevent this from happening in the future , they want you to send them money so the casino can pay its players.
It’s not realistic that the casino would contact you out of the blue and ask you to transfer money to them! And if it were true , the casino wouldn’t need to contact anyone at all !
To avoid this scam , never trust anyone who contacts you to claim you owe money to the casino ! If the person is legitimate, the casino will contact you directly .
9 . “My Bank Has Stopped Paying Me”
You may be contacted by someone claiming to be from the bank or credit card company you used at the casino . They’re asking you to send money to them because you’ve overspent your credit for too long and the bank is closing your account !
It’s not realistic that your bank would contact you out of the blue like that! Your bank knows you much better than a stranger on the Internet !
To avoid this scam, never trust anyone who contacts you to claim you owe money to the casino ! If the person is legitimate , your bank will contact you directly .
10 . “I Won the Jackpot , Can You Pay Me ?”
The scammer pretends to be the casino cashier when he or she asks for your credit card number and expiration date to charge your credit card for the $50 ,000 jackpot you just won ! They might even ask for your bank account number so they can transfer the money to your account .
The casino cashier doesn’t usually ask for this information! Scammers never believe their own lies and always find a way to get more money out of you or steal your identity !
