Tech

Popular Scams to Watch Out for When Playing Online

By

Mohit Kamboj

Internet gambling changed a lot of things in the industry. It brought casino gaming closer to the player than conventional gambling ever could. In New Zealand, you can play a variety of casino games from just about anywhere, provided you have an internet-enabled device and a stable connection. However, the convenience that gambling websites offer is not without its downsides. iGaming presents fraud and scam risks that players didn’t have to worry about before at traditional casinos. The web attracts all sorts of bad actors, including operators, that prey on unsuspecting and inexperienced users.

Online gambling is fun, but that is not all it is. As with everything else that happens on the internet, you must be wary of various threats. Some shady gambling platforms use different tricks to take advantage of players. If you intend to gamble online in New Zealand, you should know how to spot red flags and avoid falling for scams. The more iGaming attracts gamblers, the more creative and sophisticated fraudulent activities get. Sometimes, you might not be aware you are a fraud victim until it’s too late. A Jonny Jackpot Casino review can tell you the basics about the platform, but you need a lot more information to ensure you are safe. Knowing the common ways dubious operators scam customers will help you watch out for clues, and this article explains a few popular tactics.

Deposit Theft

Perhaps the oldest scam in online gambling is outright theft, where a casino entices you to fund your account and then takes your money. How does that happen? One method is through fake websites. A developer creates a platform with a front end that resembles a casino. Since the site has everything, a real casino provides, users don’t suspect. The only part of the website that works is the payment system. So, you register an account and deposit money, which the operator takes without providing gambling products. Typically, such a platform collects deposits from many users before shutting down. It’s a short-term scam that doesn’t require a significant investment.

Another variant of this fraud is a long-term con on the part of the scammer. An operator encourages you to make small deposits, usually using bonuses. You might even win a few times to make the site look attractive. Once you make a large deposit, the casino finds ways to keep your money. For example, a gambling site could say that you violated a bonus condition that you didn’t even know existed, requiring them to confiscate your balance. Shady casinos also accuse customers of bonus abuse that leads to account closure. Another scam is disappearing deposits. You could send money to your casino account and approve the transaction, but the payment fails to reflect. A casino might cite a system glitch, which might be true for some platforms, but the illegitimate ones never return your money.

Rigged Games

Using defective gaming systems to steal from players is an old scam that is just more technologically advanced on gambling websites. When researching online casinos, you will see no-rigging claims. However, these are only true for regulated operators that work with reputable developers. Gambling sites whose sole purpose is to take your money find ways to tilt the system in their favour. Random number generators, which mimic natural randomness, are hard, but not impossible, to crack. Some platforms offer products with compromised systems that eat players’ bets.

The rigging can be difficult to spot. For instance, a casino might give near misses on certain games, allowing you to come close enough to win, such that you keep gambling to see if your luck turns. Other operators use fake RNGs to skim players’ wagers. In card games, bad actors can use software to read their opponents’ cards and gain an advantage. The reason rigged games are prevalent is that they are impossible to spot. Not many gamblers know the difference between authentic and fake RNGs. Also, wins are rare among gamblers, which makes it challenging to tell if losses are manufactured or real.

Customer Information Theft

One scam that online gambling reinforced over the years is data theft. Stealing customers’ details is not novel in the industry. Even in brick-and-mortar establishments, some players provide credit card data, which can be stolen. Online casinos, however, made the scam easier to pull. Gambling websites ask for personal details during registration. You might need to submit your address, phone number and full name. If you are using a credit card or making a wire transfer, then your financial information ends up on the platform, as well. Shady operators can use that data to harm you. Some sites seek out online gamblers to mine information from them. Then they sell those details or use them for other nefarious activities. They could steal your identity and destroy your life. Identity thieves use other people’s banking information for their own gain, thus ruining their credit histories.

Online casinos revolutionised gambling. However, they also came up with different challenges, including fraud, that affect players negatively. When considering online gambling in New Zealand, familiarise yourself with the various tactics shady operators and cyber criminals use to scam players. Be careful when gaming and watch out for signs of common fraudulent actions like the ones highlighted above. Learn how to play safely and reduce the risk of losing your money or information.