Scammers are poised to intercept March Madness excitement, preying on eager fans participating in brackets, exploring new sports book betting avenues, securing tickets, or streaming live video. Amid the frenzy of the tournament, consumers must remain vigilant against a barrage of fraudulent schemes aimed at siphoning their hard-earned money and compromising their identities.
Thanks to new legal changes, the popularity of sports betting has exploded and scammers are hot on this trend. BBB Scam Tracker is seeing reports from people who accidentally placed bets with scam sports betting websites or apps.
Sports Book Betting: How the Scam Works
(Photo from Getty, via BBB)
Fans want to place a bet on an upcoming game and they search online for a sports betting service. They find a website or app that looks trustworthy. It may even offer an enticing introductory bonus, allowing fans to make an initial bet “risk free.”
When the fan goes to withdraw winnings, he/she is blocked with a bevy of excuses from technical issues, to insistence on additional identity verification, to even demanding more money be deposited before winnings will be released. When the buzzer sounds, the fan is out the money and any personal information shared is now in the hands of scam artists.
When wagering online, fans should:
• Look for an established, approved service. Look for “white-listed” sports books that have been approved by your area’s gaming commission. In the United States, ESPN has a list of where sports betting is legal.
• Ignore gambling-related pop-up ads, email spam, or text messages.
• Read the fine print on incentives. Gambling sites and apps often offer incentives or bonuses to new users and around major games. But like any sales pitch, these can be deceptive. Be sure to read the fine print carefully.
• Even legitimate sports betting sites have the right to freeze winnings. Gambling companies can restrict user’s activity for “seeming to have an ‘unfair advantage’ or ‘irregular playing patterns,’” reports Lifehacker. Be sure to check the terms of service.
Tip-off Trifecta: Brackets, Tickets, and Video
Fans should also beware of emails, texts, and social media messages appearing to come from people they know. “Many fans who normally wouldn’t click on a link may be more inclined to do so if an email soliciting for brackets or wagers appears to come from a friend or co-worker. There’s less of a perception of security risk,” said Judy Dollison, President of the BBB serving Central Ohio. “And consumers should remember ticket offers can be too good to be true and that even event streaming services can introduce scammers and their malware to the team. Large sporting events offer a slam-dunk for scammers.”
To avoid sports scams, fans should:
• Beware of suspicious emails, texts, and social media messages, especially from seemingly familiar sources.
• Exercise caution with bracket pool invitations and ticket offers, particularly from compromised accounts.
• Utilize reputable streaming services to avoid malware and spyware.
Fans can follow these other recommendations to protect themselves during March Madness:
Brackets:
• Opt for reputable bracket platforms such as ESPN and CBS directly.
• Verify changes with pool organizers and avoid suspicious emails and attachments.
Tickets:
• Purchase from authorized sellers and scrutinize web addresses for authenticity.
• Know if the tickets exist: does the venue have those seats in a matching section number?
• Use credit cards for additional protection and research sellers on BBB.org.
Streaming and eCommerce:
• Stream games on trusted sites to prevent malware infiltration.
• Refrain from sharing personal or payment information over public WIFI.
• Scrutinize links by hovering the mouse over them and avoid disclosing personal information on unsecured sites or social messaging platforms.
Stay vigilant to ensure an entertaining March Madness experience. For more information and assistance, visit BBB.org.
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