Avoiding Being Scammed While Online

With the world literally at our fingertips, there has never been a more convenient way of life. Unfortunately, the same can be said about criminals; today, criminal organizations have never had it easier. With a few clicks and simple tricks, a cybercriminal can theoretically rake- in thousands of dollars a day. 

Being safe online has never been more relevant; one poor decision, while online, could affect you negatively. If you enjoy the convenience of online casinos and other gambling sites and do not know if the site you are using is a legally registered or compliant website, could be a high-risk situation. 

Placing bets on an unauthorized website will leave you vulnerable, and open to being hacked. If that happens to you, then all of your financial data, along with your personal information, will be used to steal not only your money but your credit as well. Criminals can open up lines of credit in your name and even file and collect tax returns. There is nothing to safeguard you from these criminals if you are willing to give them that type of sensitive information.

What is at stake 

These non-legitimated websites will do everything in their power to try and appear legitimate. It is up to the consumers to do their due diligence while searching for reputable legal online casinos or other gambling websites. The use of illegal sites can have dire consequences; not only are you putting your financial information and identity at risk, but you are also putting your safety in jeopardy. These sites' users help to fund illicit activities for criminal organizations, like human trafficking, drugs, and weapons. These kinds of sides are just detrimental to our society as a whole.

Consumers must be able to protect themself from falling prey to these online predators. They should know what to look out for when it comes to online scams. The simple truth is that consumers can not protect themself against online threats if they are not aware of the danger's appearance. As a consumer, you need to know what to look for so we stop scammers from scamming. 

Questions you should be asking yourself before signing up 

It is not all hopeless - besides playing responsibly, you just need to know what to look for when choosing an online casino or another gambling website. If you are playing suitable sites, it can be a safe way to entertain and have fun. If you abide by the list below, you are guaranteed to have a secure, fun experience while gambling online.

Is there URL secure?

Check the URL to see if the site is secure; all secure sites will be displayed as HTTS. The S at the end lets you know it is a safe and secure site.

Check for the website's privacy policy is also a great indication of a site’s reliability. It means the owner adheres to the stipulations of data privacy laws such as the General Data Protection Regulation ( GDPR ). Much of online cyber security in Canada and the legal framework to protect the private information about its citizens is summed up in what is known as PIPEDA.

Where is the Website information?

Look around the site before signing up. Check for prominent information for you to click, things like age requirements links to show their terms and conditions. The site should offer data on what software they are operating with; if those are unavailable, you should move on to another site. All reputable gambling sites will provide their return (RTP) to player percentage. The PTP is opposite the house's edge. So, if the house edge is 5%, then the RTP would be 95%. All reputable sites will offer that information. This information will usually include the gaming enforcement stamp of approval. 

Great customer service

Try out the site's customer service department, check out the FAQ portion. Ask a few questions about the operation of the site. If customer service is lacking or does not want to answer your questions, that is a red flag. The majority of legally registered sites will have excellent customer service.

Cryptocurrency

If the site is offering to pay winnings in Cryptocurrency, it is not a legal website. Cryptocurrency is not available for payment at this current time.

Responsible gaming programs

All legal sites must offer various tools to keep the consumers safe, tools as deposit limits, time limits, and exclusion options. If the site you are on does not provide the player with these tools to responsibly manage to bet, then the site is not correct. 

When it comes to researching a website for its legitimacy, all legally reputable legitimate websites will have all the information listed above readily available. 

What to do if you already registered to an illegal site

If it is too late and you already have signed up and deposited money, there are a few things you can do and try to recover.

1. Contacted the online casino's support team first, and keep the email and any notifications from your bank as proof.
2. File a report with your bank.
3. Send a description to your national online gambling regulator; this will help them investigate the operation
4. File an official police report for fraud.
5. Get a lawyer to help build the case against the casino.

The best you can hope for is that if your information was stolen, now the proper authorities are on notice and will stop any transactions that you do not authorize.

The biggest gamble of your life will be placing a bet on illegal websites. So do yourself a favor and be informed and help inform others on the issues of online scams. It is up to the consumers to stop the threat of these criminals. The only reason they are not there is that so much is being made of people who do not care or simply do not know. That is why spreading awareness is so important. Once you have learned how to determine if a website is legitimate or not, you should be telling anyone who will listen. When a bet is placed on an illegal gambling site, it helps fund and encourages criminal activities.