BCLC is reminding the public to be cautious of a series of social media scams that imitate B.C. casinos and trick individuals into providing their financial details on illegitimate websites.
Highly deceptive, these scams share fraudulent posts and advertisements exploiting the logos, names and exterior images of local B.C. casinos, and may claim to offer players exclusive bonuses and promotions if they register with their website or mobile application. BCLC warns that none of these sites are associated with casinos in B.C. or BCLC.
PlayNow.com is the only online gambling website permitted to operate in B.C. BCLC’s official apps are BCLC Lotto!, PlayNow Poker BC and PlayNow BC Sportsbook. All BCLC-operated social media accounts, such as BCLC, PlayNow BC, PlayNow Sports, Lotto BC and Casinos BC, are verified with a checkmark.
While BCLC and its casino partners continue to work on having the posts removed, British Columbians should stay vigilant when it comes to these predatory and sophisticated scams.
To protect themselves, individuals are encouraged to:
- Be on alert when a website or app asks for personal or financial information. BCLC’s verified websites and apps will never ask for your social insurance number (SIN), banking information or credit card details online to claim a prize from a B.C. casino.
- Carefully check the URL and domain of the website to verify its legitimacy. Often, scammers will use a similar URL and domain to legitimate websites with a minor spelling difference.
- Always verify the company and its services are real before providing any personal information.
- Look out for other red flags, such as the suggestion of fees or taxes to be paid on a prize. There are no fees or taxes on prizes won in Canada.
If individuals feel unsure about an account, post or advertisement claiming to represent a B.C. casino, they are encouraged to contact BCLC directly by calling the Customer Support Centre at 1-866-815-0222, or using the live chat resource on corporate.bclc.com or PlayNow.com.
Individuals can report suspected fraudulent activity to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre online or by calling 1-888-495-8501. When an individual suspects they have been victim to a scam, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre advises that they contact local police.
Individuals can also help remove these scams by reporting the posts and advertisements on the social media platform.
