There have been many fake news articles about winning a progressive jackpot. Normally the winner is a lucky person that just signed up with X casino to get a casino bonus and ended up winning the multi-million progressive jackpot. Obviously, most of these stories are fabricated to promote casinos and get new players to sign up and try their luck.
Those fictional stories feature images like the story of Shelley A, who is in fact a very lucky winner of the powerbucks jackpot paying out over 1.1 million Canadian dollars on September 1st, 2022 at the Elements Casino in Surrey, British Columbia. This win is also confirmed by the regional gambling regulator: British Columbia Lottery Corporation which is also known as BCLC.
What will be your reaction if you are notified you just won a progressive jackpot of maybe $500,000? Within seconds of having the news, your brain will automatically start planning on all the luxuries the money will afford. But, do you know your sudden rush of the hormone can be used against you at this moment? Yes, it can! That is where fake news about winning a progressive jackpot comes in.
Presently, different fraudulent activities are being done to scam people of their money. If you assume you are intelligent naturally, you can still fall prey to these fake progressive jackpot-winning schemes. In this article, you will be enlightened on the different approaches scammers use, how to avoid being a victim, ways to confirm the legitimacy, and what to do if you have already fallen to the lies.
Fake Notifications about Winning Prizes
You will receive a notification in the form of calls or emails stating you have won a laptop or iPhone or a progressive jackpot. After this, subsequent messages will be asking you to confirm your details so they can continue the process. At this point, you will be asked to deposit a small amount of money compared to your winning. This is said to be the transaction fee and the finalization fee. The moment you send the money, the moment you are scammed.
Some other scammers might ask for personal account details and assure you will receive your prize in days to follow. But the case is, you have been scammed too! These cases are rampant, and many people fail to do them. Even when the victims have no pre-existing connection to playing at any jackpot casinos in Canada, they will still believe in the lies because of the manner of the persuasive word usage and the creativity of the scammers.
Signs of Fake Progressive Jackpot Winning
Non-involvement in any jackpot activities: A progressive jackpot is only won by those who are regularly into it because of the winning requirements. It is a scam if you see any notification about winning one without prior involvement in the jackpot.
Your account details: If your financial statements are demanded to proceed with your winning, it is probably a scam. No legit progressive jackpot body will ask you to send your credit card number or a code you received from your financial bank.
You are asked to remit an amount of money to claim your prize: At the mention of depositing money before you can claim your money should turn you off. In real cases, you wouldn't be asked this. No matter little the amount is to you, don't try to send it out to confirm whether the winning is true. Most times, the scammers ask for a money range you will be able to trick off without instant remorse.
You are asked to only contact the message sender for information: Scams of winning a progressive jackpot depending on the level of secrecy between you and the scammer. They will keep referring you to visit personal links and follow the rules without the condition of others. They will tell you you can miss out by discussing the winning with another. Your payment might rank up your stake of winning: Report the message sender the moment you see this. It is a psychological trick to make you even deposit more money into the scam scheme. Progressive jackpots are transparent for players; even if you are into winning one, don't believe this approach.
Different Approaches used by Scammers for Fake Progressive Jackpot Winnings
- Phishing sites to collect personal information: Instead of asking you to send details and answers, they send a link to an external website where you will be asked to fill in your details. It might also be a link to download malware for penetrating your devices.
Strategic appearance as a trusted body: Because you will believe if the body name sounds original, they often choose names close to real-life ones or appear as a regulatory body of progressive jackpot. This will make you trust every word sent. - Limited time offers: "This is only available for this short period..." They initiate you into a rat race of trying not to lose your winning before the time closes. The amount you would be informed you won will be high for you to imagine that you should lose it by delay. So, you rush to do everything they ask for.
- Create credibility by sending a check first: You can also be sent a fake check first to increase your trust in them. Then, you will be asked to send more back or provide personal account details.
- Messaging through a family member or trusted friend: Scammers can hack into one of your loved members and send you a message about how you have won a progressive jackpot and how to go about it. Many people fall for this category because of the earned credibility of the member that messaged them.
Ways to Confirm Winning a Progressive Jackpot.
At the announcement of winning a progressive jackpot, follow the recommendations below to confirm the authenticity:
- You can only win a progressive jackpot when you've placed a qualified wager at a progressive jackpot game
- Reach out to your casino support team, they will be aware of the won jackpot in question
- Make in-depth research on any claims that seem legit and beware of different phishing techniques as explained here
Conclusion
After you are already a victim of fake progressive jackpot winning, inform your close friends of the new scheme of scamming, visit your local consumer protection office and report to your local law enforcement agencies.