(Omaha, NE) – Thanks to new legal reforms, the popularity of sports betting has exploded. If you think scammers haven’t noticed, think again. BBB’s Scam Tracker is seeing reports from people who accidentally placed bets with scam sports-betting websites or apps, rather than legitimate services.

How the scam works:

You want to place a bet on an upcoming game, so you search online for a sports betting service. You find a website or app that looks trustworthy– It may even offer an enticing introductory bonus, so you can make an initial bet “risk free.”

You place a bet, and, at first, everything seems normal. But, as soon as you try to cash out your winnings, you find you can’t withdraw a cent. Scammers will make up various excuses. For example, they may claim technical issues or insist on additional identity verification. In other cases, they may require you to deposit even more money before you can withdraw your winnings. Whatever you do, you’ll never be able to get your money off the site and any personal information you shared is now in the hands of scam artists.

“I deposited money to put a wager for a sports game. I won the bet [and] attempted three times to cash out and three times it was declined. Spoke to their representative, and they needed a picture of my driver’s license, a photo of myself holding my ID, and a blank check from my bank. With all the run around I’ve been given, it prompted me to read their reviews. All horrible reviews of a scam. Called my credit card company to file a fraud report,” one victim reported to the BBB Scam Tracker.

How to avoid sports betting scams:

·         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.

·         Don’t fall for tempting ads. 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 your 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.

For more information:

·         Check out BBB’s tips for spotting a lookalike website and downloading apps.

·         Visit BBB.org/ScamTips to stay alert to new and commonly used scam tactics.

·         If you’ve come across a sports betting scam, report it at once to BBB Scam Tracker. Your report can help other consumers avoid falling prey to scammers’ tricks.