Fraudsters Exploit Casino Logos in an Attempt to Scam People

Great Canadian Entertainment is warning about a new circulating online gambling scam in Atlantic Canada. The premier operator cautioned that scammers have been using images and logos from both Casino Nova Scotia and Casino New Brunswick in a fraudulent online campaign to try and defraud people of their personal and banking information.

The company reminded Atlantic residents that even if they see an online gaming site that shows up on social media and looks familiar and local to be cautious and double-check before playing on it. Currently, in the region, the Atlantic Lottery Corporation is the only regulated provider of legal iGaming options, and everything else is considered grey-market operations.

Ads are Fake, Warns Operator

In a recent statement, Chuck Keeling Executive Vice President, Stakeholder Engagement, and Community and Social Responsibility for Great Canadian Entertainment, said those ads are fake. The company owns and operates both Casino Nova Scotia and Casino New Brunswick, and has now posted warnings about the issue on its official website.

The said ads include actual photographs and logos of the two casino amenities, as well as debit and credit card icons. The word ‘sponsored’ is also used under the heading, to try and deceive potential bettors. Nova Scotia’s Department of Cyber Security and Digital Solution said that it has already contacted the police regarding the fraudulent activity.

Communications advisor Geoff Tobin said the fake ad was connected to a recent Meta ad scam from an account pretending to be Casino Nova Scotia. He reminded that the casino operator and its parent company are also aware of the deceptive Instagram and Facebook campaigns promoting fake bonuses and casino promotions using it name and local and are investigating the matter.

Residents are advised to remain watchful in protecting their personal data and financial information online and inspect ads for inconsistencies, errors, or signs that they’re from unofficial social media accounts. Locals are also urged to report such ads as these social media platform’s tools for reporting scams, said Great Canadian Entertainment.

Individuals Should be Vigilant

This is not the first time that criminals have resorted to using fake gambling in trying to scam people in Canada. Last summer, the Peterborough Police Service in Ontario revealed a senior resident had fallen victim to a lottery trick. The scammers presented themselves as Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation officials and defrauded the 86-year-old of nearly CA$20,000.

Elderly people should be more vigilant. According to the Better Business Bureau, nearly 80% of the lottery scams reported involve individuals above the age of 65. With help from its BBB Scam Tracker, BBE found 4,417 scams linked to lottery draws and sweepstakes since. Suggesting that fraudsters often use the lottery as a way of deceiving people.

Source: Frisko, Bruce “Scammers using N.S., N.B. casino images, logos in online campaign” CTV News Atlantic, November 16, 2023