Bingo Scams

crazylady0827 · #1 (**permalink**) 03-16-2006, 09:57 AM

"Online Bingo Scams Revealed!"

From the Desk of Sarah Humphries,

Wouldn't it be nice to make a bundle of money playing online Bingo from home in you pyjamas? Of course it would! I actually make a very nice income from playing online Bingo and I so love having all that extra time to spend with my husband and kids! I've been playing online Bingo for 6 years now, and I still get as excited as that first time I played. It's the thrill of that big win getting closer and closer that gets my juices flowing every time. And I've had my fair share of big wins too!

However, I've also been scammed more times than I'd care to remember from unscrupulous Bingo sites who either don't pay out your winnings or conveniently disappear. I am writing this report, so you don't fall foul to the same nasty scams.

There are several online Bingo scams that you need to be aware of before you start playing. You may have heard about some of these scams on TV as they are becoming more and more common place. Thousands of people are taken in by these dirty rotten con artists every year and many end up losing hundreds of dollars that they can ill afford.

Online Bingo Scams

The first and worst type of scam is the offshore Bingo scam. This is when the Bingo website is based in another country. Many of these sites look perfectly legitimate and will entice Bingo players with promises of huge jackpots. However, these sites will just take your money but never pay out any winnings to you. These sites make it impossible for you to get in touch with them and as they fall out of US jurisdiction, there's not a thing you can do about it. I actually fell foul to this type of site last year. When I noticed that a $2387 prize had not been payed to me, I emailed them but my emails were unanswered. I even tried to call them on the phone, but the number on the site didn't even exist. That got me so mad!

Other less common types of Bingo scam include:

Bingo sites which make their games impossible to win.
Bingo sites which launch with big online advertising campaign promising huge jackpots and great bonuses. They'll get hundreds of unsuspecting Bingo players to make their initial deposit. And then they just vanish off the net, never to be seen again. (I got taken in by this one as well! Ho hum).
New sites that go bankrupt soon after they start up - kiss all of your unpaid winnings goodbye!
I am so FED UP of these sorts of scam sites giving online Bingo a bad reputation as there are some really great sites out there. There are several Bingo sites that I've been using for years and I've never had a single problem with any of them. The problem is being able to distinguish between the good sites and the bad sites bacause they can be pretty tough to spot if you haven't come across this before. Let me show you how.

How To Spot Bogus Bingo sites a mile off!

Bogus Bingo sites can be pretty hard to spot, especially for the new player. However, there are many tell tale signs that you can use to distinguish a bogus site from a genuine one. If you come across a site that displays ANY of the following characteristics, STAY AWAY!

1) The site asks you to make a payment via email or asks you to post a cheque or cash. Only ever make payments on the net via credit or debit card so you are fully protected.

2) Do not use any sites that ask for a credit transfer via WESTERN UNION.

3) Look for a physical postal address on the site - if you can't find one, move on!

4) Look through the grammar on the site. Bad grammar and spelling mistakes are a good sign that the site has been set up quickly or is an offshore Bingo Scam.

5) Follow your own hunches - is there something that just doesn't feel right about the site? Don't risk your money, find another Bingo site.

Whilst the above check list gives you the main characteristics of a bogus Bingo site, there may be others - Fraudsters are always coming up with ways to exploit the system and steal your money.

This I why I've compiled a list of Bingo sites that I totally trust. These are all sites that are very established and have been around for years. I have never had problems with any of the following sites and they have always payed me my winnings promptly and have great customer service.

bingoadvantage · #2 (**permalink**) 04-03-2006, 12:03 PM

Aren't basically all of the bingo sites offshore?

sugarnspice · #3 (**permalink**) 04-03-2006, 06:17 PM

Yes I didnt think the us allowed online gaming or is bingo not considered gambling.. I know all the sites I have played at before were all off shore. Like 123 and so. I know that site doesnt pay.. and i played on vics and that site is a pure joke same winners on both sites.. When u do play and notice same winners constantly its proably a scam I would say like house players as I callem. Well i dont play online bingo really cause many sites I was I didnt really win.. but temped to try ruby bingo.com... Ok gl all.. where is ruby bingo located at.

crazylady0827 · #4 (**permalink**) 04-04-2006, 04:59 AM

Yes because of legalities you will find most online gambling is offshore. But before you play any gaming site you need to do your research on them. Find out if they are reputable. There are a lot of bingo scammers out there and I have been trying to list them as i find them. The advantage of the OPU is that the sites listed here have already been screened and deemed safe to play.

bartongrl1 · #5 (**permalink**) 04-04-2006, 05:55 AM

crazy you failed to mention that you won there and were paid. And sugar go ahead and try ruby, im sure you will be more than satisfied with rubybingo, plus its backed by opu.

ClassyTouch · #6 (**permalink**) 08-02-2006, 05:41 PM

All sites are out of the USA, but there are some good sites out there. Before you play any site, READ RULES in general and cashout RULES.

bartongrl1 · #7 (**permalink**) 08-05-2006, 05:46 PM

Very glad to see a new poster here at the OPU. And the advice you gave is very important pertaining to Bingo as well as Casinos or Sportsbooks or Poker sites. Reading the terms and conditions and general rules at all online places is very important.

Of course, there are a few sites that change the terms and conditions in the middle of everything to suit themselves.

I have a few casinos that I stick with, simply because they are so trustworthy. And I make sure to check at different sites to see if there is any information contrary to a new place being honest.

So besides reading the terms and conditions, and general rules, it is also a good idea to read up on any new place a person decides to play, be it bingo or whatever.

Thanks for posting Classy.