Someone using my details to sign up on gambling sites for free bets

[Deleted User]

On a couple of occasions recently I've had an email in my inbox welcoming me to a gambling site which I've never signed up for. These are well known gambling sites (Pokerstars was one) and in each case I went to the site and contacted their customer service to get the account blocked. On one occasion I used the forgot password feature to access the account and could see that someone had put my name, email and address in to set it up, they'd taken a free bet offer, done some bets and then withdrawn it.

I've since read that this is a relatively common scam - people get your details somehow (e.g. a data leak on another website) and then sign up for huge numbers of free bets on gambling sites. Obviously I don't want this to happen again. I wondered if anyone else has experienced it and what they did.

My first thought was to sign up for Gamstop (the self exclusion from gambling websites service) as this would automatically block any future account creation using my details. My only concern is whether this will make me look like a gambling addict and cause some kind of problems down the line.

p3ncilsharpener

Your concern is unfounded.  Nobody will know "you" have signed up to a bunch of gambling sites.  The only downside to this for you is that you won't be eligible for new customer free bets with any sites they signed up in your name.

JJ_Egan

Is it praise or a warning ??

[Deleted User]

p3ncilsharpener said:

Your concern is unfounded.  Nobody will know "you" have signed up to a bunch of gambling sites.  The only downside to this for you is that you won't be eligible for new customer free bets with any sites they signed up in your name.

My concern isn't that someone will know I've signed up to these gambling sites, it's that there might be some negative consequences from signing up to Gamstop to prevent this from happening.

p3ncilsharpener

Deleted_User said:

p3ncilsharpener said:

Your concern is unfounded.  Nobody will know "you" have signed up to a bunch of gambling sites.  The only downside to this for you is that you won't be eligible for new customer free bets with any sites they signed up in your name.

My concern isn't that someone will know I've signed up to these gambling sites, it's that there might be some negative consequences from signing up to Gamstop to prevent this from happening.

The only negative would be that it'll stop you from gambling too.

mjm3346

Deleted_User said:

On a couple of occasions recently I've had an email in my inbox welcoming me to a gambling site which I've never signed up for. These are well known gambling sites (Pokerstars was one) and in each case I went to the site and contacted their customer service to get the account blocked. On one occasion I used the forgot password feature to access the account and could see that someone had put my name, email and address in to set it up, they'd taken a free bet offer, done some bets and then withdrawn it.

I've since read that this is a relatively common scam - people get your details somehow (e.g. a data leak on another website) and then sign up for huge numbers of free bets on gambling sites. Obviously I don't want this to happen again. I wondered if anyone else has experienced it and what they did.

My first thought was to sign up for Gamstop (the self exclusion from gambling websites service) as this would automatically block any future account creation using my details. My only concern is whether this will make me look like a gambling addict and cause some kind of problems down the line.

Wouldn't they need bank/card details to match the account details if they are withdrawing money and have passed ID checks?

[Deleted User]

mjm3346 said:

Deleted_User said:

On a couple of occasions recently I've had an email in my inbox welcoming me to a gambling site which I've never signed up for. These are well known gambling sites (Pokerstars was one) and in each case I went to the site and contacted their customer service to get the account blocked. On one occasion I used the forgot password feature to access the account and could see that someone had put my name, email and address in to set it up, they'd taken a free bet offer, done some bets and then withdrawn it.

I've since read that this is a relatively common scam - people get your details somehow (e.g. a data leak on another website) and then sign up for huge numbers of free bets on gambling sites. Obviously I don't want this to happen again. I wondered if anyone else has experienced it and what they did.

My first thought was to sign up for Gamstop (the self exclusion from gambling websites service) as this would automatically block any future account creation using my details. My only concern is whether this will make me look like a gambling addict and cause some kind of problems down the line.

Wouldn't they need bank/card details to match the account details if they are withdrawing money and have passed ID checks?

There's no indication they have these details so I guess not. I don't really have any idea how the scam works, I just don't want my details being used for it. 

mjm3346

Deleted_User said:

mjm3346 said:

Deleted_User said:

On a couple of occasions recently I've had an email in my inbox welcoming me to a gambling site which I've never signed up for. These are well known gambling sites (Pokerstars was one) and in each case I went to the site and contacted their customer service to get the account blocked. On one occasion I used the forgot password feature to access the account and could see that someone had put my name, email and address in to set it up, they'd taken a free bet offer, done some bets and then withdrawn it.

I've since read that this is a relatively common scam - people get your details somehow (e.g. a data leak on another website) and then sign up for huge numbers of free bets on gambling sites. Obviously I don't want this to happen again. I wondered if anyone else has experienced it and what they did.

My first thought was to sign up for Gamstop (the self exclusion from gambling websites service) as this would automatically block any future account creation using my details. My only concern is whether this will make me look like a gambling addict and cause some kind of problems down the line.

Wouldn't they need bank/card details to match the account details if they are withdrawing money and have passed ID checks?

There's no indication they have these details so I guess not. I don't really have any idea how the scam works, I just don't want my details being used for it. 

They almost certainly must have some matching details to be able to withdraw the money from any winnings to a card/paypal e-mail address etc  - I would think the site you accessed should show the method used for withdrawals.
(one of the scams involves sending out fake welcome e-mails)

[Deleted User]

mjm3346 said:

Deleted_User said:

mjm3346 said:

Deleted_User said:

On a couple of occasions recently I've had an email in my inbox welcoming me to a gambling site which I've never signed up for. These are well known gambling sites (Pokerstars was one) and in each case I went to the site and contacted their customer service to get the account blocked. On one occasion I used the forgot password feature to access the account and could see that someone had put my name, email and address in to set it up, they'd taken a free bet offer, done some bets and then withdrawn it.

I've since read that this is a relatively common scam - people get your details somehow (e.g. a data leak on another website) and then sign up for huge numbers of free bets on gambling sites. Obviously I don't want this to happen again. I wondered if anyone else has experienced it and what they did.

My first thought was to sign up for Gamstop (the self exclusion from gambling websites service) as this would automatically block any future account creation using my details. My only concern is whether this will make me look like a gambling addict and cause some kind of problems down the line.

Wouldn't they need bank/card details to match the account details if they are withdrawing money and have passed ID checks?

There's no indication they have these details so I guess not. I don't really have any idea how the scam works, I just don't want my details being used for it. 

They almost certainly must have some matching details to be able to withdraw the money from any winnings to a card/paypal e-mail address etc  - I would think the site you accessed should show the method used for withdrawals.
(one of the scams involves sending out fake welcome e-mails)

Although I said they withdrew the money, I didn't actually have a chance to properly check what they did with the free bet as the site deleted the account almost immediately. They might not have withdrawn it and did something else - e.g. you can manipulate tables in online poker with multiple users blowing hands so someone can earn money on their real account. In any case, just take it as read that I've already done a number of checks to make sure my bank details are secure and that this is not my concern.

What I was interested in is anyone who has also experienced this problem before or used Gamstop. The latter seems like an obvious way to solve it, but despite it appearing not to cause any issues at first glance, I don't know enough about it in practice to be completely sure there isn't a downside to it.

MalMonroe

Why don't you also change your email details, password etc as well?

I would say also report to Action Fraud but have recently heard that they're in a bit of a turmoil too. (Although still accepting reports of fraud, etc., apparently.)

Also, do you think someone you know could be trying to wind you up? Just trying to look at things from all angles. . . 

[Deleted User]

They don't have access to my email address, these sites can be signed up to without email verification (though I did change my email password just to be safe). If you search online you can see this has happened to lots of people so it's likely an organised scam involving hundreds or thousands of people's details. Action Fraud were completely useless when I tried to report it, which is what led me to think Gamstop might be the answer.