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The Better Business Bureau is tracking
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more scams tied to online gambling and
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On your sides, Gary Harper is here with
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a warning and the best ways you can
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From sports betting to online casinos,
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millions of Americans are trying their
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luck virtually. And according to a new
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study from the Better Business Bureau,
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that includes both online gaming like
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sports betting and casino sites and
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online gaming such as apps or social
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casinos where players spend money on
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tokens or prizes. But the BBB warns that
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alongside these legitimate options,
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scams are also on the rise.
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So, in the last couple of years, we've
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received over 10,000 complaints from
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consumers about online gambling and
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gaming uh through the BBB complaint
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system. BBB spokesperson Melanie
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McGovern says the reports often involve
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theft, hidden terms, and confusion that
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for some consumers has led to losses in
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the tens of thousands of dollars.
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On the scam sites, that's where we're
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seeing it is that people are coming to
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us because they can't figure out how to
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get in touch with these companies. They
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can't figure out why they can't collect
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their money. Part of the problem, she
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says, is that gambling and gaming laws
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vary by state, and many consumers simply
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are not aware of the rules where they
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live, like here in Arizona.
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Knowing the laws, knowing what sites are
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legal, what sites are legitimate. That's
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So, what can you do to spot trouble?
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McGovern warns to watch for red flags
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such as big promises of payouts,
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tempting ads with few details, companies
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based overseas, sweepstake style games,
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payment requests in cryptocurrency, and
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even simple typos or strange spellings
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and names. And even if the site is
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legitimate, she says asking questions
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and reading the terms carefully are
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important. I'm Gary Harper on your side.
