Beware of web scams

Product shortages have made many markets vulnerable to exploitation, and charitable gaming is no exception. It has come to our attention that fraudulent websites are selling pull tabs and possibly other items to individuals who later discover the sites are fake. Over the past month, several people have reported to us that they attempted to buy pull tabs online, but they never received the product even though their payment was accepted. They now have no way to contact the sellers or recoup their money. In fact, some of these website scams have used LBC’s phone number in the contact information and our policy language to make the site appear legitimate.

In light of this information, use caution when buying from unknown websites or companies. Also, your charitable gaming license requires you to purchase regulated supplies ONLY from a licensed supplier, so if you cannot verify a supplier’s license in your state, you should not purchase gaming supplies from that entity. Visiting LancasterBingo.com or contacting your LBC sales rep are always the safest ways to purchase your pull tabs.

Ways to protect yourself

  • Look for indications that a website is fake/fraudulent. Call a listed phone number and see if you actually get the company. If you do not, or if it appears that the business wants to avoid receiving calls, those are red flags.
  • If they are selling pull tabs or other regulated gaming products, look for a legal notice stating the sale of these items is limited to charities or other licensed organizations. Also, look for the license information for the entity selling the games.
  • Look for basic pages such as “About Us” and others that you normally would see. Also, read some of the links to ensure they make sense. Do they reference another company instead of their own, for instance? Could they have copied content from a legitimate company’s website?
  • Never provide payment by direct bank transfer. Paying with a credit card may provide you some recourse to get your money back. Never give out your bank account or other personal information.
  • Research the company that is offering pull tabs. If legitimate, you should be able to find several business listings, registrations and details about the company. If you do not find any such information and cannot verify contact information as provided on the website, you should not place an order.
  • Research the website online to see if others are talking about the company and website.

    • For more information about website scams, visit https://www.kaspersky.com/resource-center/preempti...

    Please know that Lancaster Bingo Company LLC follows state requirements for licensing and selling pull tab and other regulated games. Our website limits purchases of pull tabs to customers who meet specific criteria.

    Remember, if you encounter a website that seems suspicious, does not follow licensing procedures and does not welcome open communication with customers, be aware that the site may be a scam to get your money without providing the items you paid for.

    Click to view a PDF version of this announcement.