Arizona Gambling Watchdog Warns of Rising Gaming Scam Calls

Ahead of the start of the 2024 National Football League (NFL) season next week, the gambling regulator in charge of horse racing, pull tabs, raffles and bingo in Arizona, the Arizona Department of Gaming (ADG), issued a warning about an increase in gaming scam calls.

On Tuesday, the agency warned the public that gaming scam calls across Arizona and in nearby states have increased. The ADG said that scammers are attempting to obtain personal or financial information by presenting themselves as ADG representatives.

Moreover, the agency said that in some cases, scammers would pretend to be representatives of other regulatory bodies, including but not limited to the Indian Gaming Association, the National Indian Gaming Commission, the Arizona Gaming Commission, the Arizona Indian Gaming Association and the New American Dream Foundation, among others.

“The Arizona Department of Gaming is warning the public that gaming scam calls are on the rise in Arizona and nearby states. These scammers are pretending to be affiliated with ADG, the National Indian Gaming Commission, and the Indian Gaming Association, among many other organizations, in an effort to steal patrons’ personal information and hard-earned money,“

reads a statement released by the ADG

The Arizona gambling watchdog reminded the public that itself, other regulators or agencies with national coverage would never inform a person over the phone that they have “won big” or have a “sweepstakes” win to be collected.

Additionally, the ADG reiterated that legitimate government agencies or organizations would never call and ask a person to pay taxes or fees owed to the Arizona State or the Internal Revenue Service. “If someone claims to work for one of these organizations and makes any demands or threats relevant to the information above, they are a scammer,” the agency cautioned.

Government Officials Release Tips to Help People Protect Their Information

Not unexpectedly, the ADG and the Arizona Attorney General’s Office released several tips and guidelines that would help prevent people from falling victim to fraud or scams. They encouraged the public to be always skeptical, especially when it comes to unsolicited calls or ones that require “immediate action involving financial transactions.”

In its recommendations, the government agencies reminded the public that no legitimate agency would ask a person to remove money from their account and send it through wire transfer, cryptocurrency or in some cases, gift cards.

Focusing specifically on cryptocurrency, the tips said that only scammers demand payment in the form of cryptocurrency. “No legitimate business is going to demand you send cryptocurrency in advance – not to buy something, and not to protect your money. That’s always a scam,” the agencies warned.