Remember when B.C. Lottery Corporation re-launched is Play Now sports and poker website on July 15, 2010?
There was a glitzy news conference on Granville Island by the taxpayer-owned legal gambling monopoly. On-again, off-again, on-again gambling minister Rich Coleman did a disappearing act to avoid a media scrum. Did he know something we didn't? Later that day, the website crashed amid an embarrassing privacy breach.
Fast forward to 2012 and Play Now had more problems. This time, it wasn't a malfunction of the system. A briefing note to Coleman disclosed a case of credit card fraud.
"BCLC security has found a total of 12 fraudulent accounts opened between March 13 and 18, and at least six additional failed attempts to open accounts. A total of $100,329 was loaded into the 12 accounts through 67 different transactions. BCLC locked down all 12 accounts once they were identified. The suspect(s) attempted to load the accounts with about 100 different stolen credit cards and three Interac cards – they were successful with 19 of the credit cards and two of the Interac cards."
The briefing note makes a possible link to a major Burnaby RCMP fraud and identity theft bust. The Mounties showed-off the contraband on March 20, 2012 and announced charges against Anthony Pavos Stulec, who was found guilty of forgery, theft and fraud.
Regardless, this incident was a blow to BCLC and its marketing claim that Play Now is not only legal but safe.
Regardless, this incident was a blow to BCLC and its marketing claim that Play Now is not only legal but safe.