• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

An account has been opened at a betting site using my email

Minerva

Of the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most
DP Veteran
Joined
Aug 14, 2006
Messages
5,014
Reaction score
8,266
Location
Directly Over the Center of the Earth
Gender
Male
Political Leaning
Slightly Liberal
Just got notification for Supabets, a New Zealand based company, that an account has been opened using a name that only share my first name as the account holder but the email is mine.
I located their website online and using the email contact information to draft a letter stating I have not opened an account with them and gave the information that was in their email to me.

Is this the proper way of handling this?
 
It depends, are you winning or losing?
 

It is.

You want them to know that you didn't open it so that when the person who did starts losing, they do not come after you for the money.

I would also notify the authorities in New Zealand.
 

... make sure email itself is not a scam designed to get more info out of you or to have you visit questionable sites.
 
Be careful.. It might be an email scam just to get more personal info from you... Awhile ago I got an email from supposedly a anti-virus company.. Saying I had bought a year subscription for $400...i called them.. The guy kept saying to cancel my subscription he needed more info, I said noooooo.. He said well that means I will be charged the $400 in 6 hours... I was never charged...
 
They can't open an account using your email unless it's verified. Typically they'll e-mail you a code number and you have to send it back. My thinking is this is all fake and the less you respond the better other than changing your password on your email account.
 

Sounds like phishing to me, too.
 
Yeah, I figured that going to the website for Supabets and getting the contact information from the website vs. directly responding to the email received would would be a better route.

I don't give them any information in my email they don't already have (my email address).
Anybody familiar with Supabets online betting site?
 
Well the first thing you should do is change the password on your email account. Generally the only reason to use someone else's email is to pick up the registration email (and you won't know they did that if they deleted it from the server.)

Though it's also possible that an email address was required, but actual confirmation was by mobile phone. They just made up an email address which happened to be yours. Still there is no harm in changing the password.
 

ASAP. If you leave it too long, the bad guy might change the password and then you'll have to go to your internet provider to get the account back. Not to mention spamming/phishing everyone on your contacts list.
 
No, but I Googled, and it appears to be a legit business with bad business practices. I clicked to see what Trust Pilot had to say, but there were only 2 reviews, one very positive and the other a 1-star calling them scammers.

So I don't know...but I would always assume that it's a phishing attempt and then immediately Google. Look again at the sender's address, and be alert to spelling and grammar errors (some are awful). It's easy for me to detect many phishing e-mails because I don't use PayPal or Chase Bank, but I was almost tripped up a couple of years ago by an Amazon one and receive fairly frequent phishing e-mails from "Norton." Always check with the real company too; Amazon has an entire section devoted to phishing scams.
 

Seems like you caught it, but there no ceiling on paranoia.

You might ask them if any credit card or contact info was provided, and if it matches yours beyond email. Check you accounts for strange charges.

Change your email password if you haven't already. Add MFA if you don't have it already.

If all that's clear you can probably relax.
 
Minerva said:
Yeah, I figured that going to the website for Supabets and getting the contact information from the website vs. directly responding to the email received would would be a better route.
Click to expand...
This would eliminate clicking on a link which goes to a fake page in order to collect more info on you.

Minerva said:
I don't give them any information in my email they don't already have (my email address).
Anybody familiar with Supabets online betting site?
Click to expand...
 
Keep a close eye on your credit card(s) to make sure there's no unauthorized activity.

Maybe get a free credit report to make sure no new accounts have been opened without your knowledge.
 
eman623 said:
Keep a close eye on your credit card(s) to make sure there's no unauthorized activity.

Maybe get a free credit report to make sure no new accounts have been opened without your knowledge.
Click to expand...
Due to recent hacks of certain health care providers and a financial group I have three (3!) separate identity theft groups monitoring my info.
I have frozen my credit profile at all three credit reporting organizations some time back.
 
Slavister said:
... make sure email itself is not a scam designed to get more info out of you or to have you visit questionable sites.
Click to expand...
Sounds like he did by using the website of supabets to make contact.
 
NWRatCon said:
Sounds like he did by using the website of supabets to make contact.
Click to expand...
I've drafted an email to them. The email addy the email came from is the same that I found on the web for their "contact us" email addy. I'm pretty sure someone is using Supabet as a tool to get to me. Have not sent the email yet.
 
Minerva said:
Is this the proper way of handling this?
Click to expand...

I personally wouldn't email anyone where a dodgy account has been opened with my email.
Certainly I'd check my accounts first, change passwords next, run a good antivirus and trojan malware detector to make sure my hardware is clean and safe and I'd also tell my bank.

All in the first half hour.

It could be different in the USA but once you have informed your bank here, you are covered. People's email addresses are probably easier to come by than you think - especially if it's on your facebook / business card / LinkedIn or any other social media.
If that's all they have from you (an email address) then it's done. As @WillyPete mentions - add multi-factor authentication if your bank doesn't offer it as standard (fairly common here) or change to a bank that does.
 
All of that is done.
I use Avast AV and have been pleased with it.
I also use a firewall and most of the time a VPN.
All my financial accounts and email accounts use MFA and generated passwords of great length that get changed, having a password manager is a must anymore.
 
Minerva said:
The problem there is I would have to let them know what email addy had been used (my own) and the name of the person opening the account for them to take any action.
Click to expand...
This is true, but that would require extra steps that auto-scammers rarely take.
 
I've recently started down that path, too - both Avast and a VPN - although I keep using a North American location, just to prevent being shut out by US-based websites. I use secondary verification for all of my financial or sensitive accounts, but I have to admit, I use throwaway, repetitious passwords for some accounts - as long as they don't have connection to anything with my email or financial information attached.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 1 (members: 0, guests: 1)
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn more…