Fraudulent online casinos posing as Amazon platforms have started using Jeff Bezos’ image to mislead unsuspecting customers. These sites falsely claim to be associated with the billionaire founder of Amazon, despite having no real ties to him or the company.
One particular site, called Amazon Slots, is actively running advertising campaigns across various social media platforms in Italy, featuring both Bezos and popular Italian influencer Khaby Lame.
The ads promote enticing offers such as “€1,500 free and no deposit” along with 200 free spins, appearing on major platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Google.
While Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, earns over 10% of its revenue, approximately $16 billion a year, through advertising scams and illegal gambling, internal communications have disclosed that executives are aware of these issues. However, they have established a limit to how much revenue they are willing to forgo to effectively combat the scams.
Ads appear in Italy, despite ban
Italy has enforced a ban on gambling advertising since 2018, prohibiting any promotions related to gambling, whether through sports or online platforms.
The country is currently in a legal dispute with Google over gambling ads appearing on YouTube, yet these banned advertisements are still surfacing on social media in Italy.
The fake Amazon Slots app is not only visible in the ads but is also available for download on the App Store and Google Play Store. It claims to have over 50,000 downloads and boasts a rating of 4.6 stars, using Amazon’s logo to enhance its credibility.
The site might also be mistaken for a legitimate company named Amazon Slots, which markets itself with jungle-themed imagery rather than the well-known online shopping site’s branding.
Second fake casino tags Jeff Bezos founder
Amazon Slot Casino is the second platform using the Amazon branding, this time claiming to be founded by Jeff Bezos. This website uses both cartoon and real images of Bezos, promoting itself as “The Official Slot Machine Amazon Experience.”
To lure potential players, the site declares on its homepage, “This is the casino for fearless gamers—available on iOS, Android, and desktop. No fluff. Just real slots, real stakes, and real wins. Let’s spin and conquer.”
Additionally, Amazon Slot Casino attracts users with a $1,500 sign-up bonus. However, when users try to download its app, the links redirect them to a site called slotsandcasino.ag, a tactic common among scam websites.
A growing trend
Scammers are increasingly using the images of celebrities to commit fraud in the igaming industry. A recent case involved Catene Media owner Erik Bergman, who was deceived out of $1.25 million this year.
The scammers not only impersonated popular YouTuber MrBeast but also pretended to be notable figures like Stake owner Ed Craven, YouTuber Adin Ross, and inventor Mark Rober while chatting with Bergman in a group.
There have also been scams involving rapper Drake, using his connection to the online casino Stake to promote his platform. The tactics often include letting users win small amounts initially to build trust, only to later demand payments while blocking any attempts to withdraw winnings.
Source: CasinoBeats
