Canada
Fraudsters in Canada Shift Focus to Travel and Leisure
As the prevalence of digital fraud attempts on businesses and consumers continues to rise, TransUnion’s newest quarterly analysis found that fraudsters are re-focusing their efforts from financial services to the travel and leisure and gaming industries.
Across industries, the rate of suspected digital fraud attempts1 rose 16.5% globally when comparing Q2 2021 to Q2 2020. In Canada, the percentage of digital fraud attempts increased at a much higher rate of 44.9% during the same time period. Gaming and travel and leisure were the two most impacted industries globally for the suspected digital fraud attempt rate, rising 393.0% and 155.9% in the last year, respectively. In Canada, this rate rose 209.8% for gaming and 216.1% for travel and leisure.
TransUnion monitors digital fraud attempts reported by businesses in varied industries such as gambling, gaming, financial services, healthcare, insurance, retail and travel and leisure, among others. The conclusions are based on intelligence from billions of transactions and more than 40,000 websites and apps contained in its flagship identity proofing, risk-based authentication and fraud analytics solution suite – TransUnion TruValidate™.
“It is quite common for fraudsters to shift their focus every few months from one industry to another,” said Anne-Marie Kelly, head of Market Development, Identity Management and Fraud Solutions at TransUnion. “Fraudsters tend to seek out industries that may be seeing an immense growth in transactions. This quarter, as countries began to open up more from their COVID-19 lockdowns and travel and other leisure activities became more mainstream, fraudsters clearly made this industry a top target. The immense growth in gaming fraud also can likely be attributed to the shifts in focus of fraudsters as this growing market becomes a larger target.”
An example of the shift in focus of fraudsters can be seen in financial services. Global financial services suspected online fraud attempt rates had risen 149% when comparing the first four months of 2021 and the last four months of 2020. But when comparing Q2 2021 and Q2 2020, the rate of suspected online financial services fraud attempts have still risen, but at a much lower rate of 18.8% globally and 29.7% in Canada.
Global Industry Year-over-Year Suspected Digital Fraud Attempt Rate Increases and Declines in Q2 2021
Industry | Suspected Fraud Percentage Change |
Top Type of Fraud | |
Largest Percentage Increases | |||
Gaming | 393.0% | Gold Farming | |
Travel & Leisure | 155.9% | Credit Card Fraud | |
Gambling | 36.2% | Policy/License Agreement Violations | |
Largest Percentage Declines | |||
Logistics | -49.2% | Shipping Fraud | |
Telecommunications | -30.8% | True Identity Theft | |
Insurance | -16.7% | Suspected Ghost Broker |
Industry Year-over-Year Suspected Digital Fraud Attempt Rate Increases and Declines in Q2 2021 Coming from Canada
Industry | Suspected Fraud Percentage Change |
Top Type of Fraud | |
Largest Percentage Increases | |||
Travel & Leisure | 216.1% | Credit Card Fraud | |
Gaming | 209.8% | Gold Farming | |
Retail | 139.4% | Inappropriate Content | |
Logistics | 90.3% | Shipping Fraud | |
Largest Percentage Declines | |||
Telecommunications | -97.2% | True Identity Theft | |
Gambling | -39.8% | Policy/License Agreement Violations | |
Communities (Online dating, forums, etc.) |
-22.2% | Profile Misrepresentation |
More than one-third of consumers continue to be targeted by COVID-19 related digital fraud
As online fraud attempts against businesses continue to escalate, one in three consumers stated that they have been targeted by a digital fraud scheme related to COVID-19 during the second quarter of 2021. TransUnion’s Consumer Pulse study in June 2021 found that approximately 36% of global survey respondents said they were targeted by fraudsters in COVID-19 related digital schemes. The same percentage of respondents (36%) in Canada also said they were targeted.
Phishing is the top type of COVID-19 related digital fraud impacting global consumers in Q2 2021. Phishing is a cybercrime that uses methods like email, text messages and websites to steal personal information, which criminals use to commit identity and financial crimes. Among global consumers who say they were targeted with COVID-19-related digital fraud, 33% state they have been targeted by or fallen victim to such fraud. Stolen credit card or fraudulent charges was the second most cited type of COVID-19 related online fraud among those targeted, affecting global consumers at 24%. In Canada, phishing was number one at 41% followed by stolen credit card or fraudulent charges at 25%.
“More than one in three Canadians surveyed have been targeted by or fallen victim to digital fraud during the pandemic, placing even more pressure on businesses to ensure their customers are confident in transacting with them,” said Kelly. “As fraudsters continue to target consumers, it’s incumbent on businesses to do all that they can to ensure their customers have an appropriate level of security to trust their transaction is safe all while having a friction-right experience to avoid shopping cart abandonment.”
Canada
Aviatrix enters North America for first time with Ontario launch
Award-winning crash game Aviatrix is now live in North America for the very first time, after securing a licence and certification in the Canadian province of Ontario.
Aviatrix has been granted a Gaming-Related Supplier (B2B) Licence by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), meaning Ontario-licensed operators can now offer the game.
It’s the first time players in North America will be able to enjoy Aviatrix, marking another major milestone in the remarkable two-year journey of the game.
Aviatrix was helped through the AGCO licensing and certification process by BetComply.
Anastasia Rimskaya, Chief Account Officer at Aviatrix, said: “We committed to expanding Aviatrix’s regulated footprint, and this is another huge step. We’re already present in many markets across Europe, so it is fantastic to add a province in Canada to the list. We are sure that players in Ontario are going to find Aviatrix every bit as enjoyable as their counterparts elsewhere.”
Aviatrix has added multiple new regulated markets over the past few weeks, including Italy, Sweden and the Netherlands.
It was also recently named ‘Game of the Year’ at the EGR Operator Awards 2024.
Canada
Gift Responsibly: Lottery Tickets Aren’t Child’s Play
While sharing gifts with family and friends is a wonderful tradition during the holiday season, Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) reminds parents and adults that all lottery products, including INSTANT tickets, are a form of gambling and are not suitable gifts for children and minors.
While lottery products make great gift ideas for a variety of special occasions, these products are for adults only. It’s vital that parents and adults understand the proven risks and impacts associated with underage gambling. If you decide to buy lottery gifts for friends and family, please ensure the recipients are at least 18 years of age and older.
There is extensive free information and various resources available dealing with youth and gambling:
The YMCA Youth Gambling Awareness Program (YGAP) is a free service funded by Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care to raise awareness among youth of gambling risks, how to make informed decisions, and healthy, active lifestyles.
The Gambling, Gaming and Technology Use (GGTU) program at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) supports addictions and mental health service providers through continuing professional development, digital tools and resources, and facilitating knowledge mobilization activities related to problem gambling, video gaming, and internet addiction.
The Responsible Gambling Council (RGC), an independent non-profit organization focused on the prevention of problem gambling in Canada and worldwide, with information on Teens or Young Adults and gambling.
Also, OLG’s award winning PlaySmart.ca program can help parents understand the facts when it comes to games, and concepts like odds and randomness. There’s also a “Finding Help” section with links to the support resources above and more.
OLG has supported the Holiday Campaign from the National Council of Problem Gambling and the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries (NASPL) for many years, which encourages lotteries in Canada, US, and around the world to promote the important message that lottery products are not suitable for children at any time.
Canada
The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians Plans to Open a Gaming Facility in Benzonia
The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians plans to open a gaming facility in Benzonia.
“The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians wishes to share with the public the exciting news that the tribe will open a new gaming facility on its trust land in Benzie County. The facility will create much-needed new employment opportunities and stimulate economic growth for the tribe and for the local community,” reads an undated press release on the tribe’s website.
The gaming facility will be located at the tribe’s community center at 7282 Hoadley Road, in Benzonia, according to the release.
At the Nov. 26 Benzie County Board of Commissioners, John Petoskey spoke to commissioners about the gaming facility on behalf of the tribe.
Petoskey said he had been in contact with county officials about the gaming facility.
“What the tribe would like to do is to open a gaming facility on Hoadly Road just down the street from the Wesco gas station,” Petoskey said.
He said the tribe submitted a notice of notification to the National Indian Gaming Commission and the Office of Indian Gaming in the summer of 2023.
“In the view of the tribe, this site is eligible for gaming under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act under what’s know as restored land exception to the categorical prohibition of gaming after 1988. That was basically the same argument the tribe used for Turtle Creek and was successful in that case,” Petoskey said.
He said state officials also have been notified of the tribe’s intent.
Petoskey said federal officials had 120 days to review the notice and object.
“At this point, they have not raised objections, so our internal gaming commission at the Grand Traverse Band issued a gaming license on Nov. 21,” he said.
He said after the license was issued, the tribe reached out to Benzie County officials so that they would know what was going on at tribal land and could answer questions from the public.
The tribal center will be renovated to accommodate gaming The tribe also has a housing development on the property.
Petoskey said the facility will feature slot machines and table games.
Work on the renovation has already started, including electrical and architectural work.
Expanded parking may be constructed if “demand is sufficient” Petoskey said.
He also said the gaming facility would create between 20 and 50 jobs.
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