Stay safe while playing bingo

Online bingo is one of the fastest growing ways to spend time relaxing at home. As far back as 2006, research by Global Betting and Gaming Consultants revealed that the revenue generated by online bingo was half a billion dollars, with predictions that by 2010 the amount would surpass the billion dollar mark. The UK has been identified as the fastest growing market for online bingo for some time and this means that this is potentially a lucrative market, not just for bingo companies and players but, unfortunately, also for conmen, cheats and scammers.

Bingo is one of the safest forms of online entertainment; however, while the best bingo sites have rigorous security standards in place to ensure your personal data is meticulously protected, it is still worth being aware of the dangers that exist in cyberspace.

Even with such stringent security measures there are still dangers lurking out there and it's therefore necessary to highlight the importance of remaining safe and secure online while playing. Outlined below are five top tips to ensure that your online bingo experience remains safe, secure and enjoyable.

1. Never respond to suspicious emails asking you for passwords or personal data

Email 'phishing' is a real problem in all walks of life. If you receive an official looking email from your bingo company (or indeed any other company) asking you to send them your password or other sensitive information, do not respond under any circumstances. It's highly unlikely a company would ever contact you in this way and ask for such information. Should you receive such an email it's most likely a 'phishing' attempt by a hacker to procure your login data and/or other personal information.

2. Never give out specific personal or financial information over an insecure connection, such as in a chat room or in a forum

The social side of bingo is hugely important to many; indeed, one of the specific advantages to playing online bingo with Ladbrokes is that chat facilities are provided to help you keep in contact with your fellow players. It is, however, wisest to never give out personal information to people, such as names of your children, addresses, phone numbers etc. Although the people you are chatting to may mean you no harm, if the connection is unsecure you have no idea who else is accessing this information.

3. Beware scammers

If somebody contacts you out of the blue via email or in a forum stating that if you provide them with your password they can get you six free tickets for your favourite games, or something similar, then it is almost certain they are a scammer. The simple rule is, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If something is not clearly official, then it most likely is a scam of some form.

4. Only input financial information over a secure connection

Reputable bingo sites will always ensure that when they take payment from you, they will do so over a secure server. It is easy to check this as the web address should be prefixed by https:// (with the s signifying that this is a secure server). If you are in any doubt about the security of the transaction, do not proceed until you have sought official clarification.

5. Ensure your PC and bingo account are password protected

If you do not have sole access to your PC, then it is sensible to ensure that to access your account and personal information, you need to enter a password. This is an easy way to stop others logging into your PC and using your account to play the games without your knowledge or permission.