Widow suspects online bingo fraud

A widow has claimed that she was defrauded £9,000 while playing online bingo, and is now trying to claim her money back from the three sites that she had accounts with. Rita Tapping, a 63 year old bingo player from Whitley Wood Road in Reading, says that she was only spending £20 at a time and that that thieves must have somehow managed to get access to her account, spending a massive £9,000 without her knowledge.

The lady believes that the thieves managed to access her account due to her unprotected wireless router. “My only crime was I used an unprotected wireless router. I think somebody local picked up on that. They did not need to get into my account because I was already in it. They picked up on where I was and I believe they gambled for fun and kicks,” she said.

What do you think, will she see any of that money back from the bingo sites? I seriously doubt it.

Spending sure does creep up on you when you're gambling. She very likely spent it herself without realizing it.

Even if she didn't, she won't see any of that money back from the bingo site. How was she depositing? Didn't she realize the money was missing from her bingo account or bank account? I'd miss 9 grand!

Surely she would have to do a chargeback on all the deposits that she [allegedly] didn't make.

Speaks volumes for ewallets! 

blue

Hi Johnny,

There was a bingo article some time back on this very story. If i remember correctly she said she was under tremendous stress because her husband was sick and then passed away.

What i find odd about the entire situation is that she seemed extremely focused on this so called "fraud". If your husband has just passed away wouldn't your focus be over grieving and not so much the fraud?

Don't get me wrong this is a lot of money if indeed if her account was hijacked. But i have read many comments from her about this situation and something just doesn't add up.

How could she not see her account dwindling? How come when there was a win a withdrawal was requested directly back into her account? If someone did hack into her account then what purpose was there because the hacker never earned a dime off it.

She was under extreme stress and had to quit her job to nurse her husband. I think what happened is during that time she found solace playing online bingo. It is a very common thing to do when someone is under that type of stress to set up a distraction.

From what i understand the local authorities are not buying her story.

Lips

Thanks for the further details Lips. One thing is pretty clear to me: she won't get any money from the bingo sites because those sites are not to blame for her unprotected wireless router. That is if she's telling the truth. If not, I guess all this fuss might be a way to deal with the pain of losing her husband.