Villa Fortuna? Clever(ish) spam.

[vinylweatherman]

Dear Brian, please find attached your official invitation to Europe's #1 new online casino.

As one of our best customers, I managed to get you an invite to the pre-launch party of Villafortuna.com, the NEW, ALL European Casino! You can be assured of easy banking, great odds and excellent customer service. We will also give you 25 Euro FREE to try it out (no purchase required). All you have to do is download the casino and register as a real player.

The quick way there is to just click on the link below:
xxxwww.villafortuna.com

I really appreciate any feedback you may have regarding this casino and, with permission, will contact you later in the week.

ALSO PLEASE NOTE that the games are available in Italian, German, Spanish and French but that certain aspects of the website and software are currently in English only.
Everything will be available in your favourite language by the time the casino officially launches on 1 July 2008.


Enjoy your FREE BONUS MONEY and best of luck,

Mario
Villa Fortuna News.


This one got me going. Walked right through my ISP's usually oversensitive filters, yet has all the "wrong" words, an affiliate link, and even shows as having an attachment that seems to be "invisible" - I can't access it from "save attachments", yet the paperclip icon clearly shows.

My genuine first name is also shown, although the subject line gives the game away

"Your pre-launch invitation ##FIRSTNAME##. "

The sender is shown as:-

"Villafortuna News [[email protected]]"

I have never heard of them, who are they?

It's the kind of name I feel Fortune Lounge might pick for one of theirs, but they have just shed overcapacity by going down to 8 casinos.

The link LOOKS "clean", but that "invisible attachment" has got me decided NOT to risk it - something is up with this Email.

If this is somehow a botched marketing ploy by some real casino with a rep here, they had better fess up, and take some advice on how NOT to invite players "out of the blue" with weird looking Emails that just scream "VIRUS Included" at them!

 

[lots0]

Ill tell you whats up with that email.....

Generic7.scd.... A Trojan Horse Downloader

If you opened the email, run a full virus scan ASAP.

 

[jolub]

I have my emails scanned before they arrive in my inbox but I still don't trust all the crap that I get scammed with. If you don't ask for something, don't open the email offering it to you.

 

[jetset]

I think this must be a rogue affiliate, because this is an imminent Microgaming powered online casino licensed in Malta and registered to Iconic (Malta) Ltd. The management is allegedly very experienced in the business.

I've drawn the attention of appropriate people to the virus loaded spam.

 

[chuchu59]

Are they trying to cashin on Villa's reputation after his 3 goals for Spain?

 

[vd752]

it's a new casino from Grand Prive


according to Grand Prive affiliate manager post at CAP

... a small list of players were sent invitations to play at Villa Fortuna. ... These players were invited to play at the casino as a means to generate wagering, which is one of the requirements of getting the brand licensed.

...

Should you find any players posting on any of your forums with regards to Villa Fortuna, please delete the posts immediately. We are not looking for the brand to be advertised in this manner.

We will advise on the affiliate program for this brand closer to the time of launch, which we hope will be no later than 1 August. ....

Hope this help.

 

[GrandMaster]

I think this must be a rogue affiliate, because this is an imminent Microgaming powered online casino licensed in Malta and registered to Iconic (Malta) Ltd. The management is allegedly very experienced in the business.

Players need something better than an allegedly very experienced management. HippoJo was announced to have "substantial backers" and "highly experienced and respected Australian online gambling consultant" and we all know what happened.

 

[jetset]

it's a new casino from Grand Prive according to Grand Prive affiliate manager post at CAP
Hope this help.

Thanks for that information, vd752 - perhaps you could advise the affiliate manager concerned at CAP about the virus mentioned in Lots0's post - presumably that's the last thing they want happening.

 

[jetset]

Players need something better than an allegedly very experienced management. HippoJo was announced to have "substantial backers" and "highly experienced and respected Australian online gambling consultant" and we all know what happened.

You're clearly stating the obvious.

 

[vd752]

Thanks for that information, vd752 - perhaps you could advise the affiliate manager concerned at CAP about the virus mentioned in Lots0's post - presumably that's the last thing they want happening.

I don't see any proof that there e-mail contains a virus, just a supposition in first post and a guess in second. Sorry if I'm wrong.

 

[lots0]

I don't see any proof that there e-mail contains a virus, just a supposition in first post and a guess in second. Sorry if I'm wrong.

Yes it was a guess on my part.
However, I think it would be appropriate to at least call it an "Educated Guess".

Also, I expect VWM will post the results of his virus scan sometime today.

 

[LOOKAWAY]

I also got a email from this casino i think the main problem with this new casino is the fact there robbing the affiliates from there sign ups thats the word on the web right now.

I thought at first glance it could be related to grand prize because off "do not reply" bit off the email address it was sent from as you all know grand prize has the same deal.

Also it looked like an affiliate link to the casino but the from and reply to email addresses were both from villa fortune i have no problems with that as the free 25 euros was for the pre launch off there casino.

I know that they have got my personal details now looking like grand prive but what can i do.

But it does look like they are all out on bypassing affiliates at any means which i have no problem with either.

Maybe this is the future for when well established casino groups want to open a new casino as they allready got alot off private infomation from sign ups.

 

[vinylweatherman]

All the more confusing

There seems to be a difference of opinion as to what's going on, so WHY didn't the Email make this abundantly clear from the outset?

IF they are so experienced, this experience does not extend to the internet, otherwise they would have made steps to ensure the Email did not look so "dodgy", so as to be mistaken for the avalanche of spam, viruses, and trojans.

Nothing can happen, as I have my Email registered in the "restricted" zone, which is set as tight as a duck's a*** - drive by downloads fail, activex is forbidden, and I didn't click on the attachment.

I normally save attachments and scan them first, but this was not possible as although it was shown with the paperclip symbol, the "save attachments" drop down menu was empty, which made me suspect the coding of the link itself (embedded JAVA or such like).

Unfortunately, this story will not go away, if they didn't want this new casino all over the forums, they should have thought about their launch process a bit better.

If this is Grand Prive, why me? I am KING level, but rarely see the "regular weekly offers" that are supposedly part of the programme, so why on earth would they want me "abusing" their new casino - even encouraging it with a free chip.

As far as I am concerned, I would get big offers for a couple of months, lose 2K to 3K, and then get banned from further offers. I would also want to know how my status at both sites would interact when it came to promotions.

 

[LOOKAWAY]

Hi vwm i dont see what the problem is unless you are a affiliate.

They are obviously from a big casino group where they got are private info from.

The email was signed off by Mario Villa Fortuna News, we all get news promos from casinos that we are signed up at.

Plus sent and reply email addresses were both from villa fortuna casino.

I dont see this as spam because its from a casino that made good off there 25 instant euros.

Thats the kind off email i like to receive.

The only issues that are going to go on are there sneaky marketing and excluding affiliates.

I think i will now reply to that email and ask how they got my personal details if they reply and tell me how and why i will see this matter resolved.

And watch on as the affiliates sharpen there blades and oil there guns.

 

[vinylweatherman]

Hi vwm i dont see what the problem is unless you are a affiliate.

They are obviously from a big casino group where they got are private info from.

The email was signed off by Mario Villa Fortuna News, we all get news promos from casinos that we are signed up at.

Plus sent and reply email addresses were both from villa fortuna casino.

I dont see this as spam because its from a casino that made good off there 25 instant euros.

Thats the kind off email i like to receive.

The only issues that are going to go on are there sneaky marketing and excluding affiliates.

I think i will now reply to that email and ask how they got my personal details if they reply and tell me how and why i will see this matter resolved.

And watch on as the affiliates sharpen there blades and oil there guns.

How would I know how "reputable" they might be. There is NO information in this regard whatsoever, I don't know who is behind them, and how the heck they got my personal info given that REPUTABLE casinos have been at great pains to explain that they DON'T PASS OUR INFO ON.

The fact that they make good on a free chip is irrelevant, I got my free chip from Crystal Palace and VIP Lounge (RTG) with no argument - payment was (Crystal Palace) and could have been (the other one) a different matter altogether.

I have now received another mailer from them, this time without the dodgy looking invisible attachment, and it had a link to the terms of this offer, or rather it didn't, the links all go to a landing page where the only available function is to download the casino, no "about us" "promotions" etc as would normally be expected.

This is EXACTLY how spammy affiliates work, and I notice that the link contains an "affid", so it is from an affiliate. If it was direct, surely there would be no affiliate tracking.

If it is from Grand Prive, then it would be a waste of time since I got promo banned a second time after winning the princely sum of 400 from a 200 deposit with no bonus claimed. Maybe they do this if the last transaction is a withdrawal, but it doesn't say this in the terms, all it says is that you cannot have two consecutive bonuses, you must make an unbonused minimum deposit between claiming another bonus.

 

[Nicole50]

Villa fortuna-Grandprive

The fact that you log in with the email indicate that they are from Grand prive group as Grand prive has offered long times ago to log in with the email adress to all the casinos they have.

When you open new account, there is no casino number. You email is the one

 

[vinylweatherman]

The fact that you log in with the email indicate that they are from Grand prive group as Grand prive has offered long times ago to log in with the email adress to all the casinos they have.

When you open new account, there is no casino number. You email is the one

Well, this just HAS to be spam then, as I already have a Grand Prive account. If indeed I opened a new account at Villa Fortuna without knowing it was Grand Prive, I would have ended up with the dreaded duplicate account problem there, and be branded a fraud.
It seems therefore that I already HAVE an account at Villa Fortuna, so why are they not addressing me by my Grand Prive group account number, as they do in all the other promos (when I see them that is).

Maybe I WILL, after all, download this one, and see if my current Grand Prive login works (this will prove the link).
I also know that to claim a free chip, I need a bonus code, so where is it

I may even get back on the promo list - it seems taking the 100 no deposit chip from the magazine got me on the list, and withdrawing that 600 knocked me off again. It would give me the chance to test the theory that it is making withdrawals that get you knocked off their promos, and that maybe (unlike Casino Rewards), a modest deposit is all that is needed to get back on the list (which seems to be automated).

 

[Nicole50]

In my view when Grand prive have many casinos, you have the right to have in each casino one account. What will be the difference is to have different password in each casino. They can not charge you with opening duplicate account as they lunched new casino. That's my own view. it is better to send them an email about this issue. I have not played in this group since longtimes ago.Only today I received an email inviting me to open an acount at Villafortuna with 25 free bonus no deposit.
The 25 free will be credited when opening an account. I have opened an account and went to see the banking page, then I saw the 25 free in my account. I enjoyed but no winning of course.

 

[LOOKAWAY]

Yeah my 25 was instant to i took euros just incase i got nothing for pounds.

I also have an account at all grand prive casinos and taken the sign up at each long time back except at there new flash casino.

I have had a welcome email from this casino since joining up and a another just now to confirm my personal details.

And they also asked what time off day i could be contacted at to say welcome or gave me a number to call.

It will probably be more off a sales pitch than a welcome anyway, dont like it when casinos do this, no i do not want phone contact some players like it thou.

Maybe if you do sign up VWM that will give you the perfect chance to let rip.

They also do a high roller match deal deposit 2k receive 1k bonus i think its like away to also improve your vip standing at there casino, if there the best in europe just for opening then there gonna need vip players.

I see other casinos do that also, jump start you player rating but its just to get 2k off your money, ok thou if you can keep it up or have a good system.

 

[jetset]

Maybe a little O/T, but here's another MGS powered casino I hadn't noticed before:

Red Flush Casino.

 

[ternur]

Got the email and proceeded to open account. Only to find out my country was on the not allowed list.

 

[vinylweatherman]

Got the email and proceeded to open account. Only to find out my country was on the not allowed list.

Again, this makes it look like spam, as if this was REALLY a personal invite to a known player, this would not happen.

Perhaps this casino has engaged affiliates already, and it is one of these that has started sending these out as spam to random Email addresses. Since the casino is actually running this promo, it works - players sign up and do indeed get the free chip. Now I want to see tales of players getting PAID just as easily.

As for one account per casino with Grand Prive, NO!! this has happened to another player who signed up at one two years ago, and used a different Email address and sign-up recently at another, and was locked for duplicate accounts because the original sign-up was a group wide one, giving him TWO group wide accounts after the second sign-up (complaints section earlier this year).

The fact that Villa Fortuna is a legitimate casino is irrelevant, as this is also the case for most spam, such as the Palace Group, Club World, etc spam recently doing the rounds.

 

[dynamitewoman]

From fortuna casino:
Should you find any players posting on any of your forums with regards to Villa Fortuna, please delete the posts immediately. We are not looking for the brand to be advertised in this manner
***************************
And how do they want the brand advertised? It sounds as though they expect negative feedback and are attempting some damage control before it happens.
it takes some cooperation between webmasters and casino owners to arbitrarily delete posts that do not reflect what the site may be promoting as " their truth". I may be very naive about this, but is this a common grant that a casino operator may conclude is a standard operational agreement?
I, for one, would stop posting at any forum that deleted a post at the request of a gaming site owner because it was not to his liking.

 

[vinylweatherman]

From fortuna casino:
Should you find any players posting on any of your forums with regards to Villa Fortuna, please delete the posts immediately. We are not looking for the brand to be advertised in this manner
***************************
And how do they want the brand advertised? It sounds as though they expect negative feedback and are attempting some damage control before it happens.
it takes some cooperation between webmasters and casino owners to arbitrarily delete posts that do not reflect what the site may be promoting as " their truth". I may be very naive about this, but is this a common grant that a casino operator may conclude is a standard operational agreement?I, for one, would stop posting at any forum that deleted a post at the request of a gaming site owner because it was not to his liking.

Not here it isn't

Villa Fortuna are wasting their time if they think they are going to gag this discussion.

Given that they stated they wanted to generate some wagering in order to get a gaming licence, surely anything that drew in players would be of benefit.

If they were so secretive that there was no independent information about them (as they would seem to prefer), only the naive newbies would play, or is this perhaps their intention

They would have been better off telling those players who they were backed by in the Email, this might have made them more likely to open the account than ask questions on a forum.

Had MY invite clearly stated this was a new Grand Prive casino they wanted to try out with existing players at their main sites, and offering a free chip to play and comment - I would have done so, and not bothered asking "Villa who?" here at Casinomeister, and lamenting that the spammers are getting ever cleverer at looking legit.

 

[LOOKAWAY]

Hi again it just dont make sense as i spoke to a web master about this before this topic and i was told that they would not place villa fortuna banners on the website and would put a warning in script when ever the casino name was mentioned.

Due to the fact they were going around affiliates so not paying them there dues.

So for them to say that they would like web masters to delete posts dont make sense as they are not on side.

I have not looked but can anyone find a villa fortuna banner on any website, as i have not come across one ever!