Australia’s telecom watchdog is warning local gamblers that promotional come-ons from international online casinos could be a front for spreading malware or stealing personal information.

This week, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) issued a ‘scam alert’ advising gamblers to “be wary of suspicious emails or SMS claiming to be from online gambling websites offering credit or in-game bonuses.”

ACMA member Fiona Cameron said the watchdog had identified a ‘significant’ spike in the number of complaints regarding emails and text messages promoting a variety of online casinos, with the most common complaints citing Roo Casino, Pokie Spins, Bonza Spins and Syndicate Casino as the sources of their discontent.

Cameron said these messages – over 6k cases of which have been identified this year – offered users the chance of obtain free spins and/or upfront credit but warned that these campaigns were nothing more than “a phishing expedition to steal your identity or infect your computer with malicious malware.”