Administrators and support staff do their very best to keep the membership of BBO free of any user-abusers, profanity-slingers, spam-pasters and suspected cheaters. It’s what keeps the bridge experience on BBO great for everyone.

This doesn’t mean that BBO is immune to the occasional member who believes they can alter, bend or break the rules.

Have you spotted a suspected rule violation, cheating attempt, game irregularity or abusive member on BBO?

Here’s what you can do about it.

BBO Abuse Helpline

If you’ve experienced or seen any abuse, suspicious results or spam from a BBO member, the right place to contact is the BBO Abuse Department.

Reporting any instances of abuse is the right thing to do. In doing so, you’re helping to make the BBO team’s job a lot easier – and you might even save other members a lot of potential trouble.

Remember: BBO can only help when they know about the issue!

• BBO Abuse Help: [email protected]

Collect Possible Proof

If you think you’ve seen anyone step over the rules during a game, in a message or on the BBO Forums, collect any possible proof.

This is typically a collection of boards where the bidding or play seems suspicious.

Next, here’s what not to do.

What NOT to Do

• Don’t engage a suspected cheater or internet troll.

Engaging a suspected cheater or an internet troll is a lot like building them a podium and handing them a megaphone instead – it’s what they’re after, and it only serves to make them louder and more annoying in the majority of cases.

Don’t engage anyone once you notice that a reaction is all they’re trying to get.

Instead, report them.

• Don’t turn a blind eye, either.
  
  Don’t turn a blind eye to rule violations or online abuses.
  
  It happens, even if it doesn’t happen to you. Report it where you see it and save another player the time and effort of having to.
  
• Don’t publicize on sheer suspicion.
  
  Don’t publicize a suspected cheat in the absence of an official ruling.
  
  While it might be tempting for many people to go public the moment they’ve spotted a cheat, this could only serve as more trouble later on – and it might even turn into legal kind of trouble.
  Instead, file a report first.
  
• Don’t be the cheat.

It has to be said: Anything other than good, honest bridge play is more than frowned upon in these parts. Rule violations, cheats or reports from other members about abuse gets you banned.