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CREDIT CARD SKIMMER LIKES INTERNET POKER
Published: 2006-04-23
 Keep your eyes on those credit cards
Swedish police in Skaraborg, Sweden were closing in on a credit card skimmer this week following reports of losses on Internet poker sites that the real card holders had never visited.
Nine local residents reported that their bank accounts had been hit by withdrawals, apparently through large payments to Internet poker websites that the card holders claimed they had never visited. The complainants told the police that according to their bank statements, each lost an average of 10 000 kronor in the scam.
The police investigators quickly identified a common thread, because all nine complainants had earlier shopped in the same (non-gambling) venue.... and paid with the abused credit cards.
The indications are that a cashier at the shop either wrote down or otherwise recorded the critical information on the credit cards, and then either sold on the information or used the details to gamble in Internet poker rooms. The fraudster is thought to have registered with false names and addresses and then supplied the details from the cards.
The nine people who were prejudiced in the scam have been reimbursed by the Internet poker rooms concerned, and an arrest is thought to be imminent, according to a police spokesman.
"It seems that the banks aren't putting any pressure on these poker sites to begin checking that the card number matches the name - maybe that's a bit slack," said police Inspector Christer Jönsson in a remarkable understatement.
The case again highlights the need for care with credit cards...and a definite requirement for Internet poker room operators to tighten up on security checks. The police report did not identify the poker websites concerned.
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Condos & Poker Chips
Published: 2006-04-21
 By Jim Merritt
Las Vegas, Nevada, is apparently ready to gamble on the growing condo-hotel market trend.
In January, the Las Vegas Sun reported that "the first near-Strip condo-hotels are scheduled to open in the first half of 2006, bringing a new hotel concept to Las Vegas."
The 255-room, $85 million Platinum condo-hotel property is scheduled to be completed this month on East Flamingo Road, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority online construction report.
But a much larger property is on the desert horizon.
The W Las Vegas Hotel, Casino and Residences, reportedly to be the largest W property and the first of the boutique brand with a casino, is currently in the pre-public, pre-construction phase of reservations.
The property is being developed by Edge Star Partners in partnership with Starwood. A Welcome Center is currently under construction to introduce W Las Vegas Residences to the general public.
Demand so far has been "overwhelming," says Maggie Feldman, spokeswoman for W Las Vegas. In addition to a casino, the property will include "destination" dining, nightlife and a Bliss spa.
The W Las Vegas is expected to break ground in early 2007, and open in 2009. It will feature two towers of about 50 stories each with a total of 4,000 units. Prices will start at $650,000 for a studio, and one bedrooms will also be available; owners will have the option of turning their units into part-time hotel accommodations.
"I think the most popular option will be the condo hotel model where the rooms are rented out to hotel guests and the owner shares the revenue that's generated," Feldman said. The revenue split is yet to be determined, she said.
A W spokesman said the brand had its sights set on Vegas for a long time.
"Las Vegas is like no other city in the world and has been on the top of W's development strategy for years," said Ross Klein, President of W Hotels.
Klein said, "The brand is setting the stage for a dramatic entry into one of the world's most important, exciting destinations."
Klein continued, "The W Las Vegas will offer guests extraordinary experiences at every turn through the brand's lifestyle elements - provocative spaces, delightful indulgences and experiential surprises that will be unheard of even by 'Vegas' standards."
Kevin Bagger, research director of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, said, "As Las Vegas continues to evolve, the condo hotel product is yet another new facet for Las Vegas lodging as several large projects are planned or under construction. We're excited to see the new condo-hotel properties open, but it's too early to measure their impact on the destination."
Feldman believes that W will settle into a niche in Vegas. Feldman noted, "Currently in Las Vegas, there's a spectrum ranging from the younger more party-oriented hotels… aimed at the young trend setting crowd, and at the other end, luxury hotels … W has skillfully combined those two (markets) as a fashion forward stylish hotel that is still very upscale and luxurious. That's what's missing in Vegas, and that's why the W brand will do so well here."
The January Las Vegas Sun article reported that "a handful (of) condo-hotels have been announced in recent months. Among the properties is a 1,282 unit Trump International Hotel is expected to open early next year.
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