Warning: PokerStars.com stole my initial $100 deposit.

This week I signed up for a PokerStars account, and used their e-check feature to transfer $100 from my Bank account to a new PokerStars account.

30 minutes prior to the beginning of the tournament I wanted to register for, I was logged out of the PokerStars system and my account was frozen.

They demanded a copy of my State ID, a copy of a recent utility bill, a copy of a recent bank statement, and a form filled out with my personal information. Despite the fact that I found this request invasive and unnecessary, I complied with the demand by taking photos of all requested documentation (except the bank statement, which was provided in PDF format).

I received a reply stating that the photos were not sufficient - they needed them documents to be scanned or faxed. This is ridiculous. I don't have a scanner or fax machine, and quite frankly, I've already gone above and beyond in providing this documentation in the first place. At this point, I'm extremely annoyed and just want my $100 returned to my bank account. I would never give PokerStars my business after treatment like this. Here's where it gets insane...

THEY WILL NOT RETURN MY MONEY TO MY BANK ACCOUNT: "we will need that you send the forms
previously requested. Unfortunately if you don't comply with our security
procedure, the account and the funds will be frozen."

This is ridiculous! They won't even provide a phone number so I can speak with a human being about this.

FAIR WARNING: IF YOU HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH POKERSTARS, YOU MAY BE LEFT WITHOUT RECOURSE.

Really don't see why you can't just do what they ask.

Stars is the BIGGEST poker room. They arent going to steal your money. Comply and you'll get everything resolved.

Originally Posted by Bbickes

Really don't see why you can't just do what they ask.

+1

Scan necessary docs at Kinkos...save to memory stick...take home and attach to e-mail. The procedures are in place for a good reason. This isn't rocket science.

This sounds typical of UK money laundering regulations, they are obliged to do it. once your ID is verified you are good to go and withdrawals should be a piece of cake. You'll find many poker rooms will have similar procedures in place especially if there is any uk gaming regulation involved.

LOL @ a "warning" about Pokerstars.

Yeah with the millions of dollars they make per week in rake, they sure needed to steal your $100 deposit.

Originally Posted by givememyleg

Yeah with the millions of dollars they make per week in rake, they sure needed to steal your $100 deposit.

1,000,100 this week!

Originally Posted by Bbickes

Really don't see why you can't just do what they ask.

UNDERAGE GAMBLING

Um-just replied to this same post on another forum. Give them what they want, trying to trash the biggest poker site and one in my opinion with the best security to people who deal with them daily not going to work. Repeat-give them what they want.

1 post, common, if this was UB, or Absolute we would understand. But its POKERSTARS, the biggest poker room in the WORLD. they are not going to steal 100 bucks from anyone.
Quit your Bullshit Defamation and give them what they want. FUCK!!

Unprincipled teat-sucklers abound I see.

It's not defamation unless I'm not telling the truth. I've requested someone call me to discuss it like a human, but that request has been dismissed.

Why should I comply with their requests for invasive information when when all I want at this point is my money back?

Let me repeat for those who suck at reading comprehension...

I DON'T EVEN WANT TO PLAY ON THE SITE. I JUST WANT THE MONEY BACK IN MY ACCOUNT.

You people saying I should simply do what they demand, in order to get my money back - are you serious? Have you no principles?

The subject line is a bit scandalous and ridiculous, but at this point it's true. *shrug*

I'd be happy to delete the post when they simply refund my money to my bank account. Until then, they're simple thieves, no matter how large and/or popular their OFFSHORE, UNREGULATED organization is.

Mods...deem this NSFW so it doesn't tilt me so much. A titless thread trashing the biggest poker site in the world tilts me.

So what is it you're trying to hide from PokerStars?

Yes they're simply theives that happily send many of us regulars our checks/merchandise/bonuses etc. in a timely manner after we have completed required procedures. (Note the sarcasm in case it was lost in translation)

Why is it that you can't just complete the required procedure?

Here's a principle for you: Shut the fuck up and do what you're told. Unfortunately not many people can do this so they typically don't last very long around here, and hence, wind up either busto or grinding 4nl for some money to buy cheeseburgers.

If you didn't want to play on the site why the fuck did you deposit money there? Sounds pretty retarded, but that's just my opinion.

Just comply to their request, there"s nothing to lose if you heed to their demand. Those are just ordinary request fro Pokerstars to verify your new account. Question: Do you have multiple poker account with Pokerstars?

Originally Posted by atikabo

Just comply to their request, there"s nothing to lose if you heed to their demand. Those are just ordinary request fro Pokerstars to verify your new account. Question: Do you have multiple poker account with Pokerstars?

Why don't you listen to what I wrote earlier. THEY HAVE TO VERIFY YOUR ID UNDER UK MONEY LAUNDERING REGULATIONS. You are unwilling /unable to comply with their request so as far as Stars sees it you are trying to deposit 100 and withdraw it. Had you just withdrawn it, that money could effectively have been "laundered" and gone from dubious origin to "I got this money from pokerstars."
You claim that they are unregulated, but their financial transactions are regulated by the UK's Financial Services Authority , hence the need that they have to comply with the FSA's requirements and why you have to comply with pokerstars requirements .

So bearing this in mind , together with Atikabo's quote ....what do you have to hide???
are you trying to use multiple first deposit bonuses ?
Are you Underage?
Do you live somewhere where online gambling is prohibited and therefore breaking the terms and conditions that stars sets?

Originally Posted by Keith_MM

Do you live somewhere where online gambling is prohibited and therefore breaking the terms and conditions that stars sets?

Yeah, uh, me and every other US resident? Probably 80% of their total membership... LOL

Originally Posted by Micro2Macro

Here's a principle for you: Shut the fuck up and do what you're told.

Spoken like a true b!tch. Does your husband know you're using his computer?

Originally Posted by TheBradford

Originally Posted by Keith_MM

Do you live somewhere where online gambling is prohibited and therefore breaking the terms and conditions that stars sets?

Yeah, uh, me and every other US resident? Probably 80% of their total membership... LOL

I highlighted the relevant part of my post . Stars terms and conditions clearly state

. The Software is licensed to you by PokerStars for your private personal use. Please note that the Software is not for use by (i) individuals under 18 years of age, (ii) individuals under the legal age of majority in their jurisdiction and (iii) individuals connecting to the Site from jurisdictions from which it is illegal to do so. PokerStars is not able to verify the legality of the Service in each jurisdiction and it is the User's responsibility to verify such matter.

1.3. We reserve the right at any time to request from you evidence of age in order to ensure that minors are not using the Service. We further reserve the right to suspend or cancel your account and exclude you, temporarily or permanently, from using the Service if satisfactory proof of age is not provided or if we suspect that you are underage.

1.3 seems to apply , however , you are publicly claiming that you are breaking 1.2(iii) as well , although stars do accept US citizens so not only are your facts wrong you complain when they enforce their own terms and conditions.

It's not expressly prohibited to play poker in the US online (except in WA and maybe one or two other states). It's not even prohibited to make a deposit if you can. It's certainly more difficult, but there are still ways of doing it. Obviously, you found a way. It's all there in the fine print though. You need to give them this info in order to access your deposit.

The other sites are similar from what I've read.

Ok that will be enough of this before it turns sour. Stars and every other poker site are now conforming to international money laundering regulations that are being enforced throughout the EU and other countries. I live in Canada and have finally started having to send ID to several sites even though I have successfully withdrawn hundreds of times before.

Also as a note to OP, poker is not illegal in the US of A only depositing money to poker sites. There are some states that disallow it but in general playing on sites like Pokerstars is totally legal. There are plenty of people that post on this site that regularly pay taxes on the earnings they make in the US playing poker for a living.

You can usually also just take a picture of the documents they want.

Originally Posted by spoonitnow

You can usually also just take a picture of the documents they want.

lol

Originally Posted by BennyLaRue

Originally Posted by spoonitnow

You can usually also just take a picture of the documents they want.

lol

2nd.

So I called my Bank and had them kill the transaction. Pokerstars can ki$$ my a$$.

Originally Posted by TheBradford

Originally Posted by BennyLaRue

Originally Posted by spoonitnow

You can usually also just take a picture of the documents they want.

lol

2nd.

Yeah, but we're doing it for different reasons.

Originally Posted by TheBradford

Originally Posted by Micro2Macro

Here's a principle for you: Shut the fuck up and do what you're told.

Spoken like a true b!tch. Does your husband know you're using his computer?

I can tell you have lots of potential with this poker thing, gl.

Anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism. Basically stops people moving money around. The reason they wont send it back to you is the same reason they ask for the documents in the first place. If you were a front for a crime syndicate they dont want to just give you the money back to try again.

This is them obeying the law, not screwing people over.

also helps prevent hackers from cashing out

I Don't think they just frozed your account for no reason

Pokerstars is the biggest online poker sites in the web. They will not jeopardize their reputation for a measly $100.00 because they earn millions on raked hands alone. If I were you I"ll just follow their request and submit all the necessary documents needed. They just want to be sure you are not underage or the same person in the I.D or creating multi account. Good luck and see you at the tables.

I definetely agree with TheBradford - just wish I had seen this post before yesterday.

I signed up to Pokerstars yesterday and the exact same thing happened to me.

If this was indeed to protect me then why don't they ask me to send these documents BEFORE they accept my payment?

What's even more annoying is that eventhough I have sent all relevant documents Pokerstars still havent opened up my account. I have sent them several e-mails in the last 24 hours.

Seriously, what gambling site in 2010 don't answer e-mails within 24 hours?

When I've been in contact with customer service at sites like Ladbrokes and Expekt I have always recieved replies to e-mails within just a couple of hours AND usually even given the option to live chat with a service person.

With pokerstars you just get standardized e-mail replies "we have recieved your request, we appreciate your patience" blablalba.

Let's see if they will ever activate my account. And if they do, if they will let me withdraw my funds, close my account and never return to this godforsaken site.

I am not saying that they are doing this to rip customers off. I am just saying they could do it in a much more convenient way!!! Why should they sit on my cash? Wouldn't it be better if they forced everyone to send these documents in BEFORE they make their first deposit? Or atleast inform their users that this is what's going to happen if they sign up.

Surely the only reason for this is that they know that nobody would ever sign up for their site if they indeed knew that they would have to send all these documents in.

I don't know about you people but I don't feel super comfortable sending my credit card bills, passport, credit card back/front etc etc. to some underpaid customer service person in Isle Of Man.

Websites like Expekt have perfectly safe payment methods in Sweden where you use your bank dongle to verify your purchase. Surely this wouldn't be a big hassle to implement for a company of PokerStars' size.

Again, regardless if you think they have the right to block accounts/hold cash or not. They should have more speedy customer service that can in fact unlock the account within HOURS not DAYS / WEEKS when the appropriate documents have been e-mailed.

Do you know that the money has actually reached Stars account yet? Ive got a feeling that in sweden bank to bank transfers are almost instantaneous....still takes some time here in the uk .....where the money just happens to sit in the banks account for a bit earning them interest. If iots not reached stars account they won't unlock your account as you may blow the lot then try and cancel the transfer and stars lose out.

in one sentence you say its not on for slow customer service then you acknowledge the size of poker stars.As a result of that size is it possible that they could just be very busy, or waiting for your funds to get to them?

I don't know about you people but I don't feel super comfortable sending my credit card bills, passport, credit card back/front etc etc. to some underpaid customer service person in Isle Of Man.

kinda ironic that you brought up expekt then who are on IPOKER i beleive. There have been a few sites on the ipoker network where the site owners have "run off" with the players funds. Its part of the anti terrorism and money laundering regulations that these details are requested( although the cynical could add in some big brother type connotations as well)

Originally Posted by TheBradford

Why should I comply with their requests for invasive information when when all I want at this point is my money back?

this is quite funny. do you see a link at all between aforementioned required action and desired outcome?

extrapolations:

why should i get a job and work when all i want at this point is to have money?

why should i buy a car when all i want to do at this point is to drive?

why should i eat a banana when all i want to do is eat a banana?

why should i do option A when all i want at this point is perhaps the only certain outcome of option A? boohoohoo life's so hard

they're called regulations. they apply to everyone, and for better or worse, they "regulate" every aspect of financial/social/political/human interaction these days. c'mon now you've been to school before right?

It does seem to be the cost of playing online poker, but I have to say, it does bother me sending my info to these sites. Not specifically PS or FTP but some of the other "skins" on the various networks.

Given the short life span of some of these and the questionable morals of some of the owners, I wish that, for example, the Merge Network would have one verification process for all of it's skins. Seems kind of redundant to have to "verify" with each skin using the exact same documents and process. Rather have one set residing with the network which is unlikely to go bankrupt.

I'll never get the last 2 minutes 37 seconds of my life back.

Be glad they have all these regulations and hoops to jump through when someone is trying to fraudulently deposit YOUR money into THEIR online gambling account.

unfortunately this scam practice is all over those online b1ch3z - when u deposit u r goddamn cool and ur account is more than perfect, BUT when u try to take your own money back ur automatically became a sum haker, moneylaundering and all these law bullsh`ts and they start makin your life hard as fak with all these "procedures"!!!
so ppl is absolutely right to make a complaints, this is absolutely unfair to any player online, if account needs verifications then DONT ACCEPT DEPOSITS TOO, FKN R3T@RDS!!!

Did you sign up here just to be able to post that?

Buldawg why you spell liek such a fack'N ganstaz yo?

also this thread is fail.

Originally Posted by TheBradford

This week I signed up for a PokerStars account, and used their e-check feature to transfer $100 from my Bank account to a new PokerStars account.

30 minutes prior to the beginning of the tournament I wanted to register for, I was logged out of the PokerStars system and my account was frozen.

They demanded a copy of my State ID, a copy of a recent utility bill, a copy of a recent bank statement, and a form filled out with my personal information. Despite the fact that I found this request invasive and unnecessary, I complied with the demand by taking photos of all requested documentation (except the bank statement, which was provided in PDF format).

I received a reply stating that the photos were not sufficient - they needed them documents to be scanned or faxed. This is ridiculous. I don't have a scanner or fax machine, and quite frankly, I've already gone above and beyond in providing this documentation in the first place. At this point, I'm extremely annoyed and just want my $100 returned to my bank account. I would never give PokerStars my business after treatment like this. Here's where it gets insane...

THEY WILL NOT RETURN MY MONEY TO MY BANK ACCOUNT: "we will need that you send the forms
previously requested. Unfortunately if you don't comply with our security
procedure, the account and the funds will be frozen."

This is ridiculous! They won't even provide a phone number so I can speak with a human being about this.

FAIR WARNING: IF YOU HAVE ANY ISSUES WITH POKERSTARS, YOU MAY BE LEFT WITHOUT RECOURSE.

Your post is really familiar, I think I saw this same post on another forum or forums... what are you trying to accomplish?

From an operator's end, I think that there are better ways than posting in several forums regarding a $100 you think they owe you... I'm sure they must have a support team to assist you and the procedures of ID is same with most of the poker or casino sites... it is for the security of the own player and for the operator.

Originally Posted by dneureiter

Buldawg why you spell liek such a fack'N ganstaz yo?

also this thread is fail.

how should i spell?! )
im jus talkin man, jus showin my sight of the things
and i think this man is right, when they need verification, so they shouldnt accept deposits too - thats moral!!!

@Tasha - no i didnt sign up only 4 that, im jus new here and this post was one of the first i saw