I ripped off PokerStars

During the bad old days I opened three accounts with PokerStars and bounced deposits in all three. More recently I opened a fourth and made legit deposits and played for a brief period of time and took a hiatus with some money still left in the account. Yesterday I finally bit the bullet and contacted them with my various aliases and asked what they wanted to do. After some back and forth they gave me the total amount they say I ripped them off for, which sounds right, and asked me to Western Union them the money ASAP. I replied by offering to send them the money by a certain date provided they give me the WU form particulars, and asked what would happen to my various accounts.

In your experience, guys, what *will* happen with my various accounts and to my relationship with PokerStars? Am I going to be permanently banned or will they continue to let me use one of the accounts to play and just put funds clearance restrictions on it? Or, even better, will they let me *deposit* in that account but, the second I try to cash out, say "Sorry, you've violated our TOS in the past so we're closing your account and seizing your profit?" After all, there ain't no honour among thieves.

PokerStars has accepted the terms I offered them, which is full repayment on a certain date by Western Union, and say they'll send me the info once I tell them the money's ready. They also say that, once they've received payment, they'll leave my oldest account open and permit me to deposit, play and cash out with it. Sounds reasonable. Any comments?

Sounds reasonable to me.

Pretty sure you can trust Stars support in issues like this. If they didn't want your business they'd tell you as much.

On a side note, well done on (eventually) doing the right thing - you're due some positive karma. I see so many "HAY GUYZ I RIPPED THIS SITE OFF HOW CAN I STAY OUT OF TROUBLE" threads in various places it makes me nauseous, so it's nice to see someone seeking absolution for once.

they'll probably doomswitch it though

that's true, didn't think of that.

What does "doomswitch" mean?

It's not really a matter of "trouble" because this isn't high school. It's children who "get in trouble." Adults assess the threat to their well-being and act accordingly. And don't give me too much credit. I just realized eventually that Stars is the best place for me to play and want to be able to play there again without risk of having my funds confiscated should I attempt to cash out...unless that's what "doomswitch" means. Please let me know.

Oh, ya: At my request Stars did seize the little bit of cash I had left over in my fourth account and that reduced the balance owing by a bit.

Doomswitch = mythical device used by poker sites to target players they want to see lose their cash.

Funny thing is - some people think it is real.

F.Y.P

It Is

Beardyian will probably agree with me that he lives in a mythical world of his own where cake rules the kingdom.

Yep

I aplaud your decision to makes things right even though by your own admission it was more than a bit self serving. In this case I think PokerStars made the right call, but I find your situation in striking contrast to my own. I had my first account with PS closed by the POSTASI for something far less egregious. I was banned at the request of another player. Not once did I violate the rules of the site in any way. Nevertheless, my requests to have my account reopened was rudely dismissed.

So this is how it looks to me. If you steal from them but apologize you're OK. But if your banned at the whim of some graveyard shift intern who's probably been gone for 2 years your persona non grata.

are u really going to send them the money?

PokerStars dealer:

Attached Images

PokerstarsDealer.jpg (86.1 KB, 14 views)

Hmm. So let's say I put $100 into my PokerStars account to play the 1c/2c no limit tables. Or let's say I even put in $120 just to have more than the recommended maximum bankroll. Because I've been doomswitched my money disappears with unseemly haste. I am guaranteed to notice and realize I've been doomswitched. So I simply never deposit money into my PokerStars account again. Sounds like a lose-lose proposition to me. Why would a huge poker site do it?

Of course I am! Why would there be any question about it?

i have a doomswitch button similar to the easy button lol...its just a replica but if i dont like a player i push it for them.....im seriously kidding lol....the illustration above is hilarious though

hahahaha

And she's the good looking one

May be mythical but I think it could be real! I have lost about $30 in about 2 weeks. True a lot of it is my play.NO DOUBT. But when I sit in tourneys and wait for an hour to get a decent hand to play with/come on! And when I do most of the time I don't hit the board or I get sucked out on. I know it happens to everybody,but dam!
I am starting to doubt my game.I don't even know if I should play RNG's,sng's,or mtt's anymore. It's really screwing with my confidence and my game!!!1
All I know is that I use to hit a lot of hands and now I can't but one! I mean I grew $50 into $178 in a few months playing very few hours a day!
I guess I am just venting because I am frustrated,but really don't know what to do!!!!

Actually what happens is that after you deposit your BOOMswitched for a few months to make you think you're unbeatable and that $$ will continue to fall on you from the heaven that is internet poker. This period is followed by a normal time of standard cards (neither Boom nor Doom). If you survive making a few measly $$ during this time you're a decent player. Now the biggest mistake you can make as a decent player is to make a withdrawal. The beast does not like negative cash flow and an instant Doomswitch will follow until such time that a player's remaining funds are completely decimated necessitating adding more funds and the cycle begins again.

So let it be written...

You kid,hillbilly,but a lot of what you say is true.When I first deposited in Stars I could do no wrong,then after a few weeks I could do nothing but wrong.Now a lot of you say that that is variance,to which I agree partly,but I have seen way too many suck outs,busted hands,and no hands in way too small a time frame. I really think that what happens is that they give you good hands let you make $$$ to lure you in and then cut them off. I mean it is happening to me right now on fulltilt.I just deposited and have run up my deposit by 25% in 2 days!!!!

the biggest online poker site is not going to put it's reputation on the line just so it can scam a few players ( where the money would not even go to them). people who actually believe in something as stupid as a doomsday device or whatever it is are just sad, sad, people. i feel sorry for you guys .

I wish I could only lose $30 every 2 weeks

I feel sorry for ppl who make fools of themselves by not reading the complete thread, Doomswitch comments were made in jest.

I agree with you Greener, I am sure they could careless if you as an individual wins or loses. The moneys in mtts and sngs is going out to who wins, why would they care to who? You run into hot streaks and cold streaks in cards thats all there is to it. That and sometimes you are just not in your top game form.

finally someone with some logic, thank you.

Doooooooooomswitccccccccch!!!!!
Afraid to cash out now.
Surely it's all psychological and in the mind right?
Thats why i won't cash out measley few hundred wait until is a few k.

Right idea infinate8. I didn't mention this in my earlier post but there is a way to game the system. You need to build you're bankroll and then withdrawal the entire amount (LEAVE NOTHING!). After the check has cleared wait 8 days and then redeposit the amount you would have left in (had you not known about the Doomswitch). This way you'll be starting with a fresh clean boomswitch and can build your roll before repeating the cylce.

Every seven cycles the poker gods will demand a sacrifice but I'm sure your neighbors don't really know how many cats they have now. Good luck.

WVH knows wats up.