Scammed by Poker Time

I received an email from poker time and empire backer last week, and it said I was invited to join in a special freeroll for $1000. It said nothing about any special conditions or stipulations. I played in this tournament and won. My account showed $300(USD), so I cashed out $250 and I received a confirmation, and later a confirmation email. 2 days later my neteller account is not credited so I contacted Craig at Poker Time live support. He informed me of the hidden requirements that state that for every dollar that supposedly exists in my account i must deposit that much and also play a hand that accumulates that much of a rake. I'm never playing poker time again and I suggest that everyone else be very cautious before deciding to do so. Here is the chat log from the conversation:
[1:13p] Connecting ptr07773927 (69.245.113.75) to Poker Support
[1:13p] Thank you for holding. A Poker Room Floorperson will be with you shortly.
[1:14p] Connected to agent Craig
[1:14p] Craig wrote:
Welcome to Poker Support how can i assist you?
[1:15p] Craig wrote:
Hi Robert
[1:15p] ptr07773927 wrote:
Hi, I recieved an email from your site saying that my withdrawal will be processed, however it was unclear in wich way
[1:15p] Craig wrote:
please confirm the amount for me?
[1:15p] ptr07773927 wrote:
$250
[1:16p] Craig wrote:
i have had a look and found that the funds have been sent back to your poker account as you have not made a minimum purchase on your poker account.
[1:16p] ptr07773927 wrote:
?
[1:16p] ptr07773927 wrote:
so i can't withdraw the funds i won?
[1:17p] Craig wrote:
i have also found that you have 0 raked hands on qualifying tables as well.
[1:18p] ptr07773927 wrote:
so what exactly are you telling me that i have to do
[1:18p] Craig wrote:
In order to cash the $10 bonus in, you will need to make a purchase and play 10 rake hands for every $. e.g.. 10 X 10 = 100 raked hands.Player also need to make a minimum purchase on their poker account as well in order to withdraw funds fom their poker account.
[1:19p] ptr07773927 wrote:
I was under the understanding that the tournament sponsored by empire backer paid out, not credits
[1:19p] ptr07773927 wrote:
so the funds I won are worthless, unless i give you money? \
[1:20p] ptr07773927 wrote:
well...
[1:21p] Craig wrote:
Please be advised that this is due to the terms and conditions which state that a player needs to make a purchase and meet the raked hand requirement if the player would like to withdraw funds wich conain the Free $10.00.
[1:22p] Craig wrote:
The terms an conditions can be viewed on the main site.
[1:22p] ptr07773927 wrote:
$10?, I see here that it shows 300 (USD) credits
[1:24p] Craig wrote:
That is correct.
[1:23p] ptr07773927 wrote:
I'm gonna enjoy slamming your site on every poker forum out there, because this very misleading and in the empire backer email it said nothing about any additional rules or conditions

Sorry, but I don't think you were "scammed". Most sites require some sort of deposit before being able to withdraw any sort of "free" money that you may have won. I often deposit the minimum at any site where I may have won some "free" money. Then I have no problem withdrawing it all. I'm not sure about the rake requirement though. I will tell you that everywhere you go, you will find some sort of condition to fullfill before getting anything for "free".
Bummer though, I feel for you. Try and use the money and make that rake!
I didn't vote in your poll because I don't play pokertime often although I do have it. The prima site I play is RVP and I've never had any problem with them.

its a bitch, but most sites have those kinds of requirements
it isnt that hard to get the raked hands though; shouldnt take too long
gl with the loot

Also remember that any site that gives you a "free" amount when you open a cash account will consider any winnings after that attached to the free amount, so whatever terms and conditions that apply to the free money apply to any winnings also.

Well I admire you for your morality qball. Never playing at Pokertime again, even though you only have to play 100 raked hands at low level to release $300 shows you are a man who has strong principles. Unless you're lying of course.

I had the same thing with Pacific - if they are saying you cannot withdraw the free $10 without clearing raked requirements, then you still have $50 in your account, so I dont understand what their problem is. I told Pacific just to take the free $10 off, and I suggest you do the same to Pokertime. It certainly isn't just Pokertime that make it easier to deposit than to withdraw though.

Just play some micro games until you make the rake limit. Even if you just fold preflop on every hand you'll make a few hundred bucks. This is hardly a scam.

hmm I won some money at the $500 bodog freeroll tourny and it was credited to my ecash(ecash is there "real money"), and I was able to use it on a real money table, so not all sites require you to make deposits. Thanks for your post, think I'll be uninstalling poker time.

After some further reading on these forums I found that you need to depost/have certain amount of raked hands before the cash is yours and I must add that I have deposited money and had many raked hands on bodog prior to the tourny.

are you kidding? OP got scammed real good out of his $0 imo.

seriously, these sort of terms are incredibly standard and will be in the site T&C.

lol.


Standard conditions mate, as everyone else has said, Play the amount of raked hands they ask it won't take you long to get to the amount required.

[quote=shwingzilla]
Just play some micro games until you make the rake limit. Even if you just fold preflop on every hand you'll make a few hundred bucks. This is hardly a scam.[quote]

Correct me if I am wrong, but I think you have to see the flop for it to be a raked hand.

Not always, Bet365 for example counted all hand dealt towards bonus clearing, not just ones you saw the flop on.

He's not likely to reply to you though, his post (and the OP DM quoted) were made over 2 years ago now .

GODDAMMIT