Instant eChecks at Stars: SSN Needed

I wanted to pump up my Stars account a bit, so I decided to try their "Instant eCheck" method that they say I'm qualified for. Everything went along fine until I came across the field on the screen that asked for my Social Security Number. They say it works "just like a paper check", but I never have to give out my SSN when I write a paper check. It's not that I doubt PokerStars as a company. It's that there are humans who work there that could have access to that number and we all know that humans can be humans. My credit is too important to risk giving out my SSN over the web, period.

I deposited with e-checks at PokerStars about 2 weeks ago.They never asked me for anything except for bank info.The money was in the account within 1 min.

Personally,I would never give my SS# to a poker site.I couldn't even imagine why they would need it.

BTW,sorry to bump this thread up.I didn't feel it was worth staring a new one,but was worth mentioning though.

I used echeck a few months ago and don't remember having to give my ssn - but wouldn't be definite about it.

Thank you, thank you, thank you forr making this ringtone! Now, if only I can figure out how to put it on my phone!

I dunno. It's still on my screen today.

Attached Images

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Send the URL to your phone in a text message. Then view the text in the phone and "extract" the URL with your phone.

If you need to know how to get the URL first: Right-click the link in my blog and click "properties". Then copy & paste the URL to your text message utility. Then send away!

it's always been that way as far as i know. a year and a half ago, before they got rid of it, i'm pretty sure the form looked the same, because it was how i deposited

understandable to be wary about it though. perhaps i'm too carefree

Hell,I looked at you screenshot and didn't think mine was the same.But it was!I can't remember for the life of me giving them my SS#.It's possible I guess,maybe I shouldn't have smoked so much weed when I was younger.

Anyway,sorry for the misinformation.I hope they don't use this to try to make me pay taxes on my winnings there.Which are currently -$22.20 and 120 FFP's since I deposited.

I wouldn't be overly concerned with giving my ssn to a company like this. Your identity is much more likely to be stolen in another way if it happens.

If they were to get a leak it would be caught very quickly and you would be warned if your ssn had been potentially compromised.

You are at much greater risk using credit cards in retail stores and restaurants. Once somebody gets any personal information about you at all it is relatively easy to get your ssn.

Your bank, all of your credit card companies, your mortgage company, your car loan company - anywhere you have received credit has your ssn. A dishonest person can work at one of these places as easily as at InstantEcheck.

It's all down to good luck or bad luck - just like poker lol.

Yeah, I was going to use this recently, until I saw they wanted my social...no way in hell.

Edit: After I posted I saw Debi's reply... Still, I'm wary of it. I'll stick to the All Access Visa.

That's great for a deposit,but how do you withdraw?I used to use Neteller and it was back in my bank account within 2 days.

I am assuming that E-checks is similar.Now that I see they have my SS# I am a little paranoid about withdrawing this way.Nothing like a paper trail for the tax man to follow.

Hell,I dunno,I'm sticking with Bodog for awhile anyway.Definitely don't feel like trying to build a BR with $3.80 when I have over $350 in another site.

Withdrawing sucks everywhere since Neteller went away. It took Bodog 2 months to send me a check and I have never received my check from Ultimatebet. I don't bother withdrawing from Pokerstars and Fulltilt because it is too much hassle to re-deposit if I ever needed to and I can use those funds to transfer money around for myself and others. If I ever win more than $500 I would want to withdraw.

I hear what you are saying about the $350 - but Bodog sucks so bad I would have to try another site lol.

I would worry even less about the tax man. There is a next to nothing chance they would be looking into this.

When you work in fraud and see it all - you become more cautious in some ways and less in others. But honestly - 95% of the time no matter what happens to you - it is your bank, your credit card company, etc who suffers the loss, not you.

Eh, do like I did. Ruin your credit then who cares who has your social security number. It's not going to do them any good.

Yea,pretty much my thinking.If anyone wants to steal my identity,they can have it.

That is definitely a tried and true method lol.

so.. consensus as to the best way to withdraw from PokerStars? I may want to withdraw from PS.. and for the record I did deposit using the e-check, and it worked like a charm.

I'm guessing that the reason they require a SSN for that is for verification purposes. They don't want people depositing with stolen chceks.

I emailed PokerStars about the E-Checks. They said that the ssn is used as a signature so your bank can verify you. I dont know, this seems sort of safe but I don't know if I will do it or not.

What do you guys think, do you think your SSN goes past any 3rd party, or goes directly toward your bank?

Definitely not to brag, but just to state why I'm so paranoid about giving out my SSN....

My wife and I have excellent credit. We've worked our asses off paying things on time. Paying off cars early. Limiting our credit inquiries. And our income level is not that great (aka we are NOT rich). It's safe to say we average at least 2-3 credit card/re-fi apps in the mail every day. We are in a very special position and there is NO WAY I'm going to even come close to risking messing it up by floating my SSN out there across the ocean blue for anyone to grab. Heck, I don't even like to give out my last name online. But that's another story...

I didn't want to alarm anyone or create panic by starting this thread. I just wanted to share what I found out. Sorry if I worried anyone who already gave out their SSN. Not intended.

BTW, for anyone that is really concerned about their credit/identity. Check out LifeLock. I'm in no way affiliated with them, but know them to be a reputable company.. and for crying out loud the CEO lists his Social Security Number on the front page of the website.

There are plenty of ways your identity can be stolen, and it is a very very low likelyhood that a reputible company like PokerStars would compromise your SSN/any other personal info. And, like it's been mentioned before, if it does happen you will be notified and can catch it before it hurts you.

The general rule is.. if you it's not a big-name website/company, be very wary of giving out your SSN/Credit-card, etc.. But, if it is a big company that is well-known, the chances of your SSN/CC#/Whatever getting leaked by them is incredibly small.

Your SSN that you enter through pokerstars most likely is going through an encrypted connection to their server and checked directly with your bank (through some kind of electronic service.. again on an encrypted connection), and then deleted. I would bet there is no one that actually has access to your SSN. So, I would be fairly confident in advising that giving your SSN for e-check on PokerStars is very safe. If you are extremely paranoid however, you'll want something like LifeLock to safeguard your identity.

I think you would probably be fine - there are no guarantees anywhere - even at your bank.

Exactly.

I can get anyone's ssn in a matter of minutes - all I need is their name and maybe their address depending on how common the name is, and/or any other information on them that is a matter of public record.

It will vary from business to business but here are the most common ways identity theft occurs where I work:

• theft rings hack into the files of a major reputable business
• theft rings hire people and plant them in banks, credit card companies, credit bureaus - any place where people like me work and have access to this information
• family members, friends or acquaintences access your personal information in your home

There are various other methods - but the percentage of identity theft from them is small. I can only assume any distrust of echeck means that you think the company itself is fraudulent - that is extremely unlikely. If you are fearing employees of the company rather than the company itself - then you may as well have no mortgage, no car loan, no credit cards, etc. cause that can happen anywhere. Almost all employees at all of these places have access to your ssn.

Well.......I tried to buy into Stars with an E-Check. Typed in everything and confirmed my information......I clicked submit and nothing happened. The money never got into my account and I e-mailed Pokerstars to see what went wrong and they never wrote me back.......It's been 12 hours.

Hopefully some idiot is walking around with my SSN number, that would be great.

I think some shady things are beginning to happen at Stars, first the All Access card goes away then my E-check doesnt work with NO response from PokerStars support.......HMMM......

exclude my last message....I did something wrong and it worked

i dont like to give out my SS , somehow many years ago someone got my number with a different name at a college, i called them asking questions...told them my name and the one name that was on the bill , no one at that school by that name they tell me...they deleted everything for me after i told them how can i be there if i am calling you from my home phone....a bill for amount of over $10,000 ....i never give out my SS to no one

well what if you didnt open your bank with your SSN ?? how would i be able to deposit using that method