Cheating at cash tables and sit and go

[Alizona]

we really have to depend on the sites to monitor and detect collusion between players

and it is NOT easy to detect, let's say there are 4 cheaters who have cell phones which do not utilize the IP addresses of their computers (they don't use the internet for their phone)... this means the poker site is unable to detect that these 4 players are colluding via their cell phone when they sit down at a 6-max cash table or a SNG...

So the only way the site can detect this cheating is if they notice that each day, the same 4 players always sit down at the same table. Suddenly, the "undetectable" cheating by cell phone collusion is now noticeable... but it requires an honest site doing honest good work to look for these sort of things. We depend entirely on the poker sites to monitor each player's actions and relationships between players.

As players, our fear is always that a site is not going to do its job properly, that they will "look the other way" because "the colluding teams pay a LOT of rake" since they play so much... this is the risk we take as players.

Over time, a site develops a reputation, and that is why community is very important in the poker world, so we can spread the word about good things a site is doing to prevent collusion... or the opposite - so we can spread the news that a certain site is NOT preventing cheating, and so we can warn others they may wish to stay away from that site until things change for the better.

 

[fundiver199]

this means the poker site is unable to detect that these 4 players are colluding via their cell phone when they sit down at a 6-max cash table or a SNG...

I am not a security expert, but I also seriously dought, that communication via a third party program like Messenger can be detected by the poker site. Maybe they can detect, if players have Messenger running on their computer while playing, but thats only curcumstantial evidence, since its a common program used by many people for legitimate purposes.

 

[Alizona]

At least there is no such problem with MTTs.Write to the support. They usually pay attention when there is some suspicious activity.
My point is that if everyone starts reporting on these miserable people, the garbage from poker sites will gradually clear up.

This is an excellent point - it is MUCH harder for players to collude in MTT's (Multi-Table Tournaments), and this is one of the major reasons why I have always been exclusively a tournament player - because compared to cash game players, MTT players have much less risk of being cheated. I literally never worry about it. As a cash game player, I'd have to worry about it every day. No thanks.

 

[Alizona]

I am not a security expert, but I also seriously dought, that communication via a third party program like Messenger can be detected by the poker site. Maybe they can detect, if players have Messenger running on their computer while playing, but thats only curcumstantial evidence, since its a common program used by many people for legitimate purposes.

I am 100% certain that poker stars scans each player's computer constantly for illegal software and other things.

One day while I was playing on Poker Stars, I made an error which is against the terms and conditions of Poker Stars... I opened up an equity calculator called "Poker Stove".

Instantly - and I mean INSTANTLY - a popup appeared from Poker Stars... it warned me that I had done something wrong, and it informed me that I must email Poker Stars support and acknowledge what I had done, and promise that I would never use that software again while I had the Stars client running. I am only allowed to use the equity calculator when I am offline. That's the site's rules.

So this clearly shows how Poker Stars is CONSTANTLY scanning our computers as we play on their site... I'm certain if you read the fine print, you'll see that we allow them to do so when we sign up on their site. They're actively trying to protect their player base, and they have to be allowed to do this. A site could abuse their power and privilege, if they can detect software we are running, they can probably see anything we are doing when we're using their site - so player beware, they're always watching and listening. hahahaha

Can they read your Messenger chats? Who knows. Probably not, but what if they have the ability to capture screenshots of your desktop? That would show the chats. We don't know what capabilities they have, and the sites won't tell us. Why let the cheaters know what they are capable of seeing?

 

[Chebchoub]

This can happen, although poker sites require GPS to work, but the player can use a VPN or other software to hide their location, then open two or three accounts and sit at the same table in three chairs, this is illegal and unacceptable in poker and is considered cheating and theft . But I think that poker sites will not be fooled easily by this, and he will be exposed and all his accounts will be frozen and all his money will be confiscated. I hope poker sites will take it seriously and be more careful about these thieves and cheats, because in this case we will not get our stolen money back.

 

[fundiver199]

I am 100% certain that Poker Stars scans each player's computer constantly for illegal software and other things.

One day while I was playing on Poker Stars, I made an error which is against the terms and conditions of Poker Stars... I opened up an equity calculator called "Poker Stove".

Instantly - and I mean INSTANTLY - a popup appeared from Poker Stars... it warned me that I had done something wrong, and it informed me that I must email Poker Stars support and acknowledge what I had done, and promise that I would never use that software again while I had the Stars client running. I am only allowed to use the equity calculator when I am offline. That's the site's rules.

So this clearly shows how Poker Stars is CONSTANTLY scanning our computers as we play on their site... I'm certain if you read the fine print, you'll see that we allow them to do so when we sign up on their site. They're actively trying to protect their player base, and they have to be allowed to do this. A site could abuse their power and privilege, if they can detect software we are running, they can probably see anything we are doing when we're using their site - so player beware, they're always watching and listening. hahahaha

Can they read your Messenger chats? Who knows. Probably not, but what if they have the ability to capture screenshots of your desktop? That would show the chats. We don't know what capabilities they have, and the sites won't tell us. Why let the cheaters know what they are capable of seeing?

I completely agree with you, and I am certainly not recommending anyone to attempt to collude on pokerstars or other sites with a security team. Or for that matter use illegal third party software. I got the mentioned warning message a number of times also, but last time I inadvertently had ICMizer open, when I opened the PokerStars client, I did not get the message.

So maybe they have realised, that this is a bit of an overreaction against players like you or me, who just made an honest mistake and did not even play a single hand, while the prohibited software was open. But of course I still try to remember to always close down the software before opening the client. I have no intention of trying to use it while playing, which I would hardly have time for anyway, since I am usually multitabling.

 

[Emily Trott]

Ive also seen actual cheating in a sit and go in a play money game lol (wtf is the point)..

I'm guessing that it is probably in order to hone their cheating skills before risking real money. I have used play money games in order to make myself a better honest player, so there is no doubt that those who prefer to cheat would take advantage of the opportunity as well.

 

[QA77]

Clearly people do it, it’s just hard to catch. I’ve seen multiple accounts do it and it’s more obvious. 2 players would inflate the pot to eventually get the 3rd player out and then just check down with the weirdest hands. Or on the river, they would bet and the other would fold after insane action on previous streets. Unless this happens at higher stakes and multiple pros complain, I think its hard to catch unless the site catches 3rd party programs.

 

[Sagory]

I am 100% certain that Poker Stars scans each player's computer constantly for illegal software and other things.

Sure,the client software constantly checks which programs run on your computer. But if I remember corrrectly that's somewhere written in the fine print.

A site could abuse their power and privilege, if they can detect software we are running, they can probably see anything we are doing when we're using their site - so player beware, they're always watching and listening. hahahaha

To proof which software is running or spying a computer are two different things. Later would be illegal and I doubt that a site like PokerStars will risk their licence by doing that.

However, beside your computer most people do have tablets or cell phones... so if they want to cheat by software, that seems to be the easiest way... and a serious problem not only for poker games.