Cereus poker security alerts

[Dorkus Malorkus]

So when is the link banner to sportsbookpoker coming down?

lol if you think the two situations are at all comparable

 

[Pothole]

https://www.cardschat.com/forum/poker-rooms-10/sportsbook-poker-stole-my-money-mod-175082/

The circumstances are different, and this OP's issues were eventually sorted out. it's pretty obvious though that someone from sportsbook was monitoring this thread. We ( CC ) don't have any games there so why put a link to it? I am not by the way defending UB, but to say that playing there is a disgrace to the poker community is BS. If you want to go down that road, we play with criminals every day, should we ban them all? The fact that the law is an ass is irrelavent. All US players transfering funds to and from poker sites are breaking the law. Poker cheats are a penny a dozen, I don't 'scope' players out, I'm not on IM while playing, I don't have PT3 or HEM or any other kind of tool that gives me an edge. The fact that sites allow it and data mining doesn't make it right. To me it's cheating, try taking an electronic device in a B&M casino, you'll get kicked out.

 

[slycbnew]

imo the situations aren't equivalent.

 

[Dorkus Malorkus]

so your position has gone from defending UB for their staff and higher-ups scamming millions from users and their security being a complete sham to calling for sportsbook's head over an individual cashout issue that has now been resolved? i'm pretty tired so i might be missing something but seriously?

 

[The Dr]

WHAT?? Just because he says he plays micros & finds them to be quite profitable on Ultimatebet & doesn't plan on playing larger buyins for some time.. he's greedy & isn't supporting the poker community??? wtf?

If you've got thousands on there & don't feel comfortable then obviously withdrawl your cash & play elsewhere but I REALLY don't see how this guy gives the poker community a bad name because he's fine with continuing on beating the micros on there.

Does he pay rake? Does rake keep the network afloat? That's called supporting them.

Does he do it because he can win a few dollars even though this site should not be operational? That's called greed.

Does the general consensus of the poker community want UB shut down? Yes.

Are there other numerous sites he can choose from? Yes.

 

[Pothole]

Not surprised DM, it's 5:45am at your last post. I think the bigger issue here is how exactly was the security problem found? Members with way more computer savvy than I have, posted the nessary expertise and equipment needed to 'hack' the cerius network. Personally I never keep more than $200 on any site, I believe any network can be hacked and I suspect ( as stated in this thread ) a keylogger prog is much easier and more lucrative to install on someones computer, than accessing a poker account or seeing hole cards. You can debate it till the cows come home but the question has to be answered. Why did and why were the exposers hacking the cerius network, and have they attempted to hack the so called safe sites? I have never seen a post anywhere ( including 2+2 ) ( hope it's alright to say that ), saying, ' I (we ) tried to hack such and such and coulld't do it. I really like the PS software, choice of games and number of fish, but since winning a $4:40 180 player game, have been sucked out more times than I care to mention ( makes me suspicious ). My location forces me to play online ( a province with no casino ), I only say force because I enjoy playing poker and there's nowhere here to play. Many players here at CC know me to be a TAG and I have made more profit at UB/AP than any other site which proves to me that solid play wins. Sure I have sucked out many times too, I've also made wicked calls after the river because I know who I'm up against without the use of any software tools and know the're pulling my plonker with a bluff bet. In reality, any online activity is about as secure as a $2 hooker and a guy with a G-spot in his pocket. As the saying goes, 'you pays yer money, and you take yer chances', nuff said.

 

[Pothole]

Does he pay rake? Does rake keep the network afloat? That's called supporting them.

Does he do it because he can win a few dollars even though this site should not be operational? That's called greed.

Does the general consensus of the poker community want Ultimatebet shut down? Yes.

Are there other numerous sites he can choose from? Yes.

What exactly are you a Dr of? please show the votes of players that want UB shut down, alternatively stfu. I feel the man does complain too much, do u work for PS or FT ? I too can offer conspiracy theories.

 

[Pothole]

Interesting, the 'Dr' was online for 10 mins after my last post and offered NOTHING. A week old 'member' with an agenda. No indication of where he was from, no indication of where he/she plays. A bit like the old Bond movie,,,,,,,,Dr No

 

[slycbnew]

I suggest the bigger issue is the lack of management controls, which is probably a generous way of putting it. This company is potentially putting the online poker industry at risk by allowing scandals to fester - the first being a major scandal that has fed every conspiracy theory about online poker, and this more recent one demonstrating that a prominent online poker site is not using the highest security protocols available. Given the amount of money being moved around, there is no possible justification for not having banking industry standards implemented imo.

In regard to PTR and their motivations - you could certainly question their motivations, but I don't understand what difference that makes. If a criminal demonstrates that another party is in the wrong, you certainly don't trust the criminal per se, but that's not relevant to whether or not the other party is in the wrong.

Not suggesting that PTR is in the wrong at all here, and they are probably doing this out of pure self-interest - after all, it's very much in their interest to have a strong online poker industry, since their site is pretty worthless without that.

Now, what does this have to do w the average microstakes player? Well, it'd be awfully convenient (if you agree that it's bad for the industry to have a site managed incompetently at best, fraudulently at worst) if the average player recognized that there are options available and have them choose to play at better managed sites, and have the industry self-correct as a result, instead of getting regulated out of existence.

You may not like the tone of the posts. fwiw, personally, I don't like the tone - I don't think The Dr will care about that, nor do I necessarily think he should care - but the message imo is correct. I hope people don't get hung up on the tone of the message, and actually consider the content of the message, which I think is worth considering (and ldo I personally agree with).

 

[WVHillbilly]

https://www.cardschat.com/forum/poker-rooms-10/sportsbook-poker-stole-my-money-mod-175082/

The circumstances are different, and this OP's issues were eventually sorted out. it's pretty obvious though that someone from sportsbook was monitoring this thread. We ( CC ) don't have any games there so why put a link to it? I am not by the way defending Ultimatebet, but to say that playing there is a disgrace to the poker community is BS. If you want to go down that road, we play with criminals every day, should we ban them all? The fact that the law is an ass is irrelavent. All US players transfering funds to and from poker sites are breaking the law. Poker cheats are a penny a dozen, I don't 'scope' players out, I'm not on IM while playing, I don't have PT3 or HEM or any other kind of tool that gives me an edge. The fact that sites allow it and data mining doesn't make it right. To me it's cheating, try taking an electronic device in a B&M casino, you'll get kicked out.

For the record, the bolded above is FALSE. The UIGEA makes it illegal for BANKS to deal with poker sites, it does not make it illegal for players to transfer funds. It just makes it difficult.

 

[PattyR]

For the record, the bolded above is FALSE. The UIGEA makes it illegal for BANKS to deal with poker sites, it does not make it illegal for players to transfer funds. It just makes it difficult.

where have you been lately sir? haven seen you in threads in awhile..or mayyybe im looking in the wrong places

 

[BelgoSuisse]

alternatively stfu.

Pothole, you're just making a fool of yourself in every single one of your posts in this thread. I think you should take your own advice above.

 

[Dorkus Malorkus]

Pothole, you're just making a fool of yourself in every single one of your posts in this thread. I think you should take your own advice above.

Pretty much this. I'm done debating this with you if you don't stop attempting to divert with your random "electronic devices in live poker is cheating!", "I'm a TAG player" and "OMG the dr is a shill for some site that isn't UB!" nonsense. Hardly anything you've posted in the last page or so has anything at all to do with the issue at hand - that being that UB are incompetent and dishonest and people continuing to play there are rewarding a corrupt organisation and perhaps even more seriously are encouraging incompetent and dishonest people to get involved and/or continue their involvement in the running of online poker sites. This is why people think that those who continue to play at UB despite knowledge of the past scandals are to quote one of your posts "a disgrace to the poker community".

Try answering that without any bizarre random segues into what sort of game you play or how using HUDs should be classified as cheating or what you had for breakfast yesterday or whatever.

 

[Debi]

So when is the link banner to sportsbookpoker coming down?

When they go down the same road UB has gone down - which to my knowledge has not even remotely happened.

And sorry to disappoint you but there is little chance they ever saw that thread until we contacted them about the issue. But even if they had I fail to see the issue with that. I wish all of our poker site reps hung out here and read the threads about their sites - that would be a plus not a negative.

Also - there is a separate thread for your poker is rigged debate - keep your comments regarding how you won a tournament and then omg started losing to that thread.

 

[Debi]

Interesting, the 'Dr' was online for 10 mins after my last post and offered NOTHING. A week old 'member' with an agenda. No indication of where he was from, no indication of where he/she plays. A bit like the old Bond movie,,,,,,,,Dr No

Oh - I guess it is not possible that he left Cardschat and 10 min is about the amount of time it takes for you to appear offline if you don't close the window.

Or - he couldn't be bothered. It's a toss-up imo.

 

[Tonawanda]

Support CC’s decision to sever ties with UB.

Good Idea.

As I stated in my original post, “bad news for Cereus and the entire online poker community, even if it is just incompetence. This will add to the allegations of fraud and conspiracy theories about online poker.”

As for the collective remarks made by some members describing other CC players that play at Ultimatebet as:

“Greedy, Self-serving, Disgraceful, Complete Idiots that encourage online criminal activity and give the poker community a bad name”…..

I believe these kinds of remarks bring disgrace to this forum and likely discourage other members from posting in threads like this one. The end justifies the means? Really?

And yes, I will continue to play at Ultimatebet, continue to participate in a great poker club, and even continue to buy Toyota.

My final 2 cents in this thread.

 

[fletchdad]

I dont play UB (although I do have the SW installed, was planning on playing CC FR there) and I will not deposit there, or play any FR as they are on the way out anyway. So SW uninstalled when I am done posting here. (Question as a side note; any site on the same network=same scam risk? If yes, then these would be???)

There is a lot of friction in this thread, which is IMO understandable. People feel strongly about this situation. I agree that this is a site which should not be supported, but am not sure the aggressive attacks against people who do not agree with me is a constructive way to go. Aggresive attacks against the UB owners and staff are justified. I wonder if I had a BR there, would I just kiss the money bye or try to up it to withdrawal limit asap? There are perhaps reasons for someone who has money there to continue playing?? I know I would have an issue if I had, say, $75, and needed $100 to withdraw. Do I just give these poker pirates my money, or build my BR up to get my money back?

I am not trying to put a stick in this already active beehive, but I think that this is a subject that should be open for people to speak about, regardless of which side they take, because for one thing, some people may be turned around in their thinking, if they are treated with respect, but will obviously get defensive if personally attacked. And as an open discussion, disagreement is unavoidable, but personal attacks? I would, however, take issue with someone depositing new, if they are informed about what is going on. But existing BR is not something anyone will throw away, or rather, give to the site...???

And in case you are of the opinion that anyone still playing there deserves no respect, please state this respectfully.....

Im just saying, this is an above average forum, lets keep a level of maturity, without resorting to ball kicking... (not all the negative comments were under the belt, many were spot on, I am only addressing a few as well as the rising level of aggression)

Having now shed my referee shirt.... Unless you have money you cant withdraw, please stop supporting a company which damages the name of online poker...please....

 

[BelgoSuisse]

Question as a side note; any site on the same network=same scam risk? If yes, then these would be???

Cereus Network = Ultimate Bet + Absolute Poker.

 

[PC69]

Can't be bothered addressing the responses individually - all I will say in my defence is that if my post causes (caused) even just one person currently playing at Ultimatebet to think "Yeah, you know what he's sort of right, I'm withdrawing from that craphole right now", then I will be content in the knowledge that I've done a little good. Sometimes you have to say nasty things to ultimately be nice to people.

IMO this is said best and quoting it for everyone to read it again. It should be quoted many more times so people just coming in to read this thread will see it and think twice. When I originally heard of this i was excited because I hate Ultimatebet anyway and wanted to see that site go to shit from the jump. But honestly never thought about the fact that if I even played the CC freerolls there, that I would be supporting a junk ass site like that. You know when I did realize it? When I read peoples strongly worded and maybe harsh comments. There comments didnt make me wanna revolt against the people here at Cardschat or make we wanna cry in my pillow. What they did do was lead me to my control panel on my computer and delete that junk site from my PC for good. So thanks everyone..

If anyone from Ultimatebet ends up reading this thread. Thanks for nothing and I hope you lose every cent you ever invested into your garbage site.. Btw which obviously wasnt nearly enough $ that you invested because your site is tanking quickly..

 

[Juniorsdaddy]

All of this puts me in a bit of a predicament. It's obvious to me now that I should not be playing at Ultimatebet anymore. But, I have a decent size bankroll there built up from freeroll winnings. So, in order to get out, I am going to have to make a deposit. I really don't want to let this money go, but a deposit is going to lead to further support of the site, at least for a little while.

 

[fletchdad]

All of this puts me in a bit of a predicament. It's obvious to me now that I should not be playing at Ultimatebet anymore. But, I have a decent size bankroll there built up from freeroll winnings. So, in order to get out, I am going to have to make a deposit. I really don't want to let this money go, but a deposit is going to lead to further support of the site, at least for a little while.

I commented on this predicament. What are everyone's opinion for this situation?
Playing at UB = sucks...
Giving UB your BR = sucks

SO what to do here?

 

[bhood1776]

All of this puts me in a bit of a predicament. It's obvious to me now that I should not be playing at Ultimatebet anymore. But, I have a decent size bankroll there built up from freeroll winnings. So, in order to get out, I am going to have to make a deposit. I really don't want to let this money go, but a deposit is going to lead to further support of the site, at least for a little while.

If you really don't want to play there this is an easy fix.

1. Make min dep($10)

2. Wait 48 hours(time required by site from dep to asking for withdraw)

3. Don't play any games(no games means no rake, therefore no support)

4. Ask for withdraw and take your money and your done with the site.

Problem solved

 

[Debi]

Their cashout policies suck so bad. The minimum withdrawal is $100 and they charge you $8 to mail you a check. I have $63.50 in mine and Joe has $103.82 in his. So he doesn't have enough to withdraw $100 and pay the $8 fee and I don't have enough to withdraw at all. I can transfer to him - but I have to leave $25 in my account.

So I think I will play the remaining CC games this month and try to get my balance high enough to send him $10 and leave $108 in mine to withdraw. Otherwise I will transfer all but $25 to him and I guess I will play enough sng's to either lose it or increase it to $108. Once that is done we are both done with the site no later than the end of this month. It would be today if they weren't trying to squeeze every dollar they can out of us.

 

[swrittenb]

I suggest the bigger issue is the lack of management controls, which is probably a generous way of putting it. This company is potentially putting the online poker industry at risk by allowing scandals to fester - the first being a major scandal that has fed every conspiracy theory about online poker, and this more recent one demonstrating that a prominent online poker site is not using the highest security protocols available. Given the amount of money being moved around, there is no possible justification for not having banking industry standards implemented imo.

In regard to PTR and their motivations - you could certainly question their motivations, but I don't understand what difference that makes. If a criminal demonstrates that another party is in the wrong, you certainly don't trust the criminal per se, but that's not relevant to whether or not the other party is in the wrong.

Not suggesting that PTR is in the wrong at all here, and they are probably doing this out of pure self-interest - after all, it's very much in their interest to have a strong online poker industry, since their site is pretty worthless without that.

Agree - there is a lack of public auditing. If a site says they had a security audit, we have no way of verifying this, or even seeing what the details of the audit stated. The ToS dictates that data mining is illegal, so we can't even pool resources to detect collusion. It's too bad that a site that clearly violates the ToS of these sites (PTR) is the only one in a position to step up and hold sites accountable, but that's just the way it is because there aren't any other options.

PTR gains visibility through these publications, and they'll definitely make money off of it. However, it seems that they're providing a tremendously valuable service though in holding a network like Cereus responsible for the problems they have.

 

[swrittenb]

All of this puts me in a bit of a predicament. It's obvious to me now that I should not be playing at Ultimatebet anymore. But, I have a decent size bankroll there built up from freeroll winnings. So, in order to get out, I am going to have to make a deposit. I really don't want to let this money go, but a deposit is going to lead to further support of the site, at least for a little while.

Min-deposit, max-withdrawal. That's what I did. Buy a $10 prepaid mastercard or something, deposit the $10, withdraw your roll once the time period is up (to Moneybookers if you can), and deposit on Stars, FTP, or another site of your choosing. You even end up with $10 more in your bankroll! Can't lose.