PokerStars confiscated almost $4000 from me

[Rockyfour]

pokerstars when the Ontario market took over I thought was as different entity than Pokerstars Global. So I thought why not try to see if I can make an account as poker stars global has banned me for 'responsible gambling' reasons.

Anyways I made a new account, sent in my documents and ID, and they verified the account. I then deposited money onto the account, and they froze the account for a security check, which they did and let me back on the site within I think 1-2 days stating that everything is in order and I am good to go.

It is to note, that when I made the Pokerstars Ontario account, I used the SAME email address as my previous banned account, the SAME ID, with the SAME address, and obviously the SAME name.

I even emailed them from the email address to their support and talked with them, so it's not like I was being deceptive even in the slightest.

Anyways, I racked up $600, up to about $3720. I hit withdraw, Pokerstars then asks me to verify again. They ask me to send them a document that frankly does exist. They wanted a proof of withdraw document with very specific information, listed in a very specific way, that simply did not exist. I called my bank and everything, no document like the one they were requesting existed.

Eventually i find out I can also withdraw using a bank transfer. I fill out all the information, then they ask me to verify the withdraw method (which I did).

Finally they tell me everything is all set, I'm ready to withdraw.

I click withdraw.

Literally two seconds after finalizing the withdraw they send me an email saying my account has been frozen due to a matter with 'tenfourgoodbudd' (my old account that was banned for 'responsible gaming' reasons).

At that point I knew these angle shooters were about to try and rip me off for my money. However I still had a glimmer of hope that they would just return my money or see that I played straight, sent in the documents straight, used the SAME email address and SAME information creating the account, and that worst case scenario they were just gonna say I can't play anymore and return my money.

Nope that's not what happened. They sent me an email stating they were confiscating my money, and then a bunch of BS terms and conditions. They also refused to respond to any of my emails I have sent over the last week requesting to start the formal complaint process.

So where am I at now? I am calling igaming (the government regulator), and trying to get them to escalate the case and get my money back. I am also calling the ACGO's enforcement department explaining the situation to them of how Pokerstars is blatantly trying to rip me off for almost $4000.

In closing. This company is run by literal scammers. it's honestly disgusting.

I wouldn't trust any money on this site, they will try to steal it from you for reasons you might not even think are possible. Maybe you break some silly rule like 'ratholing' without even noticing it, then boom Pokerstars just takes thousands of dollars out of your pocket and tell you to go **** yourself more or less. After being victim of this scam, I have searched the internet and found many other people who have had their money blatantly stolen for a variety of outrageous reasons.

Pokerstars is a legitimate scam company. It's sad when people decide to do business this way. Just try scam people and think it's no big deal.

 

[Joe]

So this is the fenced in Ontario Stars?

 

[spunka]

I think you have to look for why you were banned on pokerstars Global, in the first place.

 

[Rockyfour]

I think you have to look for why you were banned on pokerstars Global, in the first place.

I don't know if you missed it but they cited 'responsible gaming' reasons.

 

[MK_]

I mean.... you were banned, you made a new account knowing you were banned...... "the worst that could happen" was you'd get banned again and they'd keep your money, sounds like you knew pokerstars was the same company as pokerstars global if you thought about that..... I get you're angry but sounds like a lot of conflicting information here, maybe consider following the sites rules no matter how silly you think they are, pokerstars has been around forever, they absolutely pay out winnings

 

[G0930]

Do you really think Pokerstars needs your 3600$?
Sounds like a human error.
Hundreds of thousand of people withdraw without any problems .
Surely this can be solved.

 

[Rockyfour]

Do you really think Pokerstars needs your 3600$?
Sounds like a human error.
Hundreds of thousand of people withdraw without any problems .
Surely this can be solved.

If they want to return my money sure. But they are currently confiscating it I guess stating that I am a gambling addict and that gives them the right to steal over $3700 from me.

 

[venycyos]

First of all I sympathize with your problem, although I understand that it was possible that you would be banned again, however I think it is very wrong for them to keep your money, unless they prove that you earned it due to cheating.

 

[pasha poltava]

sad story, at least they returned the money, it's a pity (((

 

[G0930]

If they want to return my money sure. But they are currently confiscating it I guess stating that I am a gambling addict and that gives them the right to steal over $3700 from me.

If they do lawyer up 😎
Wouldn't be the first time that PS is forced to return funds by courts

 

[Rockyfour]

sad story, at least they returned the money, it's a pity (((

They didn't return the money, they are keeping it. If they returned it I would just move on with my life.

 

[Rockyfour]

By the end of next week if this is not resolved, I will be uploading all correspondence with Pokerstars along with SS's of my personal info to prove that I did nothing wrong.

They claim that I was deceptive in registering my account. I used the same info. Everything was the same lol. I have screenshots. It's literally all the same. It's all accurate information. It's not like I changed my name, I didn't even change my email address. I didn't change my ID. I didn't change my address to a friends house or something lol.

If someone at Pokerstars wants to apologize to me and return my money, than fine, I will say maybe human error.

But I highly doubt it. They do this on purpose. This is by design. How do I know that? Because they let me play since November, without flagging my account, collecting rake, letting me risk my money, but literally within 2 seconds of finalizing a withdraw, they hit me with this BS.

If this was Pokerstars operating legitimately and fairly, they would of returned my deposit in November when I made the account. Not verify me, do another security check after freezing my account, unfreeze my account tell me everythings good to go, and then let me play until I try to withdraw at which point they confiscate my money and steal the profits stating 'responsible gaming'.

This is a scam. It's a scam guys. This is the most literal definition of a scam you can ever see.

 

[dallam]

I'm really sorry what you are going through. You killed your time, your money in it, and get this when you were ready to harvest your hard-work.

It's maybe happening, but they are supposed to answer you at least : We are closing your case and there's no further communicationon this one ( or something like that), so I pretty much believe that you have a chance for grabbing your money,you just have to find the best questions and evidences on your truth. I suggest to take your time, watch back what you wrote to each other, and searching for some leaks and possible datas they can be waiting for.

If nothing is working, definitely searching for a higher source in poker-laws, cause they let you to deposit, to earn money as well, and only sign to you that there's a serious problem, when it was way too late.

Anyway good luck, and try to sending them another message about their wannabe requirements, and see where it goes.

 

[G0930]

By the end of next week if this is not resolved, I will be uploading all correspondence with Pokerstars along with SS's of my personal info to prove that I did nothing wrong.

They claim that I was deceptive in registering my account. I used the same info. Everything was the same lol. I have screenshots. It's literally all the same. It's all accurate information. It's not like I changed my name, I didn't even change my email address. I didn't change my ID. I didn't change my address to a friends house or something lol.

If someone at Pokerstars wants to apologize to me and return my money, than fine, I will say maybe human error.

But I highly doubt it. They do this on purpose. This is by design. How do I know that? Because they let me play since November, without flagging my account, collecting rake, letting me risk my money, but literally within 2 seconds of finalizing a withdraw, they hit me with this BS.

If this was Pokerstars operating legitimately and fairly, they would of returned my deposit in November when I made the account. Not verify me, do another security check after freezing my account, unfreeze my account tell me everythings good to go, and then let me play until I try to withdraw at which point they confiscate my money and steal the profits stating 'responsible gaming'.

This is a scam. It's a scam guys. This is the most literal definition of a scam you can ever see.

It's the biggest pokerroom on earth no scam site can operate for decades.
. This is a good example of human error or you did violate some rules..under certain circumstances they are well within their rights to confiscate funds..
But from what you describe this is human error..

Hope you get your money , good luck

 

[Rockyfour]

It's the biggest pokerroom on earth no scam site can operate for decades.
. This is a good example of human error or you did violate some rules..under certain circumstances they are well within their rights to confiscate funds..
But from what you describe this is human error..

Hope you get your money , good luck

This is 100% a scam. They operate like this because they get away with it and the laws we have are not strong enough to combat this specific type of behaviour yet.

If it wasn't a scam they would of blocked my account immediately, not waited until I racked up a balance and then hit withdraw.

This is a scam. You might say, Pokerstars doesn't care about your $4000 ect. But they do this on a macro scale and that $4000.00 collectively turns into millions upon millions of dollars in free money.

This is a scam.

 

[G0930]

This is 100% a scam. They operate like this because they get away with it and the laws we have are not strong enough to combat this specific type of behaviour yet.

If it wasn't a scam they would of blocked my account immediately, not waited until I racked up a balance and then hit withdraw.

This is a scam. You might say, Pokerstars doesn't care about your $4000 ect. But they do this on a macro scale and that $4000.00 collectively turns into millions upon millions of dollars in free money.

This is a scam.

saying it moreften doesn't make it true.
and yes courts have power... The Austrian high court forced PS to pay back over 1,2 million in gambling losses to players some years ago

 

[MK_]

.... I would not upload personal info....most poker sites will verify when you attempt to withdraw, this is not unusual at all, it's not a scam site, you set yourself up for this when you signed up knowing you were banned in the first place, call it an expensive lesson and move on to the next site👍

 

[Rockyfour]

saying it moreften doesn't make it true.
and yes courts have power... The Austrian high court forced PS to pay back over 1,2 million in gambling losses to players some years ago

it is true. This is a scam. I didn't make the definition.

"A scam is a deceptive scheme or trick used to cheat someone out of something, especially money. Scam is also a verb meaning to cheat someone in such a way."

What do you call someone who lets someone play with the intention of pocketing there money when they try to withdraw?

A SCAMMER. This is very basic.

The fact that people defend scammers, is the reason why these scammers persist.

 

[G0930]

it is true. This is a scam. I didn't make the definition.

A scam is a deceptive scheme or trick used to cheat someone out of something, especially money. Scam is also a verb meaning to cheat someone in such a way.

What do you call someone who lets someone play with the intention of pocketing there money when they try to withdraw?

A SCAMMER. This is very basic.

The fact that people defend scammers, is the reason why these scammers persist.

sorry mate but why on earht would you register if you got banned beforehand`? This is on you I'm afraid

 

[Rockyfour]

sorry mate but why on earht would you register if you got banned beforehand`? This is on you I'm afraid

I got verified. I made an account on Pokerstars Ontario. It has a different App and webpage and license. Why would I think after being verified all of my money would get stolen?

After being verified twice.

 

[MK_]

That's it right there... They didn't LET you play, they banned you from playing, you signed up knowing you were banned... no one exploited you, you were trying to find a way around the fact you were banned and you played yourself

 

[Rockyfour]

I didn't even break any terms and conditions. This is what they sent me. They said I provided incorrect or misleading registration details. I gave them all accurate info. I am going to release my personal info and documents just to prove that I did. There was NO deceptions, nothing misleading. I used the same email address as the PokerStars global account that got banned ffs.

"14.1 The following are "Prohibited Events":
14.1.1 if at any time you provide incorrect or misleading registration details for your Account;
14.1.2 if at any time you do not meet or fail to comply with any of the Account Requirements;
14.1.3 if at any time you fail to comply with any Verification Request and/or any other check or request for information reasonably required to meet our legal, regulatory or internal requirements;
14.1.4 if you deliberately or fraudulently open one or more Duplicate Accounts;
14.1.5 if we discover or have reason to believe that the security of your Account has been breached (unless caused directly by our failure to exercise reasonable care and skill), for example because you have failed to maintain the confidentiality and security of your Login Credentials;
14.1.6 if we discover or have reason to believe you have breached the security of someone else’s Account (for example you have used someone else’s Account without their permission);
14.1.7 if at any time you do not meet or fail to comply with any of the Deposit Requirements;
14.1.8 if we receive a fraudulent “charge back” and/or "return" notification via a deposit method used on your Account;
14.1.9 if we discover or have reason to believe that you have engaged in any Unacceptable Conduct;
14.1.10 if we discover or have reason to believe that you have engaged in any Unauthorised Use;
14.1.11 if we discover or have reason to believe you have abused or taken advantage of any Error, Malfunction or Interruption;
14.1.12 if you breach any Third Party Terms; or
14.1.13 if you breach the General Terms in some other serious way (we give some examples of serious breaches throughout the General Terms – see Part B Section 7.5, Part B Section 11.3, and Part A Section 9 – but these are not the only ways serious breaches could occur), or you repeatedly breach the General Terms in such a way as to reasonably justify the opinion that your conduct is inconsistent with you having the intention or ability to give effect to the General Terms.
14.2 You must tell us straight away if you suspect or become aware that any Prohibited Event has been or is being committed by any User, and reasonably assist us with any investigation into it (including by providing any information we reasonably request)."

 

[Rockyfour]

That's it right there... They didn't LET you play, they banned you from playing, you signed up knowing you were banned... no one exploited you, you were trying to find a way around the fact you were banned and you played yourself

No I didn't. I signed up for Pokerstars Ontario. I have never been banned from Pokerstars Ontario.

Either way, you think it's okay for someone to steal almost $4000.00, because they created an additional account and were barred for 'responsible gaming'?

Like are people really this dumb?

 

[Suns of Beaches]

U should have asked them first if its ok to register again. U did not (and we both know that u EXACTLY knew that its not ok in GENERAL) and now i have to live with the consequences.

I agree with u they handled this very poorly but thats how these sites operate. They only do intense checks when someone tries to withdraw.

Scam? No it was U who came back without asking first and it was U who violated the TOS. Yes they comfirmed ur acccount but u did not tell them u were banned previously and they probably do not have time to check every random new account in depth.

Would be very surprised if any regulator will help in this case.

In my very opinion sites should not let players play for real money if its not crystal clear the player can deposit/withdraw. But they di this because otherwise they would lose customers, mostly recs who only deposit.

 

[Station_Master]

Hope you manage to get your money. Sounds unreasonable for PS just to keep it. If you were banned they should have stopped you playing not let you play take your money and then refuse to let you withdraw.