Pokerstars' crack security team at work!

[Dan Druff]

[ QUOTE ]
But Dan, obviously this isn't about stealing pennies. They are concerned that someone's account has been compromised. I agree it sucks and is no doubt an inconvenience to you. I don't blame you for being miffed. But you should just say this and ask them to complete their investigation ASAP. Your bracelet or how much money you have is a mute point.

[/ QUOTE ]

Everyone keeps talking about "the other account being compromised", but that's not my problem, and freezing my account won't help matters.

The ONLY valid reason to freeze my account would be a fear that I would dump off the illegally transferred money to others. Since we're only talking about a penny, that obviously is not a concern.

And what about further transfers that HoldumGod could make to me for a lot more? Well, Pokerstars doesn't have instant transfers. They review each and every one, no matter how big or small -- and this is exactly why. They can simply refuse to process any further transfers from HoldumGod until this is settled. Why even have a "transfer approval" process if you're just going to freeze accounts that receive supposedly unauthorized penny transfers?

And once again, I brought up the WSOP bracelet not because I feel it entitles me to extra service, but more to indicate that they're freezing the account of a well-known high-limit player over the matter of a penny. During last year's WSOP, Stars was bragging about all of their players who were winning (or even final tabling) WSOP events. Do you think they'd really want the PR of suspending these same players because some dope thought it was funny to transfer a penny and later claim he didn't?

[Dan Druff]

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Suspending my account for "stealing" a penny is equivalent to arresting Bill Gates if I were to accuse him of pickpocketing me for $100.

[/ QUOTE ]

Before, I just thought you were an ass. Now I think you're retarded as well.

[/ QUOTE ]

Okay, genius, explain what was "retarded" about my statement.

I have played hundreds of thousands of hands at $100/$200 on that site. Not once has a complaint been lodged against me for anything questionable.

What would I ever want with an account of a presumably low limit player like HoldumGod? And what would transferring a penny accomplish? Even if it was simply a "feeler" transfer to set the stage for a later one, wouldn't it be smarter to simply ban transfers between us, rather than lock my whole account?

Simply put, there would be no MOTIVE for any "crime" here on my part. I'm sure that the entire contents of HoldumGod's account are less than one big blind at the games I normally play. Stars needs to recognize things like this before shutting down my account.

So explain, O Grad School wise one, where I went wrong with my reasoning.

This ought to be good.

[Dan Druff]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Suspending my account for "stealing" a penny is equivalent to arresting Bill Gates if I were to accuse him of pickpocketing me for $100.

[/ QUOTE ]

Your above statement is all anyone needs to read to understand why Pokerstars is right in their actions, and why you are dellusional (and wrong).

[/ QUOTE ]

Really? Explain why I am "dellusional". Explain what Pokerstars could hope to accomplish by freezing my account there.

And while you're at it, explain why it's a desirable situation to where any donk with a penny can get a high limit player locked out with a baseless accusation.

I hear, Mike, that you're a manager at Party Poker nowadays. Do you instruct your security team to take such heavy-handed, automated, and thoughtless measures when obviously stupid accusations are made against your best customers? If so, I'm starting to understand why there are so many complaints about the customer service over there...

[Theodore Donald Kiravatsos]

[ QUOTE ]

I hear, Mike, that you're a manager at Party Poker nowadays. Do you instruct your security team to take such heavy-handed, automated, and thoughtless measures when obviously stupid accusations are made against your best customers? If so, I'm starting to understand why there are so many complaints about the customer service over there...

[/ QUOTE ]

Don't expect a reply. Mike won't be back to this board for another six months. At which time, he will ask us to vote on what new color of chips we'd like to see at the tables, and what our favorite card backs are.

[bigballz]

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Do you instruct your security team to take such heavy-handed, automated, and thoughtless measures when obviously stupid accusations are made against your best customers?

[/ QUOTE ]
Party Poker has support?

[Lestat]

I didn't realize every transfer has to go through an approval process on Stars. In that case, your point is much more valid.

I also agree this shouldn't be your problem. My main point is that (in my experience anyway), you tend to get more action with honey than vinegar. At least for the first email, I would've tried to have been more cordial and less demanding. Not because you're not entitled to be aggravated, but because you have a better chance of getting positive results from them. In other words, treat them like idiots over the absurdity of the situation, but be nice about it.

[augie_]

Druff,

You need to relax.

Just because you are a "well-known" player with a large bankroll doesn't mean you're any less capable of being a scumbag. I'm not calling you a scumbag, but there are plenty of rich and famous scumbags. Pokerstars is protecting itself.

[ QUOTE ]
What if this is just a "test transfer"? Simple solution. Disallow all transfers between our two accounts until it is solved. In fact, they could hold the penny in escrow until this is solved.

[/ QUOTE ]

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Suspending my account for "stealing" a penny is equivalent to arresting Bill Gates if I were to accuse him of pickpocketing me for $100.

[/ QUOTE ]

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Pokerstars needs to learn to reserve their suspensions for cases where real danger of loss exists, not when innocent people are the victim of childish penny-pranks.

[/ QUOTE ]

Since you write well, I believe that you're smart enough to know that the amount of money isn't the issue at hand here. What if you actually did steal that penny from HoldumGod's account? Would Pokerstars be justified in locking your account then? Maybe HoldumGod is playing a trick on you, maybe he's not. Pokerstars will sort it out. In the meantime, the locking of your account is totally justified.

I do agree with you that maybe their automated transfer system could be a little "smarter." But since it's not, they are doing the only thing they can, which is lock your account and investigate.

[ QUOTE ]

It's called common sense, folks.

[/ QUOTE ]

Nothing screams common sense like responding to the question "How do you know HoldumGod" with "How dare you! I'm a WSOP bracelet winner!"

[Bottled Rockets]

Absurd.

You're absolutely right, Druff.

Most of these repliers are on crack.

[TheScientist]

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Absurd.

You're absolutely right, Druff.

Most of these repliers are on crack.

[/ QUOTE ]

I tend to agree here. There is no justification for freezing an account over one penny. (Or for any crime that hasnt happened yet, all possibility of which can be prevented by disabling transfers.) Stars is definitely in the wrong here.

[VORP]

I don't get the responses defending Stars at all. What can locking Druff's account possibly accomplish, aside from pissing off a regular player? If they are concerned about a larger transfer being chip dumped, just block the transfer. This seems incredibly simple.