Fulltilt froze my account with 47 grand in it

[Josem]

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Customs. Not really a business but try crossing the US/Canada border with $50k in cash.

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You've gotta be kidding me if you reckon they're not going to explain what they're doing while they're doing it.

Certainly, everything the Australian Customs Service does is subject to review by a court, and they're typically pretty good at explaining what they're doing (although AQIS does much more of the seizing of stuff where this is more relevant)

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Bank of Nova Scotia / BMO / TD Canada Trust / Royal Bank (so 4 out of 5 of the Canadian big banks) have frozen accounts of mine for anywhere from 2-3 days to 2 weeks.

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And I am certain they explained how and why they were doing it while they freezed your accounts.
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I agree it is awful and shouldn't happen but real business do exactly the same thing.

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No. "Real" businesses let you know why they're doing it, and keep you informed of the progress.

There is obviously nothing wrong with a seizure per se; it's the lack of communication that accompanies this that is the offensive part.

[Henry17]

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There is obviously nothing wrong with a seizure per se; it's the lack of communication that accompanies this that is the offensive part.

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While I agree in theory I just don't know what could be communicated. Until the investigation is 100% done they can't make any commitments since things might change. They also can't reveal what the investigation involves since then that information could be used by people in the future to circumvent security. They would be pretty much limited to just courtesy e-mails stating we haven't forgotten about you and we are still working on it.

[Josem]

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They also can't reveal what the investigation involves since then that information could be used by people in the future to circumvent security.

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Given that we live in societies which are willing to have public trials for murderers and rapists (despite the fact that knowledge could be theoretically used by future murderers and rapists to commit their crimes) I don't think it is unreasonable to have the same standard for alleged card cheats.

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They would be pretty much limited to just courtesy e-mails stating we haven't forgotten about you and we are still working on it.

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Well, that would be an improvement too.

Although, I don't think that's right.

For example, they could say: "We have detected that you played a series of unusual hands with player ABC. Can you please explain your thinking during these hands?"

or

"You have had a lot of transfers from player DEF. What is your relationship with that player?"

or

"We noticed that you play very long sessions. Can you please tell us about this?"

or

etc.

[Specialwon]

OP, I was sorry to read about your situation. Legal action would almost certainly not help you - you can certainly do nothing until their investigation is complete (whenever that might be) unless it takes a wholly unreasonable amount of time, by which I mean weeks or more. I think you are entitled to ask them to commit to a timetable and I think they should now say how long it's going to be and stick to it, given their first estimate has busted out.

I also think you should press FT for interest if and when your money is released, FT would be acting unreasonably if they did not at least put your funds on minimum deposit whilst they investigate.

Even if there is unreasonable delay or your money is eventually confiscated I'm sorry to say you would almost certainly be wasting your time bringing a lawsuit. The amount involved is probably not enough to warrant bringing what would be expensive and difficult Court proceedings even if your opponent were a US citizen - previous legal poster unfortunately didn't address the problems you would have in enforcing any judgment against FT who are of course not based on US soil, even supposing you could show it was all a big mistake. Don't take my word for it, try and engage an attorney on a contingency basis for this job and you will soon find out. They will want you to pay a fat hourly rate which will soon eat up any benefit you might get out of a lawsuit.

You're obviously an experienced and ruthless player whether or not guilty as charged. It sucks that you have nobody to appeal to other than the useless shills that are the KGC, but hey, you knew that when you signed up.

Next time maybe manage your exposure a little more tightly? Being accused (rightly or wrongly) of cheating and having your funds delayed or confiscated is a business risk for you just like being robbed at gunpoint is a serious business risk for live cash players.

Even better, move to Britain FFS, zero income tax and a choice of sites with robust oversight.

Josem, you're wrong. Banks freeze money on court order all the time where fraud is alleged. They can be committing an offence if they even discuss details of a freezing order with the customer. And lol at getting any information out of Customs if they decide to stop you and inspect your body cavities.

[MicroBob]

"Even better, move to Britain FFS, zero income tax and a choice of sites with robust oversight."


American citizens leavin in England or elsewhere still owe income-tax. Supposedly gamblers don't even get a tax-exception for their first $80k of income earned aborad although it has been argued that gambling professionally somehow makes a difference.

Don't want to turn this into a tax thread of course...just pointing out that "move to England, pay no taxes" is not necessarily accurate for an American citizen.

[Specialwon]

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"Even better, move to Britain FFS, zero income tax and a choice of sites with robust oversight."


American citizens leavin in England or elsewhere still owe income-tax. Supposedly gamblers don't even get a tax-exception for their first $80k of income earned aborad although it has been argued that gambling professionally somehow makes a difference.

Don't want to turn this into a tax thread of course...just pointing out that "move to England, pay no taxes" is not necessarily accurate for an American citizen.

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I agree its not as simple as clicking your heels, but doable. But yeah, off topic.

[sillysal]

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well I think the "reasoning" is fraud activities, and the "justification" is information that they gathered after watching 92 (or was it 94) hours of sillysal's table play. So I too think stealing is a harsh word.

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Source?

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From OP's statement

"received a letter stating that my account was suspended following a 96 hour investigation of my “table play"

Without saying OP is innocent or guilty, I think this situation is a little different from others.. The other situations people usually talk about are when FTP just freezes people's accounts with no explanation.

I guess what im saying is....FTP saying that it is suspending the account after "96 hours of investigating OP's table play" is their "reasoning"

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The letter they sent me did not say they gathered information after watching my play for 96 hours. They said that they were suspending my account and that it would be resolved in 96 hours. The reason for the investigation was cited as "table play."

FTP has been in touch with me and I expect this matter to be resolved soon.

[RR]

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American citizens leavin in England or elsewhere still owe income-tax. Supposedly gamblers don't even get a tax-exception for their first $80k of income earned aborad although it has been argued that gambling professionally somehow makes a difference.

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It needs to be earned income. Gambling winnings are not "earned." I believe (it is just that, a belief) a professional can convert it earned income.

[MicroBob]

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The letter they sent me did not say they gathered information after watching my play for 96 hours.

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I received a letter stating that my account was suspended following a 96 hour investigation of my “table play”.

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[Pyrosis]

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OP, I was sorry to read about your situation. Legal action would almost certainly not help you - you can certainly do nothing until their investigation is complete (whenever that might be)

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You'd be surprised what an official legal letter from a lawyer can do.