Beware POKERSTARS players, A MUST READ!!!!!!

[pokerraja1]

I am a pokerstars player, who had his account hacked, and received no support from pokerstars security. The hack dumped $ 2,000 in 9 minutes. I am posting to make other players aware of the lack of security in pokerstars, and I ask for your opinion, as I think these funds were lost as part of a chip dumping scheme. I questioned pokerstars of this, and they said they would investigate the hands played (see below). They made no effort to question those at the table, or involved, as one of these players has confirmed to me that they have not contact him to date (1idmonster).

I also want to mention that I contacted BODOG security, which helped me track the person and ultimately I have found the information I need to pursue this person. I will also note that this hack also tried to hack my bodog account, and bodog software blcoked this person, and the security team contacted me within minutes of a foreign IP address trying to access my account.

Stars response to 9 hands played by this hacker...
Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2007 16:21:17 -0500
From: security@pokerstars.com
To: pokerraja@yahoo.com
Subject: RE: Account Hack

Hello,

Your hands were reviewed and no chip dumping was found.

Chip dumping is losing on purpose to another player, there is no evidence
of this.


Regards,

Raul
PokerStars Security


Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2007 01:47:59 -0500
From: "PokerStars Support" <support@pokerstars.com>
To: pokerraja@yahoo.com
Subject: PokerStars Hand History Request - your last 10 games

Transcript for your last 10 games requested by pokerraja (pokerraja@yahoo.com)
*********** # 1 **************
PokerStars Game #8321388394: Hold'em Limit ($50/$100) - 2007/02/07 - 08:50:03 (ET)
Table 'Kochab' 6-max Seat #5 is the button
Seat 3: 1idMonster ($6097 in chips)
Seat 4: miagwen ($2568 in chips)
Seat 5: pokerraja ($324 in chips)
1idMonster: posts small blind $25
miagwen: posts big blind $50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to pokerraja [Qc As]
pokerraja: calls $50
1idMonster: calls $25
pokerraja said, "cnn-news.com"
miagwen: checks
*** FLOP *** [9c 3h 8h]
1idMonster: checks
miagwen: checks
pokerraja: bets $50
1idMonster: folds
miagwen: raises $50 to $100
pokerraja: raises $50 to $150
miagwen: raises $50 to $200
Betting is capped
pokerraja: calls $50
*** TURN *** [9c 3h 8h] [Th]
miagwen: bets $100
pokerraja: calls $74 and is all-in
*** RIVER *** [9c 3h 8h Th] [5s]
*** SHOW DOWN ***
miagwen: shows [2s 3c] (a pair of Threes)
pokerraja: mucks hand
miagwen collected $697 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $698 | Rake $1
Board [9c 3h 8h Th 5s]
Seat 3: 1idMonster (small blind) folded on the Flop
Seat 4: miagwen (big blind) showed [2s 3c] and won ($697) with a pair of Threes
Seat 5: pokerraja (button) mucked [Qc As]

*********** # 2 **************
PokerStars Game #8321381652: Hold'em Limit ($50/$100) - 2007/02/07 - 08:49:05 (ET)
Table 'Kochab' 6-max Seat #4 is the button
Seat 3: 1idMonster ($4798 in chips)
Seat 4: miagwen ($3168 in chips)
Seat 5: pokerraja ($1024 in chips)
pokerraja: posts small blind $25
1idMonster: posts big blind $50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to pokerraja [Qc 2d]
miagwen: raises $50 to $100
pokerraja: calls $75
1idMonster: calls $50
*** FLOP *** [Tc 2s 5c]
pokerraja: bets $50
pokerraja said, "www.cnn.news.com"
1idMonster: calls $50
miagwen: raises $50 to $100
pokerraja: calls $50
1idMonster: calls $50
*** TURN *** [Tc 2s 5c] [6h]
pokerraja: bets $100
1idMonster: raises $100 to $200
miagwen: raises $100 to $300
pokerraja: raises $100 to $400
Betting is capped
1idMonster: calls $200
miagwen: calls $100
*** RIVER *** [Tc 2s 5c 6h] [2c]
pokerraja: bets $100
1idMonster: calls $100
miagwen: folds
*** SHOW DOWN ***
pokerraja: shows [Qc 2d] (three of a kind, Deuces)
1idMonster: shows [3c 4d] (a straight, Deuce to Six)
1idMonster collected $1999 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $2000 | Rake $1
Board [Tc 2s 5c 6h 2c]
Seat 3: 1idMonster (big blind) showed [3c 4d] and won ($1999) with a straight, Deuce to Six
Seat 4: miagwen (button) folded on the River
Seat 5: pokerraja (small blind) showed [Qc 2d] and lost with three of a kind, Deuces

*********** # 3 **************
PokerStars Game #8321379470: Hold'em Limit ($50/$100) - 2007/02/07 - 08:48:46 (ET)
Table 'Kochab' 6-max Seat #3 is the button
Seat 3: 1idMonster ($4798 in chips)
Seat 4: miagwen ($3019 in chips)
Seat 5: pokerraja ($1174 in chips)
miagwen: posts small blind $25
pokerraja: posts big blind $50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to pokerraja [5d 3s]
1idMonster: folds
miagwen: raises $50 to $100
pokerraja: calls $50
*** FLOP *** [Jc Qh 4h]
miagwen: bets $50
pokerraja: calls $50
*** TURN *** [Jc Qh 4h] [8h]
miagwen: bets $100
pokerraja: folds
miagwen collected $299 from pot
miagwen: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $300 | Rake $1
Board [Jc Qh 4h 8h]
Seat 3: 1idMonster (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: miagwen (small blind) collected ($299)
Seat 5: pokerraja (big blind) folded on the Turn

*********** # 4 **************
PokerStars Game #8321374480: Hold'em Limit ($50/$100) - 2007/02/07 - 08:48:03 (ET)
Table 'Kochab' 6-max Seat #5 is the button
Seat 3: 1idMonster ($4823 in chips)
Seat 4: miagwen ($2645 in chips)
Seat 5: pokerraja ($1524 in chips)
1idMonster: posts small blind $25
miagwen: posts big blind $50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to pokerraja [Jd 9s]
pokerraja: calls $50
1idMonster: folds
miagwen: checks
*** FLOP *** [6h 3h 7c]
miagwen: checks
pokerraja: bets $50
miagwen: raises $50 to $100
pokerraja: calls $50
*** TURN *** [6h 3h 7c] [6d]
miagwen: bets $100
pokerraja: calls $100
*** RIVER *** [6h 3h 7c 6d] [5h]
pokerraja said, "terrorist attach america sourcewww.cnn-news.biz"
miagwen: checks
pokerraja: bets $100
miagwen: calls $100
*** SHOW DOWN ***
pokerraja: shows [Jd 9s] (a pair of Sixes)
miagwen: shows [7h Ks] (two pair, Sevens and Sixes)
miagwen collected $724 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $725 | Rake $1
Board [6h 3h 7c 6d 5h]
Seat 3: 1idMonster (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 4: miagwen (big blind) showed [7h Ks] and won ($724) with two pair, Sevens and Sixes
Seat 5: pokerraja (button) showed [Jd 9s] and lost with a pair of Sixes

*********** # 5 **************
PokerStars Game #8321369891: Hold'em Limit ($50/$100) - 2007/02/07 - 08:47:23 (ET)
Table 'Kochab' 6-max Seat #4 is the button
Seat 3: 1idMonster ($5173 in chips)
Seat 4: miagwen ($2271 in chips)
Seat 5: pokerraja ($1549 in chips)
pokerraja: posts small blind $25
1idMonster: posts big blind $50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to pokerraja [2h 6d]
miagwen: raises $50 to $100
pokerraja: folds
1idMonster: calls $50
*** FLOP *** [8c 9s Ac]
1idMonster: checks
miagwen: bets $50
pokerraja said, "www.cnn-news.biz"
1idMonster: calls $50
*** TURN *** [8c 9s Ac] [Kh]
1idMonster: checks
miagwen: bets $100
1idMonster: calls $100
*** RIVER *** [8c 9s Ac Kh] [Jd]
1idMonster: bets $100
miagwen: raises $100 to $200
1idMonster: folds
miagwen collected $724 from pot
miagwen: doesn't show hand
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $725 | Rake $1
Board [8c 9s Ac Kh Jd]
Seat 3: 1idMonster (big blind) folded on the River
Seat 4: miagwen (button) collected ($724)
Seat 5: pokerraja (small blind) folded before Flop

*********** # 6 **************
PokerStars Game #8321365412: Hold'em Limit ($50/$100) - 2007/02/07 - 08:46:44 (ET)
Table 'Kochab' 6-max Seat #3 is the button
Seat 3: 1idMonster ($5173 in chips)
Seat 4: miagwen ($1822 in chips)
Seat 5: pokerraja ($1999 in chips)
miagwen: posts small blind $25
pokerraja: posts big blind $50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to pokerraja [Kd 6h]
1idMonster: folds
miagwen: raises $50 to $100
pokerraja: calls $50
*** FLOP *** [5c Kh 2c]
miagwen: bets $50
pokerraja: calls $50
*** TURN *** [5c Kh 2c] [2s]
miagwen: bets $100
pokerraja: calls $100
*** RIVER *** [5c Kh 2c 2s] [7c]
pokerraja said, "www.cnn-news.biz"
miagwen: bets $100
pokerraja: raises $100 to $200
miagwen: calls $100
*** SHOW DOWN ***
pokerraja: shows [Kd 6h] (two pair, Kings and Deuces)
miagwen: shows [Ks 7s] (two pair, Kings and Sevens)
miagwen collected $899 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $900 | Rake $1
Board [5c Kh 2c 2s 7c]
Seat 3: 1idMonster (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: miagwen (small blind) showed [Ks 7s] and won ($899) with two pair, Kings and Sevens
Seat 5: pokerraja (big blind) showed [Kd 6h] and lost with two pair, Kings and Deuces

*********** # 7 **************
PokerStars Game #8321362055: Hold'em Limit ($50/$100) - 2007/02/07 - 08:46:15 (ET)
Table 'Kochab' 6-max Seat #5 is the button
Seat 3: 1idMonster ($5198 in chips)
Seat 4: miagwen ($2072 in chips)
Seat 5: pokerraja ($1725 in chips)
1idMonster: posts small blind $25
miagwen: posts big blind $50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to pokerraja [4c 4s]
pokerraja: raises $50 to $100
1idMonster: folds
miagwen: raises $50 to $150
pokerraja said, "www.cnn.news.biz"
pokerraja: calls $50
*** FLOP *** [9c 3c 4d]
miagwen: bets $50
pokerraja: raises $50 to $100
miagwen: calls $50
*** TURN *** [9c 3c 4d] [2s]
miagwen: folds
pokerraja collected $524 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $525 | Rake $1
Board [9c 3c 4d 2s]
Seat 3: 1idMonster (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 4: miagwen (big blind) folded on the Turn
Seat 5: pokerraja (button) collected ($524)

*********** # 8 **************
PokerStars Game #8321356456: Hold'em Limit ($50/$100) - 2007/02/07 - 08:45:26 (ET)
Table 'Kochab' 6-max Seat #4 is the button
Seat 3: 1idMonster ($4799 in chips)
Seat 4: miagwen ($2172 in chips)
Seat 5: pokerraja ($2025 in chips)
pokerraja: posts small blind $25
1idMonster: posts big blind $50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to pokerraja [Ah 9d]
miagwen: raises $50 to $100
pokerraja: calls $75
1idMonster: calls $50
*** FLOP *** [5d 7h Jd]
pokerraja: checks
1idMonster: checks
miagwen: checks
*** TURN *** [5d 7h Jd] [6h]
pokerraja said, "www.cnn-news.biz"
pokerraja: checks
1idMonster: bets $100
miagwen: folds
pokerraja: calls $100
*** RIVER *** [5d 7h Jd 6h] [Js]
pokerraja: bets $100
1idMonster: calls $100
*** SHOW DOWN ***
pokerraja: shows [Ah 9d] (a pair of Jacks)
1idMonster: shows [4c 6c] (two pair, Jacks and Sixes)
1idMonster collected $699 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $700 | Rake $1
Board [5d 7h Jd 6h Js]
Seat 3: 1idMonster (big blind) showed [4c 6c] and won ($699) with two pair, Jacks and Sixes
Seat 4: miagwen (button) folded on the Turn
Seat 5: pokerraja (small blind) showed [Ah 9d] and lost with a pair of Jacks

*********** # 9 **************
PokerStars Game #8321355297: Hold'em Limit ($50/$100) - 2007/02/07 - 08:45:17 (ET)
Table 'Kochab' 6-max Seat #3 is the button
Seat 3: 1idMonster ($4799 in chips)
Seat 4: miagwen ($2197 in chips)
Seat 5: pokerraja ($2000 in chips)
miagwen: posts small blind $25
pokerraja: posts big blind $50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to pokerraja [Jh Ac]
1idMonster: folds
miagwen: folds
pokerraja collected $50 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $50 | Rake $0
Seat 3: 1idMonster (button) folded before Flop (didn't bet)
Seat 4: miagwen (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 5: pokerraja (big blind) collected ($50)

fyi, These are pokerstars responses to my email....

Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2007 08:57:17 -0500
From: security@pokerstars.com
To: pokerraja@yahoo.com
Subject: RE: Account Hack

Hello,

Your account was accessed one hour after you made your cashout request, and
all the funds were lost to legitimate players.

It appears that the computer used to play in this game was one shared with
the player 'MortgageMan1'. Do you know this player?

Have you ever shared your password with another player? Could you have left
your account logged in, thus allowing another player access to you account?

I have temporarily frozen your account to prevent any further unauthorised
access.

I'm afraid we cannot offer you any assistance with your Bodog issue. It is
feasible that the person that gained access to your PokerStars account
could have done the same with other poker site accounts.

Please get back to us with answers to my questions so that we can discover
what has happened.

Regards,

Bob
PokerStars Security

************************************************** **********

Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2007 11:50:59 -0500
From: security@pokerstars.com
To: pokerraja@yahoo.com
Subject: RE: Account Hack

Hello,

It is unlikely that 'MortgageMan1' was the culprit in this case as he also
has a good history with us. It may well be that this person has also been a
victim of the same person. It's only by asking questions that we can piece
these things together.

How many computers have you used to access PokerStars in the last week?

The chat of this person is certainly not in character with your usual
conversation.

I'm afraid the news regarding your money is not good. Effectively, you are
responsible for the security of your own password. Some how, the person
that perpetrated this activity discovered your password. Presumably you
have inadvertently downloaded a key-logger, which has enabled somebody to
discover your password.

We cannot take responsibility for this breach, and we are not able to
recover any of your lost funds. I am sorry, but we will not be refunding
the money lost in this incident.

Before we re-instate your account, we strongly recommend that you scan your
computer for any viruses that may be at the root of this problem.

Please let us know how you get on. We will unfreeze your account upon your
request.

Regards,

Bob
PokerStars Security


************************************************** **********

Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2007 12:14:50 -0500
From: security@pokerstars.com
To: pokerraja@yahoo.com
Subject: RE: Account Hack

Hello,

I realise this is not what you want to hear, but in these situations we
simply cannot take responsibility.

At our end, you information is completely secure. We cannot do anything to
protect your computer, and so that must be your responsibility.

We cannot offer refunds where there is nothing we could have done to
prevent the incident.

Your funds were lost to legitimate players at our tables and we cannot take
the money back from them.

I am truly sorry that we are unable to do more for you.

Please let us know when you are ready for your account to be re-instated.

Regards,

Bob
PokerStars Security

************************************************** **********

Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2007 12:51:34 -0500
From: security@pokerstars.com
To: pokerraja@yahoo.com
Subject: RE: Account Hack

Hello,

I am not denying that it was somebody other than yourself that played in
these games. Unfortunately, that is not the problem.

The problem is that we cannot offer a refund where we are not at fault.
Somebody gained access to your account, not because of something we have
done, but because you did not take sufficient precautions to protect your
own computer.

We cannot keep your computer secure, any more than we can prevent you from
being mugged on the way to work. This may seem like a far-fetched analogy,
but it demonstrates my point.

If we gave refunds in cases where we have done nothing wrong, it is likely
we would not stay in business very long. It is a precedent that we cannot
afford to set.

If you still wish to speak to a supervisor, please confirm this in your
response.

Regards,

Bob
PokerStars Security

************************************************** *********

Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2007 15:43:53 -0500
From: security@pokerstars.com
To: pokerraja@yahoo.com
Subject: RE: Account Hack

Hello,

After performing an audit of your account logs we found the following:

-There are no password failures in your account, thus whomever accessed
your account has full knowledge of your PokerStars password.

-During the time of the unauthorized access (2/7/2007 8:42:55 AM to
2/7/2007 8:51:03 AM), your PokerStars account was accessed from the
following IP 87.239.226.135. This IP can be traced to Romania.

-Play in your account was reviewed and no evidence of chip dumping or
other play irregularity was detected.

If you have not shared your password with anyone, we strongly recommend
you scan your computer for viruses or key loggers as your situation is
consistent with these type of cases.

While we agree that this situation is highly unfortunate, players are
responsible for the security of their accounts and all information and
activity within. PokerStars cannot be held responsible for your losses.
The funds were lost to legitimate players at our tables and cannot be
returned.

If you wish your PokerStars account reinstated, please let us know.


Regards,

Raul
PokerStars Security

[Kmon]

well they look as they could care less, the hands don't make sense. Hope your connected and u find this guy and mess him up. But if u were u wouldn't post this.

Sorry to hear that, Looks like ftp and bodog will get my business when my roll is built up.

[professormike]

The hacker really likes CNN.

[Aceshigh7]

Doesn't look like chip dumping to me. Looks like some drunk idiot deciding to screw around and blow someone else's money.

Very unfortunate how that scumbag screwed you over. People like that really piss me off.

[Skleice]

Wow, that's horrible. But, I also don't think it was chip dumping...just an a-hole playing with somebody else's money. Did you use a public computer? Did you have a secure firewall on your own computer?

[runout_mick]

[ QUOTE ]
*********** # 7 **************
PokerStars Game #8321362055: Hold'em Limit ($50/$100) - 2007/02/07 - 08:46:15 (ET)
Table 'Kochab' 6-max Seat #5 is the button
Seat 3: 1idMonster ($5198 in chips)
Seat 4: miagwen ($2072 in chips)
Seat 5: pokerraja ($1725 in chips)
1idMonster: posts small blind $25
miagwen: posts big blind $50
*** HOLE CARDS ***
Dealt to pokerraja [4c 4s]
pokerraja: raises $50 to $100
1idMonster: folds
miagwen: raises $50 to $150
pokerraja said, "www.cnn.news.biz"
pokerraja: calls $50
*** FLOP *** [9c 3c 4d]
miagwen: bets $50
pokerraja: raises $50 to $100
miagwen: calls $50
*** TURN *** [9c 3c 4d] [2s]
miagwen: folds
pokerraja collected $524 from pot
*** SUMMARY ***
Total pot $525 | Rake $1
Board [9c 3c 4d 2s]
Seat 3: 1idMonster (small blind) folded before Flop
Seat 4: miagwen (big blind) folded on the Turn
Seat 5: pokerraja (button) collected ($524)


[/ QUOTE ]

This action makes no sense. Why does miagwen fold to no bet?

Edit: This does kinda look like a bad attempt at dumping. Neither miagwen's or the hacker's actions (in any hand) make much sense otherwise. It would help if stars released miagwen's hole cards.

[MattSuspect]

Hey Dude, this sucks. I saw a player last weekend, a good player like yourself, just going berserk, beware of hackers kids. Seems like they are just doing it to [censored] around.

[Psy_Mike]

Very unfortunate, but you do understand why Stars cannot refund your account at least?

What they should have done is help you track him down, for your sake and for their sake.

Goodluck!

[YourAce]

It looks to me as if they danced around the issue, and were adamant that they were not to blame. As that could be the case, it seems they have plenty of holes in their security and any one is a target. GL Raja.

[rakemeplz]

Ummm jokerstars probably cares, they just aren't responsible for virus checking the guys computer for him.

'it seems they have plenty of holes in their security'

no