warning re 888.com aka party poker

[jasonw]

Have been playing there regularly for the past few months mainly playing sit and go tourneys and the odd multi-table. As I travel a bit with work I play in different places.

For the most part I have been holding my own and even being able occasionaly to cashout some winnings only small amounts though up to $150

Last Monday night I played in a $20,000 guaranteed tourney and managed to end up in third place winning $1800.

The next morning I submitted a cashout request for $1500 to the same cc that I used to deposit funds and cashout previously. They normally take 3 days to clear.

Today I got the below email from them:
-----------------------------------------

Dear Jason,

This is Isabel P. from the Operations Department at Cassava Enterprises (Gibraltar) Ltd.

Cassava Enterprises manage operational services for Pacific Poker.
I am contacting you in regards to your Pacific Poker account with username "removed for privacy".

The country from which you registered does not match the country
from where you logged into your account. Can you kindly
explain why is this the case?

Meanwhile, we had to temporarily disable your account, as well as
accounts related to yours.

To consider reopening your account, we request that you send
us the following documents:

- photocopy of your credit card ending #******. (front & back)
- photocopy of your ID, Passport or Driver's License
- photocopy of a recent utility bill showing your name & address

We recommend you take a photo with a digital camera, and send each
document as separate JPG attachments by e-mail.

A digital camera or scanner usually creates the most legible copy of
these documents, allowing us to verify your details with no further delays.

Alternatively, you could fax these to the Operations Department,
fax no. +350 200 59975. Toll free numbers are available from certain countries,
please find these listed below. Kindly use the 'photo' option when
copying to lighten and enlarge the image, and please include your username.

Toll Free from the United Kingdom 0800-917-3217
Toll Free from Germany 0800-182-1787
Toll Free from Canada 1-866-890-6743
Toll Free from France 0800-917-529
Toll Free from Spain 900-957-055

We have implemented powerful security policies, rules and technical
measures to protect the financial security of our members. However,
if you still have any doubts, you may block the middle 8 numbers on
the credit card photocopy.

We would like to re-open your account and process any funds due as
soon as possible and would appreciate your cooperation in sending
the requested documents.


Regards,

Isabel P.

Operations Department
Cassava (Gibraltar) Ltd.
operations@cassava.net


--------------------------------------

I don't know anyone in their right mind would send such sensitive information via email. It just seems to be to be a ploy to make it as difficult as possible to cash out your winnings.

Has anyone else had this problem?
If so, what did you do?

[waltypies]

Standard security mate.

I use pacific alot. I played out there while i was in Greece and they did the same thing.

Nothing to worry about just call them up and send the stuff they need. You can blank out all the important info.

[Wakou]

I had similar thing with a uGaming site. I got on to online support with my concerns about "faxing" my entire life. They then called me and the issue was sorted on the phone. Seems that my name did not match up with the electoral roll/phone book as my address has a number of flats in it. Seems a more or less standard thinng to prevent money laundering and under-age problems for the card rooms. Get on to support, they will probably be able to sort it for you.

[rodbuck]

Had it once before with VC, as they did not match my postcode to my address (new build), faxed what they wanted and everything ok in 24 hours.

[wilfuljoker]

I've just found the same thing with Neteller as I originally registered from abroad. Why do they bother having security questions if they still want you to send all of your ID? I've decided I'm gonna leave the money on the account as its a gamble I don't want to take (its not that much honestly). Funnily enough, after I wrote saying there must be another way, they didn't reply...

[jasonw]

If they have such secutity concerns why is it only when they are required to pay out? There wasn't a peep out of them when they were taking the money out of my account.

It seems to me to be calculated that a certain proportion of ppl will refuse to send such sensitive info and they get to keep their money.

I got onto support - Couldn't be less helpful. They are a seperate dept to the operations dept who sent the first email. To top it all off, I can't comunicate with the operations dept as they have a 72 hour turn around on emails

[cvo]

If someone in a different country logged in to your account and cashed in all your chips, would you then be complaining that they had no security?

[wilfuljoker]

If someone in a different country logged in to your account and cashed in all your chips, would you then be complaining that they had no security?

I think the simplest solution is to pay it back via the same route it arrived. Then it can only go back to the account it came from. Surely this would mean no one else could sidetrack it. I understand all the hoo-ha if you want it paying into another account. All joking aside, I am taking this seriously. With rumours about sites reneging on prizes and trouble getting the money out, a site's reputation becomes really important when you decide where you want to play. We were talking about it at the casino the other day and someone said they had no problems with Sky and I genuinely trust Matt D so maybe I'll just have to stick to these two sites. (If only Matt could sort out knowing the blind structure and prize structure before you sign up for a tourney PCUK would be almost perfect)

[CitrusSR]

I had this with betfair a year or so ago.

As its a well known company I thought there's no harm in it. (I would be wary if it wasn't.) You can blank out parts of your ID and you've already given your credit card details to deposit money.

They took ages to process it and let me withdraw mind you and it was only about $150

[Dice Man]

Yeah I did soemthing similar to this about 2 years ago. Won some money on a freeroll on some nobodyish site, and won a bit more and decided to cash out. They wanted to see my driving license and possibly bank card, I can't remember. I admit now that it was probably a bit stupid to do it, but since then I've had no repercussions as far as I know, in terms of identity fraud or theft from my account or anything. As has been mentioned, they probably only do this because they are legally entitled to and because it will reduce the numbers of people who actually cash out.