Zac's top 3 reasons to avoid AP

#1.
Although I have deposited twice in the past, AP shows no record of any deposits at my current email address. I tell them that it A) may have been an old account B) have since changed my isp provider and therefore my email address is different than the one used when I deposited C) provide all my contact information (name, address, phone number) and the last 8 digits of the Visa card I used (they asked for the last 4 digits) and AP's response...

once again, that my current email address shows no deposits

Now they admit that I have a real money account and can deposit any time. They also admit that the only way to register a real money account is to make a deposit. Yet they still say they have no record of my previous deposits.

I don't really care except that when I click on Deposit or (more importantly) Withdraw I am redirected to a page to setup a real money account. So my current real money? Worthless. If I hit the bad beat jackpot and win $200k tonight, it's play money to me!

They continue to tell me how to find play money games, real money games, how to register for an account, how to make deposits, etc. But no matter how plainly I ask why I must re-register I am told that my current email address does not show any deposits. In other words, in typical AP fashion, they reply with answers that do not relate to my questions.

My wife said just set up another real money account but AP's regulations state that anyone caught using multiple real money accounts will be banned forever and lose all their cash.

Do you want to put money into or worse, spend days, months, years, building winnings on a site that can simply say "Sorry, our records state.." and then deny your winnings?"

How about their emails stating A) you must deposit first to register a real money account B) you have a real money account C) they have no record of your deposit

I mean, I can understand some data mismanagement, etc, but A. B. and C. are impossibilities. Their reply to this conundrum... "we show no record of any deposits at (my current email address)"



#2
For 2-3 months, at every free roll I entered, I would see 4-5 of the same people. Every time. We became friends. When we started sending email to AP about it the reply was that just like deck shuffling, starting seats were completely random therefore what we claimed to be experiencing was impossible.
...random... just like deck shuffling....

Recently AP was running a Holiday Freeroll. I could see the final event coming up but I could never find the qualifying tournaments. No matter how plainly I stated this in emails, I was repeatedly given schedules, told where to look, etc. I even took screen shots of my GUI at the ties they said te tourneys would start registering. The images showed that the tourneys were not in my list. I also told them that by Googling I had found other people who were having the same problem. They sent me new schedules.

Do you want to have any real money vested in a site that refuses to acknowledge that they may be having problems? In a site that always has answers that never relate directly to your questions? You will see many different names at the bottom of those replies. From this you can clearly deduce that this non-committal and indifferent attitude is in fact a company policy taught to and practiced by their customer service representatives. By whom do you think?

and this leads us to...

#3
The Potripper scandal. If you are not familiar with this, please simply Google Absolute Poker and Potripper or check this link...
Update on Absolute Poker Pot Ripper Cheating Scandal - Associated Content
Most people say "This is the poker story of the year, how could anyone not know about it?"

I went table to table through almost every Holdem real money table the other night from micro stakes all the way up to the big boy tables. Yes, it took a while. I started with the statement "for your safety Google Absolute Poker and Potripper" and guess what? Surprise, surprise, the majority of payers had never heard of this. And these were real money tables mind you.

Who was Scott Tom? He was a co-founder of AP (the largest online poker site) and a senior manager. It was his ip address at a Kahnawake Gaming Commission server that the cheating Super User account was traced back to.

Now I ask you again, where does this company policy of non-committal answers come from? Hmmmmm.

And how about Kahnawake being responsible for investigating these events? They initially stated they would have their final report by Dec 7. Then they moved that up to December 24th. Today is January 04 and they have yet to release a conclusive statement.

Does this policy sound familiar yet????

I subscribe to All In magazine and in an article they stated that in the long run this would have the beneficial consequences of making online gaming more secure. I hope so. I fear that it will instead be used as fodder to further discredit the online version of our beloved game and negatively stereotype us, the players.


Time will tell but I can only ask you once more, do you feel safe risking your money at this site? I have thoroughly enjoyed playing at AP over the years but I'm afraid the time has come, for me at least, to pull the plug.

In an ?up? note, I have begun treating my real money as play money and my increased aggression has caused bigger swings but my average bankroll is increasing. Conspiracy pundits would no doubt claim that AP has recognized my account's bizarre 'dead money status' and has begun funneling cash into a 'safe from withdrawal' account. But it's pretty funny when I sit down with those people who start bashing away recklessly (I play limit btw.) They raise, I re-raise. So far I have overwhelmingly come out on top. Then they start complaining about me being a donk. I reply that my money is only play money which only serves to blow their fuses even more. It's almost more fun than going to bed with a bigger bankroll.

Almost.

Instead of continuing to email and continuing to get canned responses why don't you try calling support and explaining your problem. They can even process your deposit over the phone if you like. Every problem has a simple solution.



Again, when you get tired of the canned responses that don't answer the question you asked, call them.
Yeah, we all know about the scandal. It's yesterdays news and really didn't harm AP a bit. It's kinda like death, if it happens it happens... you can make yourself sick worrying about it or you can live your life without letting it bother you. If it doesn't cause you to quit online poker then what good does worrying about it do? You can either never think about it or you can REALLY let it bother and affect you... but tell me, what good comes from the "bothered and affected" scenario? Worrying about it doesn't protect you any more than never thinking about it does.

On an upnote how about #4?

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Well Zac Ray I play vegas247 (a skin of AP), got no problems there. By your cash out stats (WOW) , good going there.

Every thing is being righted at AP so relax or go to a skin and play. May need different e mail to open an account at skin from the one used at AP thou.

Good luck and take care.

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http://i227.photobucket.com/albums/d...arfromTess.gif
COW344

Well Fink, they gave me the number to call to make a deposit. Which I called and could barely hear the recorded voice on (try it, you'll see - 1 866 788 3005 in the US or 800 051 8957 in the UK) and could not understand what was being said.

Besides, I'm not trying to make a deposit lol! The whole point is that I have made 2 deposits already and yet cannot withdraw my money because they lost record of them and refuse to look up my credit card number. Why would I want to make another deposit??

And I am not worried about the scandal hurting AP.
But I'll summarize for you.

AP says I am registered as a real money player. They say the only way I could have done that is by making a deposit. BUT they say they have no record of my deposits and therefore cannot withdraw my money. They are, however encouraging me to register for a real money account. Now go back to the first point (they say I am currently registered with a real money account) and see if my dilemma is becoming more apparent to you? When I click on Deposit, it takes me to a page to register for a real money account. I could try it but then what do I do when I get banned for life for having 2 real money accounts? Call the deposit phone number again?

I think if you understood the point of my post you'd see that your "simple answer" analogy is kinda funny? If I told you that 1+1=2, and 2-1=0 and then refused to acknowledge the discrepancy, you'd be a little distraught as well. Now include "Oh by the way, you can't have your money unless you violate our rules but we'll be happy to take more from you" and you're getting to where I am at.

I brought up the scandal to point out how their pitiful performance and denial of any error on their part is indicative of a rottenness that goes right to the top. The reason you get those canned responses is because that's how they are taught to handle the players.

Btw Cow, those were someone else's cash out stats. And Fink, if you brought that up to make a point for playing at AP, I'm not buying it. If anything, I'd say it's yet another instance of AP screwiness which in THIS case was erred in a players' best interest. What about next time? I'd say calling that a good point makes about as much sense as going all-in every hand. I prefer to do my gambling on the felt, hopefully enhanced by my skills. Not in some computer database.

Ultimately this was meant to let people know why I now recommend against the site I have loved for years. I used to play Party, Champs, Stars, Paradise, UBT, Mermaid, and so many more I don't even remember them anymore but I quit them all for AP. And I'm certainly not suggesting anyone quit playing poker online. I'm just saying stay away from AP. If online poker was regulated the way most US commercial businesses are, I bet the scandal alone would have ruined them. Instead they are hiding behind the ambiguity of the internet which is something I personally value too highly to have some high rolling crooks endanger. Lord knows the US government would looooove to find some foothold in regulating the internet. It all comes down to money my friend. In this case, mine.

Thanks a lot for replying Fink. Love your signature too btw.

And thanks to you as well Cow but I think I'll try to avoid any site even remotely related to AP.

I understand exactly what you are saying. My "simple solution" was to call (not a recorded deposit hotline) SUPPORT (1.877.887.6537) and talk to an actual person and explain your problem. The on the phone deposit comment was just thrown in as something you could do while on the phone with an actual person if a deposit was still required for any reason.

Your emails are being skimmed over and misinterpereted, talk to someone voice.

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i've never had a problem at absolute poker at all. i love it there.

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