vpFREE2 Forums

Markers

#1

I always thought using casino credit and taking a marker was the safest way to deal with avoiding taking large sums of cash on vacation. Here’s my horror story.

I had $2,200 in my gambling checking account last month. I happened to check the balance online 2 weeks ago and my balance read -$2,800! What?! I ran over to my bank and they told me that a check is currently processing for $5,000 from Harrah’s Philadelphia. Nothing can be done until it processes fully on the next business day. What? 3 Reasons that something is very wrong here: 1) I haven’t taken a marker from Harrah’s Philadelphia since last April, 2) I only have a $3,000 credit limit, and 3) I only take markers at $1,000 or less.

I call Harrah’s Philadelphia.

Evidently, someone else took a marker for $5,000. They use the same bank as I do…a small bank in the area…and whoever put the marker through put it through on MY account.

I go to Harrah’s Philadelphia.

They appologize up and down. “This has never happened before.” “We’ll cover all banking costs you incure.” “Here, have $100 in free play for your inconvenience.” I see a copy of the check. Not my name, not my signature, but definitely my account number on the check.

The next business day my bank returns the check to Harrah’s Philadelphia. I have already talked with the credit department. The matter should be closed.

No. Harrah’s bank refuses to take the check back and 2 days later I am called by my bank’s manager. “The check came back to us. I can send it back again, but if they refuse it again you will be responsible for the $5,000 and will have to get it back from Harrah’s Philadelphia.” Nice (sarcastic inflection).

I call Harrah’s Philadelphia. I tell them they better get their shit together with their bank so that the check doesn’t come back. It’s been 5 days and so far it looks good. My bank manager said give it another 3 days to be sure.

So that’s my horror story. If the marker was only for $1,000 I may have missed it. Never again. All account numbers have been changed and I will watch markers like a hawk.

Stu

#2

At least your issues appears to be resolved. Here’s what can happen if you carry cash…

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/crime-and-courts/2014/09/30/iowa-state-patrol-cash-seizure-illegal-gamblers-say/16511135/

#3

There's an interesting article in the current edition of Wired magazine about two guys who found a bug in the software for Game King VP machines that (temporarily) netted them hundreds of thousands of dollars. Unfortunately, it doesn't appear to be available online yet (perhaps it's available to subscribers only but I wasn't able to track it down).

#4

This isn’t a problem with markers per se. It’s a Harrah’s procedural problem. I have been using markers for a lot of years and I have never had a problem.

A.P.

···

From: “S Merrian saurons…@…com [harrahscasinos]” <harrahscasi…@…com>
To: ac…@…com; Harrah’s <harrahscasi…@…com>; vpf…@…com
Sent: Thursday, October 2, 2014 9:48 AM
Subject: [harrahscasinos] Markers

I always thought using casino credit and taking a marker was the safest way to deal with avoiding taking large sums of cash on vacation. Here’s my horror story.

I had $2,200 in my gambling checking account last month. I happened to check the balance online 2 weeks ago and my balance read -$2,800! What?! I ran over to my bank and they told me that a check is currently processing for $5,000 from Harrah’s Philadelphia. Nothing can be done until it processes fully on the next business day. What? 3 Reasons that something is very wrong here: 1) I haven’t taken a marker from Harrah’s Philadelphia since last April, 2) I only have a $3,000 credit limit, and 3) I only take markers at $1,000 or less.

I call Harrah’s Philadelphia.

Evidently, someone else took a marker for $5,000. They use the same bank as I do…a small bank in the area…and whoever put the marker through put it through on MY account.

I go to Harrah’s Philadelphia.

They appologize up and down. “This has never happened before.” “We’ll cover all banking costs you incure.” “Here, have $100 in free play for your inconvenience.” I see a copy of the check. Not my name, not my signature, but definitely my account number on the check.

The next business day my bank returns the check to Harrah’s
Philadelphia. I have already talked with the credit department. The matter should be closed.

No. Harrah’s bank refuses to take the check back and 2 days later I am called by my bank’s manager. “The check came back to us. I can send it back again, but if they refuse it again you will be responsible for the $5,000 and will have to get it back from Harrah’s Philadelphia.” Nice (sarcastic inflection).

I call Harrah’s Philadelphia. I tell them they better get their shit together with their bank so that the check doesn’t come back. It’s been 5 days and so far it looks good. My bank manager said give it another 3 days to be sure.

So that’s my horror story. If the marker was only for $1,000 I
may have missed it. Never again. All account numbers have been changed and I will watch markers like a hawk.

Stu

#5

Might be the people who got caught in the Pittsburgh area at the Meadows race track/casino.

···

To: vpF…@…com
From: vpF…@…com
Date: Thu, 2 Oct 2014 11:08:39 -0500
Subject: [vpFREE] Game King VP article in current Wired magazine

There’s an interesting article in the current edition of Wired magazine
about two guys who found a bug in the software for Game King VP machines
that (temporarily) netted them hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear to be available online yet (perhaps
it’s available to subscribers only but I wasn’t able to track it down).

Posted by: Mike Starr <m…@…com>

vpFREE Links: http://www.west-point.org/users/usma1955/20228/V/Links.htm

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#6

An angry poker player or an informant who works at the casino fingered them. This is a scam to raise revenue by states.

James Thompson

···

To: vpF…@…com
From: vpF…@…com
Date: Thu, 2 Oct 2014 07:41:28 -0700
Subject: [vpFREE] Re: Markers

At least your issues appears to be resolved. Here’s what can happen if you carry cash…

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/crime-and-courts/2014/09/30/iowa-state-patrol-cash-seizure-illegal-gamblers-say/16511135/

#7

Yes... one of the two guys discussed in the article was from Pittsburgh and played at the Meadows. The other was a LV resident.

···

On 10/2/2014 3:02 PM, kelso kelso1600@hotmail.com [vpFREE] wrote:

Might be the people who got caught in the Pittsburgh area at the Meadows race track/casino.

> To: vpFREE@yahoogroups.com
> From: vpFREE@yahoogroups.com
> Date: Thu, 2 Oct 2014 11:08:39 -0500
> Subject: [vpFREE] Game King VP article in current Wired magazine
>
> There's an interesting article in the current edition of Wired magazine
> about two guys who found a bug in the software for Game King VP machines
> that (temporarily) netted them hundreds of thousands of dollars.
> Unfortunately, it doesn't appear to be available online yet (perhaps
> it's available to subscribers only but I wasn't able to track it down).
>
> ------------------------------------
> Posted by: Mike Starr <mike@writestarr.com>
> ------------------------------------
>
> vpFREE Links: http://www.west-point.org/users/usma1955/20228/V/Links.htm
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Yahoo Groups Links
>

#8

Sounds a lot like this item from the May, 2013 Wired.

http://www.wired.com/2013/05/game-king/

···

On Thu, Oct 2, 2014 at 12:08 PM, Mike Starr m…@…com [vpFREE] <vpF…@…com> wrote:

There’s an interesting article in the current edition of Wired magazine
about two guys who found a bug in the software for Game King VP machines
that (temporarily) netted them hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear to be available online yet (perhaps
it’s available to subscribers only but I wasn’t able to track it down).

–
"The commitments we make to each other - through Medicare and Medicaid and Social Security - these things do not sap our initiative; they strengthen us. They do not make us a nation of takers; they free us to take the risks that make this country great." President Barack Obama 1/20/13

#9

Not the same article but covers most of the same ground... one would think one of the editors at Wired might have noticed the overlap.

···

On 10/2/2014 7:21 PM, Rprosdc rprosdc@gmail.com [vpFREE] wrote:

Sounds a lot like this item from the May, 2013 Wired.

http://www.wired.com/2013/05/game-king/

On Thu, Oct 2, 2014 at 12:08 PM, Mike Starr mike@writestarr.com > <mailto:m…@…com> [vpFREE] <vpFREE@yahoogroups.com > <mailto:vpF…@…com>> wrote:

    There's an interesting article in the current edition of Wired
    magazine
    about two guys who found a bug in the software for Game King VP
    machines
    that (temporarily) netted them hundreds of thousands of dollars.
    Unfortunately, it doesn't appear to be available online yet (perhaps
    it's available to subscribers only but I wasn't able to track it
    down).

--
*"The commitments we make to each other - through Medicare and Medicaid and Social Security - these things do not sap our initiative; they strengthen us. They do not make us a nation of takers; they free us to take the risks that make this country great." President Barack Obama 1/20/13*

#10

It is a scam and recently there was a long front page article in the Washington Post about how the law has been used improperly and the costs in legal fees and time it takes to get your money back.

It appears that many times the government offers half of the cash back even if you are innocent in return for dropping any litigation.

···

To: vpf…@…com
From: vpF…@…com
Date: Thu, 2 Oct 2014 13:46:22 -0700
Subject: RE: [vpFREE] Re: Markers

An angry poker player or an informant who works at the casino fingered them. This is a scam to raise revenue by states.

James Thompson

To: vpF…@…com
From: vpF…@…com
Date: Thu, 2 Oct 2014 07:41:28 -0700
Subject: [vpFREE] Re: Markers

At least your issues appears to be resolved. Here’s what can happen if you carry cash…

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/crime-and-courts/2014/09/30/iowa-state-patrol-cash-seizure-illegal-gamblers-say/16511135/

#11

Here's a direct link to the current article:

http://www.wired.com/2014/10/cheating-video-poker/

#12

Funny, they bring up the Ron Harris cheat. My wife and I spent a year with him in 2009 without knowing his past. He works with a realtor in LV and we were looking to buy a home there (and did after 12 months of searching). Very nice, quite person but always picked us up outside our casino. Two years later a friend recognized his name in a casual conversation and said that's the gaming control person who cheated the machines and is a Biography channel episode. Sure enough, I googled it and bought the DVD of the program and learned a lot about a person whom I would have never guessed his background. I still think he is a terrific person that just so disillusioned with the gaming authority that he crossed the line.

Dave

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

#13

Amazing. Same magazine publishes essentially same article by same author
twice in less than two years. I can't wait for its next appearance.

···

On Oct 9, 2014 1:39 AM, "Mike Starr mike@writestarr.com [vpFREE]" < vpFREE@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

Here's a direct link to the current article:

http://www.wired.com/2014/10/cheating-video-poker/

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

#14

It appears to be one that was mentioned but technically they werent really doing anything wrong. The machine had a glitch in the code and they figured it out. I guess its the same as seeing a great game and playing it until the casio discovers they and a mistake and pulls it.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]