Closed betfair account

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geoffs
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2015 7:46 pm

On holiday in Barbados recently I accessed betfair practice mode on the betangel VPS via an unsecured hotel wifi.
When I returned home and logged onto betfair live mode I found that a bet had been made to empty my account.
Luckily it wasn't a large amount of money.
I topped up my account and queried the bet with betfair, both on the same day. Their response was to say i was suspected of acting illegally or fraudulently and closed my account and retained the balance which I had deposited that day.
The moral is don't use unsecured wifi
Any suggestions?
Will they let me open a new account?
geoffs
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jimibt
Posts: 3641
Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2015 6:42 pm
Location: Narnia

geoff,

sounds like really bad luck :(. one thing i'm not 100% sure about mind you is how someone would be able to access both your vps (this requires a login via the remote desktop windows login) and then how the vps credentials (betfair login etc) could become available outside of the self contained remote desktop environment.

i would get a proper security expert to validate this but sounds like someone is fobbing you off. the exploit you think occurred would be very unlikely to happen due to the 3 layers actually being very separate.

i would also urge betfair to review the fact that you are merely reporting an issue, not trying to benefit from it by pushing them for compensation etc.
LinusP
Posts: 1871
Joined: Mon Jul 02, 2012 10:45 pm

Do you have any unknown ip addresses on your account? I.e. Was the bet placed via your vps?
geoffs
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2015 7:46 pm

Hi
I have my laptop set to log in with the password saved so I don't have to enter it each time.
I've no idea how the bet was placed or whether I was hacked or not. I know it was a day while I was on holiday and my home computer was turned off.
As my account is now closed I cannot find out.
The message from betfair said "the decision is final and we won't be able to discuss it any further on the phone, live chat, email or post"
A bit harsh I thought as I only asked them to check if I had made the bet as I hadn't knowlingly been live while away.
Geoff
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Naffman
Posts: 5626
Joined: Sun Aug 11, 2013 5:46 am

Sounds like they don't want to get to the bottom of it at all costs! Betfair are fishy nowadays and that proves it because surely they'd want to help you discover the problem to make sure it doesnt happen to anyone else.
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jimibt
Posts: 3641
Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2015 6:42 pm
Location: Narnia

there was (possibly still is) a betfair scam whereby funds from account A were placed on a no hoper runner at odds outside the normal spread. account B would then have an opposing bet that matched this account A bet. in effect, betfair recognise this as a money laundering scam. I know you are not likely to be part of this, but this is what they effectively imagine has happened.

I'd keep badgering their security department and altho remaining courteous would vigorously defend both my honour and my account. at the end of the day, all you want is to resume normal activity on your account. any fool in the betfair towers will recognise the profile of your account prior to this blip and step outside the mantra and deal with it on a human basis, rather than flavva of the week transgression.
Last edited by jimibt on Tue Feb 21, 2017 3:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
geoffs
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2015 7:46 pm

The situation is now resolved. They did speak to me on the phone.
Apparently I was sent an incorrect standard email closing my account.
My account is now open again with the funds restored.
They are now going to actually investigate the source of the bad bet.
Geoff
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jimibt
Posts: 3641
Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2015 6:42 pm
Location: Narnia

great result and a huge relief for you... well done
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