Unauthorized Bitcoin Withdrawal at Bovada

**fa6664** · 11-12-17, 01:25 PM

Update. Bovada claims that the IP address used to request the withdrawal is the same one I used to log in to my account - which is my phone. So they claim its my fault for not securing my phone. My phone is with me at all times. its easy to spoof an IP address too. And they wouldn't tell me if someone entered my moms maiden name correctly on the withdraw request, which is one of their procedures. Total BS.

**Optional** · 11-12-17, 01:50 PM

Sounds bad but you may as well shoot in a sportsbook complaint form and see if SBR can help at all.

**lonnie55** · 11-12-17, 02:25 PM

I would enable 2FA whenever a sportsbook accepts Bitcoin as a payment method. If they don't provide 2FA, they are automatically disqualified as a legit BTC book in my view.

Doesn't Bovada provide 2FA?

**KS1986** · 11-12-17, 04:03 PM

If it is an inside job couldn't the thief just change the IP address they have on file to match yours. Books really need to have good security measures in place for BTC withdrawals. Seems like it would be too easy for employees to steal and these transaction are irreversible. The fact that you have never used BTC should raise flags. Bovada def one of the better books out there when it comes to payout times, but dam this is strange. Let us know any updates.

**Mr. Peepers** · 11-19-17, 07:43 PM

Any updates here?

**rumple** · 11-20-17, 12:33 AM

Has to be an inside job, but with Bovada im surprised.

**jjgold** · 11-20-17, 06:56 AM

strange story

**Grivas_Digeni** · 11-20-17, 08:12 AM

This is only slightly better than a 'account closed, funds confiscated' story.

WTF....

**Optional** · 11-20-17, 10:15 AM

I thought this guy posted in another thread that he found the problem and it was someone he knew who had ripped him off.

Cant see the post anywhere though

Someone else know what I am talking about? Dont think I was imagining it.

**Optional** · 11-20-17, 10:24 AM

I just checked with the dispute analyst who received this complaint and they say the OP wrote back to say he would prefer to just handle it himself with Bovada.

We have not heard any more since then from him.

**michael777** · 11-20-17, 12:46 PM

he's just another scammer

**OVAKUL** · 11-20-17, 03:52 PM

What's going on here? If this is a scammer, it would be nice to know it!

**fa6664** · 11-20-17, 06:36 PM

I was waiting to see how Bovada's "Dispute Resolution" process would handle this. When I filed my complaint with them, their first email back said this (I bolded the relevant section).

Hello Mr. _______,
We are contacting you from the office of Dispute Resolution. We take all concerns/complaints very seriously and we will try to assist you to the best of our ability.

We may contact you in relation to your complaint if we require additional information. Depending on the complexity of the investigation, a response may take up to 7 to 10 business days.

It is important to note that this does not mean your complaint will be resolved within this time frame. You also understand the Dispute Resolution Office (D.R.O), works in conjunction with Bovada management and relevant departments in order to obtain information necessary for the resolution of the complaint.

By contacting the D.R.O you agree that any dispute arising out of, or in connection with our terms of service, shall at the player’s request be determined by the D.R.O with both the player and Bovada agreeing to abide by the ruling of the D.R.O

Please note: If you open a discussion and/or share information concerning your complaint on any public forum and/or with the media, you jeopardize our ability to assist you. As such we reserve the right to cease our investigation and invalidate your complaint.

Regards,
Dispute Resolution Office

I decided to wait on having SBR look into it, in case Bovada would do something about this. Of course they didn't do anything. Their Dispute Resolution response was identical to the "security agent" that I talked to when this happened.

Once again they claim that the IP address matched the same one that I placed the last bet from. I don’t find this odd. Cloning or spoofing an IP address is probably the easiest part of this whole process. In any event, the device that I used to place my last bet is an iphone. It is on me at all times. Even if someone were to pick it up, they would not be able to unlock my phone to place a bet.

Secondly, they mentioned an "approximate 48 hour review time" from when the withdrawal was made for me to read the notification email. The withdrawal was processed in less than 18 hours after the request was made in this case - based on their own timeline.

Third, and this is probably the most mindboggling part of their response, is that on November 12th (when I noticed the bitcoin withdrawal in my account) I immediately clicked on "bitcoin withdrawal" on their website to see what was required. Upon clicking, it showed the information that was needed to place a bitcoin withdrawal. One of the items listed was mother's maiden name. I instantly wondered how anyone could properly identify my mom's maiden name, because I am positive it is nowhere to be found on the internet.

Apparently they think that I could have ONLY known about the mother's maiden name issue by making the bitcoin withdrawal myself on November 9th. They don’t seem to know what is on their own website. I easily found this on November 12th when merely clicking on "BITCOIN WITHDRAWAL"and it was right there.

The best part is that they claim entering your mom's maiden name is an "extra security measure" for bitcoin withdrawals, yet, they cannot tell me what name was used when this withdrawal was made?

It was either one of two things. The name was incorrect, and they processed the withdrawal anyway. Or two, the name was entered correctly, which means this was an inside job. Under either scenario, this is on them.

And finally, they won't even tell me where/what bitcoin account my $2000 was sent to. I'm sure it was closed out minutes after this occurred, but still.

Some other odd items. I put $500 in my account at the start of the NFL season. It was around $750 the weekend before this happened then I won $1600 or so on the Sunday before this withdrawal on a 4 team parlay and a couple of other large bets. Account was up to $2400. Lost $100 or so on Monday night game. Got on Thursday to place a $50 wager on Thursday night game and had $2250 in the account. The bet Thursday night lost, so I didn’t bother logging in again until Sunday morning to place another bet for games that day. That's when I noticed my account was at $250. The withdrawal was made 1.5 hours after I made the $50 bet on Thursday.

I changed my email address and password with them. They shut down Bitcoin withdrawals for my account. I figured if I withdrew my remaining money, they would not help me any, so went ahead and continued betting with them. Up to $750 in the account now and I'm just trying to get back to $2500 so I can stick it to them at this point. Seems odd I hit big and then this happens.

Bovada has always been my backup account. Usually use Sportsbook.ag, but this year they have dropped a lot of their player prop bets, so started using Bovada more.

I only bet NFL games. I have always put money in at the start of the season and wait until February to take out whatever I have left. I have never used bitcoin to deposit or withdraw money at Bovada, or any website for that matter. Been with them (and Bodog before that) going back 12 years or so. Never had any issues with them or Sportsbook.ag (except for their slow pay).

Their security is obviously flawed if this can happen. Waiting to see if SBR can do anything.