It's totally pathetic.
My card expired a couple of months ago. In order to renew it, I had to send in a load of documents - including my work permission paperwork showing I was a resident of this place. That was weeks ago. Since then, I've resent the docs twice hoping they would respond - they finally did today after I mentioned the next email was going to Neteller's CEO. Now they say they have to call me to verify everything.
And I have a 6 year old VIP account
Some VIP treatment.
Should I PAB,
or would I be wasting my time
You could try a PAB to the IOM regulator and the FSA. It will probably take longer to investigate than a complaint to Malta though.
Interestingly, I have just had a couple of offers from an eWallet solution called Ivobank. Unlike Neteller, it is a "proper" bank, based in London, and presumably regulated by the FSA. It even pays INTEREST on your funds while they sit waiting. Unlike a bank though, they are designed SPECIFICALLY for online gambling use, with deposits made with a virtual VISA card.
They seem to be in partnership with Webbet, and their Old Chicago casino. Unfortunately, this currently seems the only one accepting Ivobank, but maybe I have misunderstood, and maybe it is ALL casinos that accept VISA will just as easily accept the Ivobank one.
Neteller at long last seems to have some viable competition, and if Ivobank lives up to the launch promises, it could end up draining customers from Neteller. Certainly, VIP Neteller players who tend to hold a large balance will be attracted by the offer of payment of interest. The other factors will be the ease of use, and acceptability of their card to pay for things OUTSIDE of online gambling, including withdrawing cash without excessive fees.
If I have an idle moment, I will look more closely at what Ivobank has on offer, and how it compares to being a Neteller VIP.
When I was "verified", I had to tell them what I was using Neteller for
I was severely tempted to reply - "what do you F&^%$ THINK I use Neteller for you <............>)". I showed restraint, and gave them one of those general answers that some CS are adept at, and simpy stated "for making deposits to, and withdrawals from, online casinos".
They had vaguely accused me of using Neteller for "illegal business purposes", so what am I, a ****** American now
Perhaps the Meister's troubles are down to this, being a Californian, they probably suspect him of being a US resident operating an address of convenience in Bierland in order to continue gambling
Well, NEXT tiime they do one of these, lets ALL swamp their CS, and if they tell us it wasn't necessary because we hadn't been asked, we can show them what happened THIS time when players who "were not asked" got their accounts frozen without notice (actually, this itself might be a breach of the IOM and FSA regulations, and maybe PAB about THIS, rather than the requirements themselves). Normally, customers are required to be given reasonable notice of such a ROUTINE locking, and immediate action is ONLY expected where there is evidence of ongoing suspicious activity, where a warning might assist the completion of a crime, and loss of evidence.