Yes, it's true.
Even after reading hundreds of pages regarding wgt taking no action against multi accounts, I'm about to show you that in fact they do.
The owner of the finest CC that I've been involved with has just recently passed ownership and quit this game because wgt caught him in violation of this; "Our records indicate that you have created multiple WGT accounts, or that your account has been shared with another person". "Due to this violation your account has been permanently closed. Please also note that all decisions regarding WGT Terms & Conditions violations are considered final".
But before you start applauding wgt for this swift and binding action, perhaps the unfolding of this story will cause you to pause and wonder, as it did me, why wgt seems to ignore so many seemingly valid multi account complaints but then permanently bans a totally innocent 15 year old girl that still doesn't understand what she did wrong.
The first I was aware of this started when I read the following. Quotation marks show what was copied and pasted. Nothing added, nothing deleted except personal names.. My personal remarks are not in quotes.
"Dear all,
Just wanted to inform you all, well .... at least the few percent that reads the forum regularly, of some rather sad and very troubling news. Today, the accounts of two of our valuable members here have been disabled by WGT without any signs or warnings. Why? I have no idea and it was not communicated. I have written two letters to WGT today and hope to receive a clear and satisfactory answer (few chance of that with WGT!) soon. Can WGT just do this and get away with it? Can they be so dictorial, rude and cruel?
My involvement and dedication in this matter is very high simply because one of the two members involved is .... my own daughter! I will keep you all informed about this troublesome issue and hope a positive solution will be found very soon, or I will be forced to take some inevitable, severe and drastic steps towards WGT".
Several CC members displayed their distress after this and asked to be informed.
" It's close to one week now since my daughter's account has been disabled in the Club and so far NO WORD from WGT, not even after four e-mails. One of the Club members mentioned vagely to me in a private message that it was possible that WGT might have disabled the account because the same computer/IP-address/WiFi connection had been used. Excellent, so what do I do know? Ask my 15 year old to either live alone a 100 yards further from our house or unnecessary invest in an (expensive!!) second internet connection to my house??
One thing I know and it is that I STOP WITH WGT if my daughter is not reinstated again in the near future! I would not hesitate to take such drastic decision because it's my principle not to nourish, use or interact with a covetous money-grubbing bunch of incompetent website owners that take their pick on children amongst other infantile rubbish"!
A member commented this; (I removed the names)
"Totally uncalled for action by WGT . WGT must be thinking they are as powerful as Ebay in doing. This is stock and trade for Ebay.
If there was a problem it should be dealt with by mutual communication between WGT and the players involved and not by WGT taking global action in dismissing their accounts".
*****, I agree but WGT 's attitude towards any of it's players (not just CC's) leaves a HELL OF A LOT to be desired. Going from being a Beta golf game for the enjoyment of thousands to a money grabbing megalith who doesn't care who it steps on. I fear for the future of this game site and if this keeps up many players will tell WGT to stick it's game where the sun don't shine".
A member commented and offered 'inside' help. (I removed the names)
The owner replied;
"Dear *****,
I've just posted a reply on the forum to my article and also on my profile page.
I'm still in the dark and can only assume things at the moment. Yet it is frustrating, not much to my daughter luckely but specially for me.
I agree with you not to take any (informative) action. I will let WGT do its thing, and then I will do mine. It's reinstatement with compensation or bust!
I promise to keep the Club informed about the results.
Have a great day my friend, and till soon"!
Another member offered support. The owner replied;
"Dear *****,
I would not be surprised of no good will come from this. I took up the glove once against WGT and had to suffer badly from it. However I will try to come up for my rights and for the Club, even when it might result in being severe punished myself.
Fingers crossed! Hear you soon"!
Again, another member comments;
"Hi ***,
Sorry to hear about this and hope you do manage to get it sorted.
Ridiculous action by WGT to do that sort of thing without any prior communication or warning!
As some of the other guys have already said, WGT don't seem to give a flying *** about their customers, perhaps because they have so many. Don't bite the hand that feeds, the hand may not always be there WGT.
Good luck "*** (I removed names)
Owner finally received official news and stated this; "This is the reply that my daughter received today on the request for more information why her account was disabled over two weeks ago".
Hello *****,
Thank you for contacting WGT Member Services.
Our records indicate that you have created multiple WGT accounts, or that your account has been shared with another person. Accessing WGT via more than a single account is a violation of WGT Terms & Conditions. For further information please review the Terms & Conditions here: http://wgt.com/terms.aspx
Due to this violation your account has been permanently closed. Please also note that all decisions regarding WGT Terms & Conditions violations are considered final.
WGT Member Services"
The very incensed owner replies;
"THIS IS NONSENSE AND A LIE!!
My daughter has no other accounts and if you talk about shared, OF COURSE she shares my computer(s) and computer connection with the same IP address. In my office, there are three computers and all with the same internet/WiFi connection. I will not pay for a second connection to my house and office while I can do with one only! This is madness!!!
The last sentence of the wonderful member friendly WGT reply is a good one, .... all decisions are final .... so no way we can explain this to WGT.
Luckely my daughter does not care too much since school is rather demanding this year, but for me, it is over. Yes, you read well, I HAD ENOUGH with WGT!!! I cannot and will not support, cherish or bear a sick, selfish, intolerant, incompetant institution that treats members and specially children like this. Touch me WGT and I don't care, touch my child WGT and you're done.
This weekend or just after the weekend, I'll close up my account and send the last letters and gifts out to my friends here and the Club. And yes, also my decison can be considered final".
************
This is the last message I have seen from him;
"The harrasments from wgt haven't stopped for me it seems. I received a letter from them some time ago that I should mind my own business when I asked for more information about my daughter's account that has been terminated. Can you believe that?? And worst of all is that I cannot read anything (so also not write) on the forum anymore of the Club since middle March. What on earth did I do wrong to deserve that punishment?? As agreed up front, I will leave the Club (and most probably wgt in total) somewhere this week and thus make some room for other players."
So, our Country Club lost a superb owner, we lost a good friend and wgt lost not only two members but fostered more bad will toward their site and again, with the possibility of trying to do something positive, failed miserably once more.
Just so there is no mistake. I'm relating these words as they were written, with permission. I also have been on the receiving end of wgt's wrath so I can say from experience that I believe every single word.
**********************************************************************************************
April 4..follow-up...IS LOCKING this post CENSORSHIP?? Or a type of censorship since no replies are allowed?
This quote is from wgt****shoe; Censorship is stopping people from speaking their mind, not shutting down a thread.
NO, It is NOT. I know this because wgt ****shoe said recently that wgt does NOT practice censorship so locking this can't be censorship.
However, since I posted the above my POSTINGS are once again being moderated before being allowed so I'm assuming those aren't being censored either..
If I broke the rules concerning posting should I have received from wgt or icon a list of my infractions? Or at the least them telling me what rules were broken that caused me to be censored, once again.
Well, I didn't receive a thing and I won't because what happened to the people I posted about is happening to me, except by the moderator
This is a clear case of the forum police needing to be policed.
Why would the wgt powers that be trust the mods, especially one particular mod, over hundreds of members?
I won't be at all surprised to find I'm kicked out just as the 15 year old girl was.
*********************************************************************************************
Still April 4, couple hours later.
Well, I'm not surprised that icon decided I ain't fit to be his friend no more since I won't turn in other members to the forum police.
This friendship lasted about a day. Longer than last time though. Hope to HELL there isn't a next time.
If you have something to say, say it here. Of course you won't since you once again are monitoring my post.
Sad!
APRIL 8
Hey icon,
Where are my postings for the last couple days?
Again I have answered your comments and again you refuse to acknowledge that. Since you won't be fair, I'm going to release the very last message I received from this man.
I did ask, as I told you I would, (some of us keep our word) and he said this;
"Dear Jim,
Thanks for keeping me informed!
I read
the discussions and it seems indeed like wgt is very persistent in knowing who
is involved (like they have no far more important things to take care off!).
They should never try to solve it since they made it very clear to me by e-mail
that I had no business in coming up or answering for my daughter. That really
did it to me, hurted me and I don't wish to hear another word from them, period!
In fact, I will completely leave wgt in a short while. I can't and will not
bring up the energy anymore against any non-democratic, childish and
discriminating behavior from dollarsniffing individuals who might not have
outgrown kindergarten.
Reading the posts between you and wgt, I truly wondered
at moments what teenager was futilely trying to set up a mature and respectful
conversation.
Stop it there Jim, please, you made a point for sure and to me you clearly
came out as the victor in a discussion that wgt will always refuse to loose.
I wish to thank you for what you did and hope somehow that we might be able
to remain in touch. I had the pleasure of building a great Club from the ground
some 11 months ago and I will always remember the great interactions, joy , fun
and positivity that this Club and multiple members have brought me, as well to
all fellow members.
Till later my friend, take good care"!
*******(I removed name)
"Ps: Pardon me my written English at moments, it is after all only my fourth
langauge and my grammar and vocab can really be goofy at times"!
rzbk wrote;
So I guess you win again icon. Yep, you the heap BIG man.....LOL
Of course you have the advantage of stopping what you don't want others to see where as my entire point is to involve others.
A no win deal for me but hey, I don't much care about the wins because I think enough exposure has gotten out despite your efforts at censoring and moderating.
So I'm finished with this. Probably a good thing you did lock this because if the response I received was any indication of what most thought, you would not have been pleased.
BUT I WOULD BE.
I know you won't tell me but I'll ask anyway.
Why is it that EACH and EVERY TIME I say something that MIGHT be controversial, you are the one on my back?? Learn to stand on your own stubs
ps....i even quit my CC so you couldn't do your usual b....well, you know what I'm saying.