Stolen league money

sbpoolleague said:
Sorry, but like all other gift cards, American Express gift cards ARE NOT FREE!!!
If you buy them online from American Express, the charge PER CARD is $3.95. Doesn't matter if the card is for $50 or $500. That charge goes up significantly if you buy them at a store. Doing some quick math, that would mean that almost 8% of our league's entire payout would go down the gift card toilet.

Here is another reason why I always hand out cash (vs checks) to everyone except those who won really big. Our end-of-season banquets are almost always held at local bars/restaurants/lodges, and when people have cash in hand that means more business for the bar/restaurant and more tips for the bartender. I even go so far as to give out a minimum number of small bills so that people have them to pay tabs and leave a tip. Nothing is more frustrating to a bartender that to have 50 people all show up at the same time with $100 bills wanting to buy a beer.
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https://www.americanexpress.com/us/content/gift-cards/gift-card-program/

According to this link above they offer bulk discount on gift cards so that the fee does not have to be a factor!

Also provided is a gift card and envelope which are added expenses for putting the cash in. Not necessary with the card. I would prefer the gift card! Just saying!

Kd

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk
 
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Ask for a copy of the police report. If there isn't one, or one cannot be provided in a reasonable amount of time, I would consider a lawyer for a possible class action lawsuit. There has to be some recourse somewhere.

I imagine that this would be a typical business transaction. You invested/made payments with the expectation of a certain outcome. That isn't, or might not be, happening now. If not, I imagine you'd be entitled to at least a refund of what you put in.
 
Kid Dynomite said:
This is too simple!!!

American Express gift cards made out in $50 denominations ...
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American Express cards would be totally unacceptable to me if I were a cash prize winner. I think lots of league players would feel the same. I would hand it back to the LO and say, "Please cash this for me."

It's remarkable the AE would charge any fee for gift cards since they take a higher percentage from the merchants than other cards. That's why lots of merchants don't accept them. And then there is the considerable fraction of gift cards that are never redeemed.
 
Bob Jewett said:
American Express cards would be totally unacceptable to me if I were a cash prize winner. I think lots of league players would feel the same. I would hand it back to the LO and say, "Please cash this for me."

It's remarkable the AE would charge any fee for gift cards since they take a higher percentage from the merchants than other cards. That's why lots of merchants don't accept them. And then there is the considerable fraction of gift cards that are never redeemed.
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Don't get me wrong!

I understand the comment.

But, amex, master card and visa are universally accepted.

It is not like it is a target card and only good at Target. That would be unacceptable!

The cards can be used in atm machines and redemption in cash is possible.

I could be wrong as I don't use them much, but that is my understanding of them.

Kd

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk
 
I keep our leagues funds in a separate account that I use my own funds as a minimum amount to keep the account free.
I give them a weeks notice of when I would be making a withdraw.
I pre-label envelopes prior to payouts and my bank allows me to stuff the envelopes on-sight.
I do have my CHL but I still am not a fan of rolling up to night deposit boxes late at night; therefore, one weeks worth may be in my safe over night.
If someone wants to risk the alarm, cameras, a tactfully place fire arms collection and tiny but vicious marksmen wife for a few hundred bucks, there little I could do about that...
This is Texas, so I would make sure they are inside the doorway.

No one is going to be able to carry my safe away; however, I still can't see keeping thousands of other people's money at my house.

The OP stated it was a "week" before their payout and the funds were "moved from a big safe to a small for sorting"
Assuming both statements are 100% on the level; they still suck. It was kept in the "large safe" for a reason, why not put it back?
Obviously, no one thinks they are going to be burglarized:
At best there is some carelessness involved...
At worse... yeah, there needs to be a police report; the amount is a felony and warrants a polygraph... if for no other reason than to clear LO.
 
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Kid Dynomite said:
Don't get me wrong!

I understand the comment.

But, amex, master card and visa are universally accepted.

It is not like it is a target card and only good at Target. That would be unacceptable!

The cards can be used in atm machines and redemption in cash is possible.

I could be wrong as I don't use them much, but that is my understanding of them.

Kd

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I think they are right on this one, Kid. Gift cards are expensive and pain in the ass.
 
Kid Dynomite said:
https://www.americanexpress.com/us/content/gift-cards/gift-card-program/

According to this link above they offer bulk discount on gift cards so that the fee does not have to be a factor!

Also provided is a gift card and envelope which are added expenses for putting the cash in. Not necessary with the card. I would prefer the gift card! Just saying!

Kd

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I can guarantee you that given the choice between $50 cash and a $50 AMEX gift card, over 95% of my league would choose cash.

Here are the main drawbacks to AMEX gift cards...

1. Most of our league bars do not take American Express. Some take cash only.
2. Gift cards only come in predetermined amounts, so you have to pay out cash anyway to make up the difference.
3. You can slightly lower the charge per card by buying in bulk, but the bulk amount is way to big to be feasible for our league (or most other leagues).
4. I'm pretty sure that gift cards cannot be used to reserve a hotel room. You can pay your hotel bill with one but the hotel requires a regular credit card when you check in.

I'm not totally against the gift card idea, but I would only consider it if a majority my league was ok with it.
 
And why the hell was this guy playing pool like nothing happened? I'm far from a saint but I couldn't look those guys in the eyes and play pool with them, and that's even if I had nothing to do with the robbery. Which we know he did....being ignorant and irresponsible at the very least.
 
Bob Jewett said:
American Express cards would be totally unacceptable to me if I were a cash prize winner. I think lots of league players would feel the same. I would hand it back to the LO and say, "Please cash this for me."

It's remarkable the AE would charge any fee for gift cards since they take a higher percentage from the merchants than other cards. That's why lots of merchants don't accept them. And then there is the considerable fraction of gift cards that are never redeemed.
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Bob,

All gift cards fees are on the front end. The merchant does not pay a pct on the sale like they do with regular credit cards.
 
Bca8ball said:
I keep our leagues funds in a separate account that I use my own funds as a minimum amount to keep the account free.
I give them a weeks notice of when I would be making a withdraw.
I pre-label envelopes prior to payouts and my bank allows me to stuff the envelopes on-sight.
I do have my CHL but I still am not a fan of rolling up to night deposit boxes late at night; therefore, one weeks worth may be in my safe over night.
If someone wants to risk the alarm, cameras, a tactfully place fire arms collection and tiny but vicious marksmen wife for a few hundred bucks, there little I could do about that...
This is Texas, so I would make sure they are inside the doorway.

No one is going to be able to carry my safe away; however, I still can't see keeping thousands of other people's money at my house.

The OP stated it was a "week" before their payout and the funds were "moved from a big safe to a small for sorting"
Assuming both statements are 100% on the level; they still suck. It was kept in the "large safe" for a reason, why not put it back?
Obviously, no one thinks they are going to be burglarized:
At best there is some carelessness involved...
At worse... yeah, there needs to be a police report; the amount is a felony and warrants a polygraph... if for no other reason than to clear LO.
Click to expand...

The more I think about this, the more it bothers me!!!
 
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Z-Nole said:
And why the hell was this guy playing pool like nothing happened? I'm far from a saint but I couldn't look those guys in the eyes and play pool with them, and that's even if I had nothing to do with the robbery. Which we know he did....being ignorant and irresponsible at the very least.
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You'd be surprised at the things people would do, even having committed a crime like this (or worse). At that, we don't know that the league operator did anything yet. I, for one, would love to see a copy of the police report posted here. If they ever get one.
 
Z-Nole said:
And why the hell was this guy playing pool like nothing happened? I'm far from a saint but I couldn't look those guys in the eyes and play pool with them, and that's even if I had nothing to do with the robbery. Which we know he did....being ignorant and irresponsible at the very least.
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Yep.
At best, poor decision making...[/QUOTE

The small safe should be returned to the big safe, not left unsecured.

Is this a CSI league? I heard mark's name referenced earlier.
 
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Black-Balled said:
Yep.
At best, poor decision making...
Click to expand...

The small safe should be returned to the big safe, not left unsecured.

Is this a CSI league? I heard mark's name referenced earlier.[/QUOTE]

I'm still new to the concept of leagues, and league play. Is there something the league would do? If so, what?
 
Black-Balled said:
I take it you mean as far as protection of the cash?

They should take steps to mitigate exposure, otherwise theyre ostriches.
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Yes, in regard to the protection of cash. As you imply, I can't believe they'd be oblivious to this kind of situation, or the potential therefore. Do any of the leagues have policies and procedures in place that the require league operators to go by when dealing with large sums of cash?
 
Z-Nole said:
And why the hell was this guy playing pool like nothing happened? I'm far from a saint but I couldn't look those guys in the eyes and play pool with them, and that's even if I had nothing to do with the robbery. Which we know he did....being ignorant and irresponsible at the very least.
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I understand; however, is it better if he doesn't show up after this?
Let's assume it is just carelessness and being irresponsible... regardless, this LO is going to need a police report and a ploy as part of this Felony investigation.

As a league member, I would want to here directly from the league
 
Poodle of Doom said:
Yes, in regard to the protection of cash. As you imply, I can't believe they'd be oblivious to this kind of situation, or the potential therefore. Do any of the leagues have policies and procedures in place that the require league operators to go by when dealing with large sums of cash?
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Aside from using common sense, our league does not have written procedures. And I'd bet most leagues don't. Sounds like a good idea.
 
WOW !, that really sucks.

19k is a lot to just leave laying around the house.

Sound like an inside job.
 
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