FanDuel Inc.

Revdex.com:The business has responded to me in reference to complaint ID [redacted]. They have refunded my initial deposit. I am satisfied with this resolution for myself. I still suggest that they make it clearer in their advertising that in order to withdraw your money, you...

must first risk it all in the gamble. I would also suggest that they make it clearer in their advertising that in order to receive matching for your initial deposit, you must risk the full value of the money 25 times by entering it into games. I suspect I may not have been the only one misled by these advertisements, as a simple [redacted] search would make apparent. That being said, I am ok with resolving this complaint, even with no further action by the business, as I believe the NYS attorney general will get some changes to occur in the deceptive practices of this business, as part of his current legal actions initiated against them.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

To Whom It May Concern: We write in response to [redacted]'s recent consumer complaint regarding billing/collection issues ([redacted]). [redacted] is correct in stating that he contacted us prior to 8:47 PM ET on August [redacted] 2017. [redacted] first contacted us that night at 8:33 PM ET, and we responded to his message at 8:43 PM ET.  [redacted]’s initial message to FanDuel stated: “Help I entered a game earlier as a placeholder and then the internet connection was down here and it just came back on. I wasn't able to get out of it and now I lost everything in that game. Can you guys please help me! Nothing like this has never happened before to me.” [redacted] then contacted us again at 8:36 PM ET, and we responded to this message by 9:05 PM ET. His second email to FanDuel stated the following: “[redacted] 
[redacted]
[redacted]
 I’ve attached screenshots of each message for your reference.  In each of his three messages, he clearly stated that he did submit the entry in question (entry number [redacted]).  This supported by the information on his account, which shows that the entry was submitted from IP address [redacted], which is the same IP address as all recent activity on his account.  Even if [redacted] had contacted us at 8:00 PM ET, as he claims, it would still be well after the contest had locked. Accordingly, his entry fee cannot be refunded. [redacted] claims that he was unable to access the FanDuel service for the rest of the day, until well after his contests were underway. This is also false. Using the program Amplitude, we’re able to view any actions taken through our mobile app. Amplitude is software that tracks and reports events for every action taken, with information about those actions, such as user properties, device information, and IP information.   Per Amplitude, [redacted] accessed the FanDuel application twice after submitting the entry, but prior to contacting us at 8:33 PM ET. He first accessed the application at 11:59 AM ET, then again at 3:29 PM ET. Please see the attached screenshots, which show [redacted]’s user ID ([redacted]) and IP address ([redacted]), as well as the actions taken. As for [redacted]’s claim that his balance was no longer present in his account - as mentioned in our last response and verified by his Transaction History, his balance of $794.80 remained in his account after submitting the entry in question. Upon deactivating his account, we presented [redacted] with the option of withdrawing the funds via [redacted] or check, and he selected [redacted]. At which point, we processed a withdrawal for the remaining balance of his account via [redacted]. The withdrawal was processed at 8:52 AM ET on August **, 2017, and the funds were claimed August **, 2017 at 5:24 PM ET. I’ve attached a screenshot of the [redacted] withdrawal for reference, which shows the completed transaction. I’ve attached screenshots of each message for your reference.  In each of his three messages, he clearly stated that he did submit the entry in question (entry number [redacted]).  This supported by the information on his account, which shows that the entry was submitted from IP address [redacted] which is the same IP address as all recent activity on his account.  Even if [redacted] had contacted us at 8:00 PM ET, as he claims, it would still be well after the contest had locked. Accordingly, his entry fee cannot be refunded. [redacted] claims that he was unable to access the FanDuel service for the rest of the day, until well after his contests were underway. This is also false. Using the program Amplitude, we’re able to view any actions taken through our mobile app. Amplitude is software that tracks and reports events for every action taken, with information about those actions, such as user properties, device information, and IP information.   Per Amplitude, [redacted] accessed the FanDuel application twice after submitting the entry, but prior to contacting us at 8:33 PM ET. He first accessed the application at 11:59 AM ET, then again at 3:29 PM ET. Please see the attached screenshots, which show [redacted]’s user ID ([redacted]) and IP address ([redacted]), as well as the actions taken. As for [redacted]’s claim that his balance was no longer present in his account - as mentioned in our last response and verified by his Transaction History, his balance of $794.80 remained in his account after submitting the entry in question. Upon deactivating his account, we presented [redacted] with the option of withdrawing the funds via [redacted] or check, and he selected [redacted]. At which point, we processed a withdrawal for the remaining balance of his account via [redacted]. The withdrawal was processed at 8:52 AM ET on August **, 2017, and the funds were claimed August **, 2017 at 5:24 PM ET. I’ve attached a screenshot of the [redacted] withdrawal for reference, which shows the completed transaction.Regards,Jason F[redacted]Sr. Director, Customer Support & Strategy

We feel that we have done everything we can to give this user a satisfactory result, which includes crediting their account with loyalty points.  This user is not eligible for the money-back guarantee, and there is nothing further we can offer on our end.We do our best to inform users of how the deposit bonus system works by posting a message on the first-time deposit screen that reads ‘Your deposit bonus unlocks over time. Read more about how it works.’  Additionally, we provide the details of how the bonus system works in our Support ‘FAQ’ page.  However, the way in which our bonus is released is the industry standard, and the system is in place to reward loyal users who continuously play on the site.  The more users play, the quicker the funds will be released into their accounts.

We can confirm that this user had their prizes packaged and shipped on 1/**/16 and the user has been supplied with a tracking number for these packages. Thus, we consider this matter to be resolved.

This user is not eligible for any refund under this current complaint, as FanDuel is considered a game of skill under the UIGEA and is fully legal in this users state of Massachusetts. This is detailed in our official terms of use page, which states the following, "FanDuel is a game of skill....

Winners are determined by the criteria stated in each contest's rules. For each contest, winners are determined by the individuals who use their skill and knowledge of relevant professional sports information and fantasy sports rules to accumulate the most fantasy points. Fantasy points are accumulated through the performance of individual athletes across multiple sports events. All entries in FanDuel must be made up of players drawn from a minimum of two sporting events.” For more information on this, please see our terms page at the following link: [redacted]

We do not want you to feel as if we're holding your funds, without your consent. Everything our Support agent [redacted] stated is completely accurate. Our rules do not allow users to deposit funds, and then withdraw them without playing through the majority of them. There are several reasons we have...

this rule in place, but the main reason is to protect our users, and our business from suspicious activity. In  your situation, we refunded your full $2000 deposit on October [redacted]. If you used your credit card through [redacted], it could take up to 2 weeks for the refund to appear on your bank statement.

I made a purchase on FanDuel.com they advertise play $200.00 we will match $200.00..........it is NOT a match but everytime a bet is made for a roster team... they give $1.00 towards a future bet!  I was advised by Chat Team member Drew that he would give me $5.00 toward FanDuel merchandise.......

it is not a dollar for dollar match but funds towards a future gambling stake.

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# [redacted], and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

  The response is clear that FanDuel will continue to hide behind semantics and deception so as to avoid meeting advertising promotions.  A 30 second television commercial offering to match your initial investment up to $200 is obviously designed to solicit business based upon that offer, not on the fact that you have to invest another $4800 in order to "earn the matching funds".  That is deceptive in every sense of the word.  FanDuel needs to live up to their advertised commercials, rather than hide behind their army of lawyers and mountains of legal-ese paperwork.The next level is to elevate this complaint to the FCC.
 Sincerely,[redacted]
 
 
In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved.
Sincerely, [redacted]

Reviewing the account, this user is eligible to take advantage of our Money Back Guarantee offer of up to $100, and we have thus sent this user a check containing his refunded funds to the address provided, which he should receive in 5-7 business days.

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# [redacted], and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

[Your Answer Here]
  We are two different people. One Male and the other female. I did send my PA DL Id. I did not want to send my id . If my information,id or picture is shared or compromised in any way shape or form by Fanduel . Fanduel is solely  liable and Responsible  for it. Now Can I please have my two  prize for first and second place in NBA game which I won fairly. I want my prizes. Like most families we do live in the same house and no way on users agreement does it say we need to live at different address and no way does it say you can NOT have two accounts. Now do the right thing and fulfill they obligations and send my prizes.
 
 
 
In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.
Sincerely,[redacted]

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# [redacted], and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

I'll never be satisfied to your answer, you are navigating around my issue & not paying attention to what is going on
I guess we'll have to agree to dsiagree.  I may not be eligible for a refund, but I honestly am glad I didn't waste another penny on your site.
 
 
 
 
In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

The initial deposit of $200 made by this user on 10/**/14 has been fully refunded as requested here and the FanDuel account has been permanently deactivated.Our advertisements promote a deposit bonus match upon sign up. As standard with all daily fantasy sports gaming sites, any bonus...

received on deposit starts in a "Pending" bonus status.  The player will accumulate these bonus funds as they enter paid contests.  However, we explicitly describe how pending bonus works on our deposit page and in the deposit page FAQ in which users can decide then if the promotion is right for them. If not, they can simply choose to not deposit.  We also flash a deposit success page that offers information regarding pending bonus and its available in our main support FAQ's.  The terms of the pending bonus, how it works, its rate of release, etc., are all described to the user before depositing.

We contacted this user to offer them a refund on their initial $200 deposit, with the account being deactivated shortly after if they chose to accept this offer.  However, we received no response from this user whether they would be accepting or rejecting our offer.Our advertisements promote a deposit bonus match upon registration of up to $200. As standard within the daily fantasy sports industry, any bonus received on deposit starts in a "Pending" bonus status.  The player will accumulate these bonus funds as they enter paid contests.  We explicitly describe how pending bonus works on our deposit page and in the deposit page FAQ.  Users can decide then if the promotion is right for them. If not, they can simply choose to not deposit.  We also flash a deposit success page that offers information regarding pending bonus and its available in our main support FAQ's.  The terms of the pending bonus, how it works, its rate of release, etc., are all described to the user before depositing.  Also, our current advertisements are designed to describe that the promotion is to be received as a bonus.

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# [redacted], and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

Not only do I reject FanDuel's completely irraitonal response, but I reject the very premise of everything they state in their email. FanDuel had every opportunity to make this right from the initiation of this complaint sent to their "customer service" department. It has become clear during this process that not only does FanDuel have a completely non-existent customer service department, but they also entirely lack consideration for any of their customers that generate the very profit that keeps their employees employed and their business running on a day-to-day basis. While I realized that their lower-level customer support agents may not be suited to handle a dire situation such as this, it has become even more clear that those in higher positions, too, are out of touch with the mere concept of what customer support is. FanDuel generates tons of profit from all their users, while offering back in return. I will not allow them to take advantage of me as a consumer for their benefit, nor will I allow them to continue to operate as such and negatively impact other users' experiences. As I am having difficulty writing this email and gaining internet access to do so in a timely manner due to the impact of Hurrince Irma, I am positive that this is of no importance to FanDuel. The simply do not care even 1% about any of their customers. While I immediately contacted FanDuel regarding my issue, they forced me to enter into a contest that I had zero interest of knowledge of being in. No other company that was placed in this same situation would have acted in this way, and I am positive of this. FanDuel continues to provide irrelevant information as a way to justify their unethical and immoral decision making. This is simply unacceptable. While I was having bad weather due to the reisude effects of Hurricane Harvey, I had a loss of internet and cellular date throughout the day of this issue. Surely FanDuel does not care that each situation is unique and deserves individual consideraiton, nor do they care that there are effects of natural disasters and such that are out of our control. They only care that they receive their commission on contests that were not intended to be entered in. While FanDuel likes to identify certain words in their emails that they believe makes them right in some sort of fasion, this is simply not the case. During my initial emails with FanDuel, I was in the midst of a panic attack, and I was unsure of what was going on, why I was in this contest, and why my account balance was completely gone. I later realized that upon tracing back the timeline of said day, I had no recollation of entering this contest, and this must have been some kind of error or glitch in their mobile application. I let them know that I did not want to be in this contest, that I wanted my money back, and that this was unrelated to the outcome of the contest. I did not care whether I won or lost this contest, I simply wanted out of it, as I had no intention of being in it in the first place. When FanDuel states they have some technology that shows I opened their mobile application, this is simply untrue. Had I opened the application, I would have seen I was in this contest, which I would have effectively removed myself from such. I WOULD NOT INTENTIONALLY LOSE $5,300. Upon letting FanDuel know of this error, they simply refused to fix the issue. Instead, they tried to come up with a way for me to be even further at a disadvantage. When I told them I was on the verge of going to the hospital as a result of my panic/anxiety attack from losing this money, they stated that since I was having "intense feelings," they would shut my account down. This had nothing to do with shutting my account down. These feelings generated for the fact that FanDuel refused to return my money upon the basis of this accident/glitch/weather/natural disaster/and internet situation. They simply ignored the facts of the situation that presented itself, and instead they closed my account so I had no record of any of my activites or such that I could present as facts. My deleting my account, they are not allowing me to access any of my information. This does not change the facts, or how wrong they are in this situation, rather it just shows how they tried to cover up their traces of unethical behavior. Imagine going to a store and accidentally purchasing something. When you tell the store that you would like to return said item, the store then refuses, while instead banning you from returning to that store. I cannot imagine that there is a single person outside of this corporation that would agree with what they have done. It is simply disgusting that in the time of accidental and out-of-control sitatuions such as natural disasters. And while I am in the recovering stages of Hurricane Irma, I am having to spend time responding to a ridicilous claim, one that should have been handled properly from the very beginning, just as any other company that had even the smallest amount of morals and standards would have done. FanDuel must return this money to my account. Their responses lack logic, they lack consideration, they lack empathy, and they will not continue to treat their customers this way. If FanDuel truly believes that I was not a worthy customer, then not only should they return the $5,300, but they should return every commission they ever received from my use of their website since I joined back many years ago. They cannot continue to operate this way, treat customers this way, and act this way towards the very individuals that allow them to operate in the first place! Here is a company that generates over $100,000,000 in revenue on an annual basis, and the fact they choose to keep $5,300 from a customer in a dire and needy situation is absolutely disgusting! Had I known FanDuel treats their customers this way, I would never in a million years joined their site, or allowed them to generate a single dollar of profit from my usage of their service.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

To whom it may concern,   We write in response to [redacted] October 18, 2016 consumer complaint regarding FanDuel's first time deposit bonus, Complaint ID: [redacted]. As discussed in detail below, FanDuel provided clear, thorough and accessible information regarding its bonus promotion that...

was available to [redacted] prior to his initial deposit and submission of any entry fees on FanDuel. Moreover, when [redacted] contacted FanDuel, we responded promptly to him and provided him additional credits for further play.    FanDuel's "First Time Deposit Bonus" is a promotion where FanDuel will contribute an additional percentage of a user's first deposit into his FanDuel account. FanDuel has structured this promotion such that the bonus “unlocks over time,” in an effort to counteract fraud and potential manipulation of the promotion by users who create multiple accounts simply to accrue the bonuses.  Accordingly, the bonus is deposited into the user's account gradually, as the user participates in contests, at a rate of 4% of the entry fee for each contest entered.  These details, including the terms and conditions pertaining to the promotion, are clearly identified on the FanDuel website. In particular, these terms are prominently accessible to any user prior to him making a deposit on the FanDuel website as explained in further detail in the next paragraph.     After a user registers with FanDuel, the first screen that he sees is a prominent, direct, and user-friendly explanation of the bonus system.  See Exhibit A.  The fact that the bonus “unlocks as you play over time” is clearly and conspicuously noted in the middle of the page, followed immediately by a link to learn more about “how it [the bonus system] works.”  When a user clicks on this link, a screen pops up that explains how the bonus works in simple, accessible language, and in a large font.  See Exhibit B.  Specifically, the language indicates the bonus is “earned gradually after you enter and complete paid contests” and “is released as real cash at a rate of 4% of the entry fee of the contest you enter.”  Furthermore, the How It Works page provides an example of how the bonus is earned: “For example, if you enter a $25 contest, $1 of deposit bonus will be released into your main funds account.” FanDuel’s advertisements also disclose that the bonus is “earned as you play” and explicitly state that the full rules for the promotion are found on the FanDuel website and that the promotion is subject to those rules. See Exhibit C.    In sum, [redacted] was provided clear, thorough and accessible information regarding FanDuel's first time deposit bonus and has received a bonus consistent with FanDuel's terms. On September **, 2015, [redacted] created his FanDuel account and deposited $200 with a 100% bonus match offer, making him eligible for a $200 pending bonus. Since that time, [redacted] has entered 65 contests using a total of $530 in entry fees. [redacted] was credited with 4% of those entry fees as a bonus into his FanDuel account, consistent with FanDuel's terms explained above.   On 10/**/2016, [redacted] contacted FanDuel concerning his bonus funds. FanDuel promptly responded to [redacted], repeating the bonus process outlined above and noting that the information had been provided prior to his ability to deposit funds. FanDuel also offered [redacted] a $10 play credit to use on the site.   FanDuel takes its consumer messaging seriously, as it wants users to be satisfied with its product.  As evidenced by the displays on its site and the plain language used in its advertisements, FanDuel has been careful to ensure that it provides clear, thorough, and accessible information regarding its bonus promotion in order to avoid misleading or confusing its consumers.  FanDuel also seeks to provide a positive user experience, including throughout the customer care cycle.  Accordingly, FanDuel corresponded with [redacted] promptly regarding his concerns and provided him with credit on the FanDuel site.   We appreciate the opportunity to respond to your letter, and we would be happy to answer any questions if they arise.   Sincerely,   Jason F[redacted] Sr. Director Customer Support & Strategy

To whom it may concern, We write in response to [redacted]’s recent consumer complaint regarding product and service issues at FanDuel. FanDuel’s Customer Support team has previously communicated to [redacted] that he can withdraw his FanDuel account’s remaining $0.82 balance...

once he provides his social security number.  FanDuel requires that all users in the United States provide their social security number before submitting a withdrawal request.  Section 4.5 of FanDuel’s Terms of Use, which were agreed to by [redacted] when he created his FanDuel account state the following: “By depositing funds or entering paid contests, you agree to provide us with a valid mailing address, date of birth and social security number and any other information we may require in order to run appropriate identity checks and comply with applicable rules and regulations” As an alternative, the Customer Support team at FanDuel also presented [redacted] with the option of withdrawing his account’s entire balance and closing his FanDuel account until he provides his social security number. With regards to [redacted]’s complaint regarding his pending bonus, this was addressed in detail in a previous complaint submitted through the Revdex.com ([redacted]). In closing, [redacted] can withdraw his account’s remaining funds at any time and continue to be an active FanDuel customer once he provides his social security number.  Should [redacted] wish to receive his remaining funds without providing a social security number, his withdrawal will be processed, however his FanDuel account will be disabled until a valid social security number is provided.Jason F[redacted]Director, Customer Support & StrategyFanDuel

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Trust with our players is core to our business and has always been our primary concern so we take any potential game integrity issue very seriously.We are not issuing refunds for lost entry fees at this time.  There is no evidence indicating that the integrity of FanDuel's contest(s) were in...

any way compromised, or that non-public information was used for unfair advantage. For a full statement on the matter, we advise all users read the following from our newsroom: [redacted]

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me and the matter has been resolved.
Sincerely,
[redacted]