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Neteller Customer Coalition
"building An Army"
US customers financially prejudiced
by the Neteller vs. Department of Justice wrangle have formed a
strong and fast growing alliance.
Millions of dollars in U.S. consumer funds have been tied up in
the online gambling wrangle between the US Department of Justice
and the Isle of Man-based e-wallet Neteller since January, with
inadequate communication from the warring parties leaving customers
in the dark. Here's a group where U.S. Neteller customers can join
together to exchange information and formulate common action to
recover their monies.
The Neteller Customer Coalition is using the Yahoo! groups facility
at http://sports.groups.yahoo.com:80/group/NetellerCustomerCoalition/
as a virtual meeting place for ideas on how to free up the millions
of dollars in their funds currently in limbo.
Formed as recently as February 25, the group already has over 400
members with more joining at the rate of 50 a day - an indication
of the scale of the inconvenience and monetary prejudice which Neteller
has visited upon its customers by abruptly pulling out of the U.S.
market and locking customer accounts following the arrest of its
founding fathers by the FBI in January.
More than 200 members have entered the totals of their frozen balances
in the Coalition's database which now totals $2.1 million, and Coalition
officials claim there are hundreds - if not thousands - of others
with money stuck in the Neteller - DoJ clash.
One official said, "My guess is that there is at least $150
million stuck at NETeller, and maybe double that.
"That's in addition to the $55 millions seized by the DOJ/US
Attorneys Office.Our top 25 members have more than $20 000 each
stuck. They represent $1.5 million alone."
Coalition founder Eric Goldstein has $1 400 in Neteller that he
cannot access, and says: "The latest decision to delay the
case [against Neteller founders Stephen Lawrence and John Lefebvre]
yet again is very disappointing.
"What upsets us most though is that NETeller hasn't said anything
in over six weeks. They are ignoring their customers while holding
millions and millions of our dollars hostage.
"The US government is trying to control what average Americans
can and can't do with their own money in the privacy of their own
homes. It's outrageous.
"We're building our army while everyone waits for the battle
to erupt," Goldstein concluded.
In the absence of clear and regular progress reports from the feuding
parties, speculation is running rife that the extension to the Neteller
founders' case reflects weaknesses in the DoJ case. However other
opinion suggests that the defence's aquiescence to the third extension
since January indicates that either a deal is in progress or the
defence also needs more time to prepare. Either way, customers are
out-of-pocket whilst their frozen funds gather interest that they
may never see.
The Coalition has started a database in order to better calculate
the total amount of money being withheld from U.S. customers, and
lists as its goals the organisation of all U.S. and other members
that have money tied up in Neteller.
"We are actively pursuing all avenues that will get our money
released - going after Neteller, the government, the media, etc.."
the site introduction informs.
__________________
"Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how
close they were to success when they gave up"
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