In a thread on Two Plus Two, Full Tilt Poker players reported receiving e-mails from the now PokerStars-owned room requesting account verification. The correspondence read in part, “Action Required: You will need to verify your identity to access your account. In the interest of account security and in accordance with the anticipated Isle of Man regulatory requirements, you are required to verify your identity.”

Why should a player verify his account two months prior to a re-launch of what was once the second largest online poker room in the world? The same e-mail explained, “Providing valid documentation now will ensure that your account is fully verified and active upon re-launch. Once re-launch and system testing has completed, you will have unrestricted access to your Full Tilt Poker account, including all cashier functionality and poker games.”

The e-mail, which several players reported receiving, claimed that Full Tilt Poker would be back online by November 6, which would be 17 months following the suspension of its license by the Alderney Gambling Control Commission in June 2011.

While some players were encouraged to hear that Full Tilt could rise from the ashes phoenix-style, others were perturbed at the extra work now required to prove their identities. One Two Plus Two poster wrote, “Got that email as well. Don’t like the sound of it at all. They mess up big time, I can’t access my money for 1.5 years, they somehow manage to come back into business with the help of Stars, and the first thing I hear from them is that bull**** about my documents that I already sent them multiple times.”

Pokerfuse and PokerNews claimed the e-mails sent to players were “legitimate.” The former pointed out, “So far, only a small subset of players have been contacted; it is not clear whether e-mails are simply being sent out in batches or if re-verification only applies to customers in specific locations or with a certain account status.” One poster said he responded to the request for verification, but his documents were rejected because they exceeded 3 MB in size.

In terms of who was contacted, one poster on Two Plus Two who had asked Full Tilt Poker support for more details said that only players with over $3,500 in their accounts and whose addresses were outside of the United States received the e-mail. When and if other accounts need to be verified is not yet known.

Another Full Tilt user posted that if players are successful in confirming they are who they say they are, they’ll receive an e-mail back from Full Tilt similar to the following: “We can confirm that we have now verified your identification documents and upon re-launch by November 6, you will have full and unrestricted access to your Full Tilt Poker account. Your cooperation and understanding in this matter was greatly appreciated.”

PokerStars purchased Full Tilt in a deal agreed to in July and consummated in August with a $225 million down payment to the U.S. Department of Justice. Full Tilt will reopen its doors for non-U.S. players. Meanwhile, the cashout process for U.S. players remains up in the air.