SERIOUSLY Peed Off

[MarkB]

I bought a copy of The Sims 2 on Ebay for £20 (The 4-CD version, usually retails ~£30+).

It arrived today. It's 4 CD-Rs!!! I am raging. I didn't spend £20 just to get pirated software.

I emailed the guy demanding a refund, and am wondering just how Ebay/PayPal deal with things like this (providing he doesn't refund my money)?

[The New Guy]

This happened to a friend of mine. Ebay has a fraud thing you can do to get your money back but you have to do it before 30 days. The scammer will try to lead you on, until that time has expired. Don't wait. He wont give you your money back.

[MarkB]

Well he has less than 2 hours to pay up, I won't be led on.

Thanks TNG :)

[Blue Cat Buxton]

Did he have a good rating?

(Im not an ebay user, really, only ever bought one thing and that sale went fine

[Nintendo]

Newsflash, this just in: You get what you pay for. Next time don't try to pay £10 less on ebay. Buy the games in a real store, ie Amazon.

BTW, feedback is your friend, look at it before buying something on ebay.

[MarkB]

Nintendo, go jump. Don't be so condescending.

[Cutter]

There is a lot of bs that goes on at ebay in regards to copyright. I've never had this happen myself, but I'd go straight to ebay, don't even talk to the guy. I don't know how they handle piracy in the UK, but in the US I would contact ebay, paypal, and send an e-mail to piracy@ea.com with all of the guy's info.

[James]

Nintendo, I hope you choke.

That really sucks what happened, Mark. I hate how insecure things like this can be.

[MarkB]

This keeps getting better :lol:

He emailed back stating that "I never said it was original; I said it was 'used'. This is my backup copy, which is legal to sell."

Err, no it isn't I said. I gave him negative feedback on Ebay (stating he'd refused to refund, and had not sent me original software), and filed a complaint with PayPal.

He emailed me after I'd filed the complaint (which no doubt he'd received a copy of) apologising because he is 'new to Ebay and didn't know he couldn't sell a copy/backup'. He wanted me to return the discs recorded delivery, and when he received them he'd refund me.

Err, no. Refund me, and THEN I'll send your discs back.

He then responds stating that because I'd given him negative Ebay feedback stating he'd refused to refund, that he really WAS going to refuse to refund now, and it is up to PayPal to sort it out.

:lol: I swear, better than Eastenders.

What to do? Wait and see if PayPal actually give a ****?

[Generalissimo]

Don't wait is my advice. Me and Mike waited with a programmer that between us we'd paid $1000 to, after he kept making excuses until the paypal limit thing expired to complain, and then he disappeared - both Mike and me are out of quite a lot of money because of this, so don't wait, demand an excuse, report everything immediatly.

[The New Guy]

NO! The disc send back is just another way to drain the time. He will say it never came, and he will just wait it out.

[chromate]

I would be surprised if paypal or ebay do anything. And the unfortunate thing is, you'll probably receive negative feedback on your ebay account now, just out of spite from the guy. The whole thing sucks.

[MarkB]

Don't worry, he's not getting anything until he pays me.

I've emailed EA's piracy department as well (though I doubt they'll be interested in anything this small of scale).

I honestly think it's just some young bloke hoping to make some money by selling his backup. But I don't want to be the mug he sucked in. LOL

[MarkB]

Chromate, he gave me positive feedback soon after I paid :)

Both PayPal and Ebay offer (allegedly) 'buyer protection'. The fact that this is someone profiting from piracy will hopefully help swing things my way; I have no qualms about kicking up a stink if they don't sort this out.

[Blue Cat Buxton]

Try these guys (or at least tell the seller that you will report him if your money isn't returned):

http://www.elspa.com/piracy/report.asp

I would have thought that paypal and ebay wouldn't want to be involved in piracy, even by implication, but wether that will get your money back is another matter

[Mike]

Thankfully I've not experienced anything like this before, and always thought of eBay of a safe place because of this. What was the sellers rating Mark? Or was he new?

Keep us updated on what ebay reply (if they reply at all...) :)

[The New Guy]

The general rule is to never buy anything on ebay that can be put on a cd or dvd. Unless you know about it ;)

[MarkB]

Well, I've bought many CDs from there before, along with a game, and never had any problems. This chap had only one negative rating (for non-payment) whereas he had a number of positive ratings as a seller.

Ebay states they have a buyer protection thing up to (I think) £200? Although, since I paid with PayPal, they require me to go through PayPal first for any claims. And we all know what PayPal's like... sheesh.

Has anyone gone through the claim process before with PayPal?

My claim is currently 'under review'. Even though my initial claim is sent to both parties, the seller's response is kept private which I hardly think is fair.

[MarkB]

Thanks for the link, Ms Buxton :)

My email back to him this afternoon in response to his email saying he wouldn't refund my money after I posted my negative feedback on Ebay:



XXX,

I posted that feedback after your initial response to my email asking for a refund, which was thus:

"I did not state that it was an original, it was stated used. This is not illegal it is a back up copy which I own the original "

That made your case quite clear. I'm saddened to see that you're being unco-operative when you're so clearly in the wrong, AND breaking the law.

If I don't see a positive resolution within the next 24 hours, I'm afraid I will have to report you to ELSPA (http://www.elspa.com/piracy/apu.asp) and EA Games' Piracy department, and eventually the police. I hope it will not come to this.

Mark

[r2d2]

Hopefully that will sort it out - it probably is some kid trying to see if he can get away with it. ELSPA, EA and police should hopefully convince him to refund you.

[MarkB]

I guess working in a legal department for 12 months paid off ;) Just over an hour after sending that, he refunded my money. Woo!

[chromate]

Good result. Glad it turned out ok. Report him anyway. ;) Muhaha

[James]

lmfao calling that legal? Idiot.

Also, that's not 'used' if he burns it. It's like saying GuildWars hot off the burning jigga-ma-whatsit is considered used because they just burned it onto the CD.

[Blue Cat Buxton]

Good news it all got sorted

[Mike]

Heh, great result Mark :)

[Nintendo]

Just over an hour after sending that, he refunded my money. Woo!

Blarg!!! Now send him back the CDs or YOU'LL be in the wrong. *chokes*

[James]

Nintendo, I hope you choke.

He's in the RIGHT. Think of the trouble the guy caused for him.

[Nintendo]

Two wrongs don't make a right!!! He's now in the wrong until he returns them!!! Thal shall not steal!!!! The other guy didn't make him buy from him!!

*chokes*

pze do the Heimlich Maneuver on me!!!! :D:D:D:D

[James]

Nintendo, I hope you choke.

The guy did something illegal, and tried to screw him over. I don't know if crazy-asses like you believe in karma, but this is just a case of it. Personally, I'd still get the people to go after him for making illegal software, so he couldn't keep at it.

[Generalissimo]

I'm not sure if returning them or not would be right here...

[The New Guy]

Send him a blank cd through snail mail. All even. Over paypal him a dollar.

[r2d2]

I wouldnt say thats even. Mark has spent a lot of time on this, and would be down a blank cd as well then.

[The New Guy]

Pfft. I was just poking at Nintendo :p

[r2d2]

Ah Sorry, I see ;)

[James]

You! JSh)uLD S3DN! M33333 J00R M0nay! !1! f0r Mahy Cra032ppy L1tt7le scrapte!!!!!!!!1111!~11!D::D;d~!~1!!!:D!1!D::D

PS I rooined AWS seagul-h4ndadly!!11!11:D!11:D

[Nintendo]

You should send me your money!!!!! For your crappy little new AWS site - http://www.buy-video-game-crap.net/ pze no choke. :D:D:D:D:D

Do all Canadiens suck????

[James]

Howll433333 sh1a73, he understüüd wat m3 say3d!!1!! :D:D;d ;D::D ;d: D;D:; :D:D: :D;

Yes, all Canadiens suck. Lucky me, I'm not at all French, nor have I any relatives from or have even BEEN to Quebec. Thus, I'm not a Canadien.