'bought' A Pirated Game
<div class="IPBDescription">What else can I do?</div> Remember how pleased I was a few weeks ago when I said I purchased a copy of Freelancer for 1/3rd the retail price? The reason it was so cheap is because the person I ended up buying from is selling burned copies of the game.
The transaction occurred through PayPal, so I've still got about two weeks to submit my transaction dispute. After the submission, they (PayPal) say it'll take up to 30 days to process the claim.
Honestly, I don't really care if I get my money back or if I get an actual copy of Freelancer from it. I simply want this guy to burn at the stake for selling me pirated software. Since PayPal requires a credit card verification, it shouldn't be too difficult for him to be tracked down by the authorities.
I'll admit though - I definetly should have checked into it more before paying for it. It was advertised as a copy of Freelancer with everything except the box, which sounded pretty clear to me. I would have had no use for the box, so I was okay with it. It turns out his version of "everything except the box" means that the manual and all included documents are simply on the CD instead. The shipment even included a nice printout of how to crack the game using the conveniently-provided crack file that he added to the CD.
I'm just waiting for his response to the email I sent him today about this situation, then I'll submit my claim if he's not accomodating.
In the meantime, is there anything I can do to dig up further evidence to help me in my claim? The package the game was shipped in didn't have a return address (obviously), and he never gave his name or address once. Worse yet, his email address is a hotmail addy.
I figure the best thing to do is put the claim through PayPal, as they'd have much more access to his info through the credit card verification than I'd have through Google. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
The transaction occurred through PayPal, so I've still got about two weeks to submit my transaction dispute. After the submission, they (PayPal) say it'll take up to 30 days to process the claim.
Honestly, I don't really care if I get my money back or if I get an actual copy of Freelancer from it. I simply want this guy to burn at the stake for selling me pirated software. Since PayPal requires a credit card verification, it shouldn't be too difficult for him to be tracked down by the authorities.
I'll admit though - I definetly should have checked into it more before paying for it. It was advertised as a copy of Freelancer with everything except the box, which sounded pretty clear to me. I would have had no use for the box, so I was okay with it. It turns out his version of "everything except the box" means that the manual and all included documents are simply on the CD instead. The shipment even included a nice printout of how to crack the game using the conveniently-provided crack file that he added to the CD.
I'm just waiting for his response to the email I sent him today about this situation, then I'll submit my claim if he's not accomodating.
In the meantime, is there anything I can do to dig up further evidence to help me in my claim? The package the game was shipped in didn't have a return address (obviously), and he never gave his name or address once. Worse yet, his email address is a hotmail addy.
I figure the best thing to do is put the claim through PayPal, as they'd have much more access to his info through the credit card verification than I'd have through Google. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
Comments
However , if he seems to be shamelessly hosing people , ask for a negative price <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
Make sure you contact your credit card company too, usually they have something against fraud protection. And as everybody else said, go straight to the authorities. Don't give the guy a chance to rip off hundreds of other people...
I got the link for the purchase from an eBay auction, so I printed off the auction page, his feedback page, and all info I sent to and got from PayPal. His eBay feedback page is basically all complaints of him selling pirated software, and his eBay account is no longer active. I may contact the other people he's scammed to ask they provide additional information.
Here's part of PayPal's dispute submission notification email -- "our investigation will be made on a best-effort basis and PayPal does not guarantee funds recovery" -- so yes, I'll still be filing a pirated software report with the authorities. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
Don't forget to keep us informed of progress. <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->
No, GWAR, warezing for your personal use is not "ok"... it's still illegal, no matter how you defend it.</span></b>
Im not stupid enough to post warez links... well... almost... <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
i was only expressing my opinion, I didnt see why you had to edit it...
Never even heard of someone that dumb.
Oddly though, every game I have warez (maybe 5?) completly sucked. In fact one of them was so bad, after spending a week looking for the ISO I deleted it the next day after 5 hours of playtime. I would have returned all of them had I actually purchased em. Sometimes though, its just fun to play crappy games, a good diversion.
I used to buy games all the time then have to take them back, and the demos are ALWAYS just showing you the fancy stuff, not the real feel of the game.
I do plan to purchase a few upcoming games. And even though I beleive software companies inflate their prices so that only elite companies can buy their software, I plan to soon get a job so I can afford some of my web design programs (darnit, why did I have to join the most expensive proffession...web design?).
If I play it, I buy it. Ask Fam, he can confirm that my house is wall to wall game boxes.
Pretty sweet deal, but I really don't even need any more incentive to have this guy buying a life's supply of soap-on-a-rope. If what I do is enough to make even a small difference, I'd be happy with that.
but yah, I aint exactly against warez (my rule is that If I honestly like something I WILL buy it, if I can find it)
But this was just plain dumb, I hope yalls nail him <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
(and try for that PT SPOT!!! <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->)
It turns out this guy has made about $600 CDN (~$400 US / 260 GBP) in the past month just from selling these pirated games to buyers in Canada, US, and the UK. He's had 60 eBay postings for pirated games in the past month, and 22 of them had bidders and were sold. Average selling price range was $20-25 US.
He is or was enrolled at Seneca College in Toronto, doing a Computer Networking course, and I may have dug up a picture of him. Still no mailing address yet, but give me time. <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->
So far, I've filed a dispute with PayPal and <a href='http://www.fast.org.uk/' target='_blank'>FAST</a>. There's a stack of printouts and scribblings on my desk in front of me, which I hope will come in handy sometime soon. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
Anyways, I'm just waiting for a response from either PayPal or FAST to let me know what they want me to do. I've got all my stuff ready to ship and/or email, should they request any of it.
While I'm quite aware that it's a serious matter, this actually kinda fun. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
hehe, human's like revenge
and when it comes in the form of new and novel experiances ALL THE BETTER <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
hey, your getting revenge on him, experiancing some new stuf, AND your coenciding with the law <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
btw, how did you find this stuff out? (getting some ones RN off of pay pal/ebay aint that simple as faw as I remember)
and for amuzing sacke, type his name into: www.googlism.com (make sure you check the who is box) and see what you get)
I got some valuable info when PayPal sent me their typical "<i>here's what you did on our site</i>" e-mail, which included a little bit of info about the person I'm dealing with. Most importantly, his real name and a somewhat more permanent e-mail address.
From there, well..... searches in Google and eBay. It turns out he's not very well liked on eBay. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
your an angry, angry man
<i><Canadian Joke></i>
So thats what, $2 US?
<i></Canadian Joke></i>
Sorry, but its....so....hard...to...resist. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
S'alright, joke around all you want. I'm proud of my country. <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->
I'm just waiting to hear back from PayPal and/or FAST as to what I should do next. Until I get some response from either group, I've done all that I can on my own.