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Game Piracy: A Moral Choice

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Game Piracy: A Moral Choice

what to do?

from GalCiv2 Forums
I recently purchased GalCiv2 from e-bay, i am quite skint so i had to save for about 4 weeks to get it. Anyway i got the game and waited with great patience for it to arrive, whilst checking on these forums to read all about it. Yesterday it arrived and i opened the package with great excitement, and then it happened

All i had recieved was some discs with bad quality print on them andno documentation. I installed hoping that i was just being silly, and to begin with all went well. I tried to start the game and it asked for my serial code and this is when it went very wrong. I had no serial code, i checked through the packaging but it was definatly not there. My worst fears were confirmed i had recieved a pirate copy.

I imediatly got in contact with this seller demanding a valid serial code to not only allow me to play this game, but also to prove to me that it was an original. They sent me a message back saying that if i returned the discs and kept quiet they will give me a full refund. this gives me 3 options

GOOD: Do not return the discs and turn them in to the authorities, and lose the money meaning that i will have to save up again to purchase the game (longer this time since i won't be buying it cheap from e-bay again).

NEUTRAL: Return the discs, get the refund and then report them, but in doing so risk less action being taken against them due to less evidence. Also risking not having my money refunded.

EVIL: Return the discs, get the refund and keep quiet.

I really want to make the good choice but i really can't afford to lose the money, so what shall i do?

P.S it is an english address i should return it to if anyone is interested although the game was shipped from Malaysia
24,188 views 42 replies
Reply #26 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
dont buy games from ebay. in my experience the vast majority are pirate copies.


That's not totally accurate, although there *is* a lot of piracy going on. I often sell my used PC games on ebay after I burn out on them (I sold my copy of Civ IV within about a month after I began to find the end-game slow and redundant). It's often a simple matter of looking at the feedback and history of the seller to see whether they are just a guy selling a game or part of a pirate factory.

And as for reporting to ebay, well, good luck with that. Frankly, they aren't interested. I've gotten more than my fair share of duped dvds on ebay when I thought that I was buying a legit version of a movie. Even after bad feedback and reports to ebay I still see the same sellers doing their thing weeks later. Ebay doesn't have the time or interest to get involved unless The Law twists their arm.
Reply #27 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Buyer Protection http://pages.ebay.com/help/tp/isgw-buyer-protection-steps.html
Offworld Trading Company
Reply #28 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Evil: Fly to Malaysia, send out hunter-killer droids to search for the impudent scammer, use your Sith powers to make him sell his liver and kidneys on the Malaysian black market. Take the money from the proceeds, then fly back and buy GC2 from Stardock, install it, and start a Drengin game.

EDIT: Send what's left of the money to me.
Reply #29 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
POST ORDER ( ASK FOR ADDRESS BEFORE SENT) PAYPAL BANK TRASFER Game Ship Without Box (Request Box will cost extral) Deliver Time Will Take Between 5-16 Working Days ! (Please agree all the conditinal before bid thank)


being honest this sounds like a rip off right off the back

post your e-mail please i feel like being stupid somehow
Reply #30 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I'm extremly sorry for you but can only say 's**t happens'!
I personally was the victim of such a scam. The route to follow, if you want action taken, is to contact your trading standards office, most towns have one, report as much detail as you can to them. Ebay will cooperate with them and, if your lucky, the scammers will go down - mine did with a £5000 fine and 1 year inside.

Try it - you know it makes sense.
Reply #31 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Seems you used PayPal - you should have no problem getting your mione back. Contact them immediately - before the person can withdraw the funds.

PayPal WILL prosecute them btw.
Reply #32 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
as before, sh*t happens. People are crap like that.
You can install and play the game without a serial code (it says during isntallation that one is optional), but thats illegal, and you cant download any updates for the game.

I got my copy of GC2 off Amazon for £17.99, with free delivery, and it only took a week to get here So I aint complaining.
Reply #33 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I have reported them, paypal say i will get a full refund, and i have an original copy of the game coming soon from Amazon.

Thanks for the support guys (and girls)
Reply #34 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I wish I had seen this a couple of weeks ago. I just started reading this forum. I bought from him too. I haven't recieved my order yet. I thought it might be a little fishy. But his rating was ok and he was located in the UK. It wasn't until after I bought that he said the disc was coming from somewhere else. Can't say that I'm totally shocked but it's depressing that I've had a couple of bad e-bay deals lately. Got my money nback from paypal on the first and will soon report to them about this. Anyone know of cheaper legal websites to order from?
Reply #35 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
cheaper no.. though you could save up just a bit more and get it from stardock directly

i was trying to be a good chap and help get you one(since it looked like you would not get your money).. but it looks like you will be ok... though..
Reply #36 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I was thinking the same thing mementh.

Turn the pirated copies over to whomever prosecutes the law where you are, and i'll get ya legit copy. Would not be the first time I bought a game for someone else.

Glad to know you'll get your refund. I hope paypal persues it and shuts them down.
Reply #37 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Thanks for the comments. But you don't need to worry about me getting the game. I'll buy it eventually. I've been reading a lot of good things about it and am dying to play.
Reply #38 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I wouldn't merely stand around and let someone do this, I would act, even if it cost me the game (for a time). I hate scam artists.
Reply #39 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
A little update on my deal. I recieved a letter from Malaysia today with a disc in it. Unfortunately the disc wasn't even GalCiv 2. I got Rise of Nations-Thrones and Patriots. It's an expansion for a game I don't even own. Just great. How can I tell if it's an illegal copy or not? The disc looks good but I can't install it without the original. I want my money back and am going to bitch to paypal about it.
Reply #40 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Never, ever buy PC games through Ebay.

If they're cheap, there's a reason for it, and it's rarely a good one.
Reply #41 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
What difference does it make if the Rise of Nations disc you received is legit? It wasn't what you ordered.

-HM
Reply #42 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
True. But I'd rather nail the guy with copyright infringements than just a mistake in shipping. I've already started my complaints. I knew better than buy this but I'm getting cheap in my old age. Just interesting how things worked out.