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Xbox Live Credit Fraud? No Customer Service If We Don't Consider You a Customer
Vegan
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Hi guys, I just posted a blog about my recent experience with my Xbox Live account's unauthorized access, fraudulent purchases, and Microsoft's refusal to issue a refund on the MS Points that were purchased, all because I don't happen to own an Xbox 360.
I thought that this disturbing policy might be of interest, so I'm trying to spread it out to as much of the community as possible.
This story is of concern to PC gamers who are required to have a Games for Windows Live account but don't own an Xbox.
http://www.gregalor.com/2011/09/microsoft-fraud/ (I'd post the contents right here, but it's too long, it won't fit.)
Xbox Live Account Hacked? Credit Fraud? No Customer Service If We Don’t Consider You A Customer, says Microsoft.
UPDATE: It didn't even take a day. 12 hours after posting, and just a couple hours after it hitting GamePro, I got word that the refund had been pushed through by Microsoft.
I posted the details, thanks, and FAQ based on responses: http://www.gregalor.com/2011/09/we-did-this-together/
I thought that this disturbing policy might be of interest, so I'm trying to spread it out to as much of the community as possible.
This story is of concern to PC gamers who are required to have a Games for Windows Live account but don't own an Xbox.
http://www.gregalor.com/2011/09/microsoft-fraud/ (I'd post the contents right here, but it's too long, it won't fit.)
Xbox Live Account Hacked? Credit Fraud? No Customer Service If We Don’t Consider You A Customer, says Microsoft.
UPDATE: It didn't even take a day. 12 hours after posting, and just a couple hours after it hitting GamePro, I got word that the refund had been pushed through by Microsoft.
I posted the details, thanks, and FAQ based on responses: http://www.gregalor.com/2011/09/we-did-this-together/
Vegan on
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If you want more coverage of your problem, I would send a link and summary to Joystiq, who often seems willing to publicize customer service issues like this. Potentially, this could result in positive action on Microsoft's part.
Looking at this from a rational perspective, it's just as possible for you to have accidentally purchased all those points. Claims that "somebody bought stuff under my account" is something that is well, common. Saying that there's anonymous email attached to your account, etc, etc doesn't truly prove anything because there's still the chance that you could have made this anonymous account just to back your claim. Not saying that you did, just pointing out the other side here. The end result of their investigation was that it didn't seem that fraud was the case here... so... yeah?
Being "ultimately told" that nothing can be done also doesn't really mean anything either dude. The amount of emotions that you imply the people that you spoke with had also reduces the credibility of your story. I'm sure that other people will be more sympathetic and/or jump on the "Micro$oft doesn't care" train, but it really seems like, based off the factual portions of your blog post and not the appeals to emotions... they acted proper:
- Non-refundable, non-transferable points were bought on an account.
- No fraud verifiable fraud was committed.
- No refund.
Also, why the hell would you have 42 xbox 360 games and no xbox 360 to play them on?
edit: fixed post.
Salesperson - "I can't refund your money"
You - "Could you transfer me to the billing department then?"
Repeat until someone will refund the money. Clearly MS should just refund you, but I'm sure speaking to enough people will eventually get you to someone who will.
Yes, it's fairly common. From what I understand, bad people hack someone's Xbox Live Account and purchase loads of points using that account's credit information. Bad person then logs on to their Xbox with the hacked account's gamertag and proceeds to purchase all the games/movies they can, tying it to their Xbox.
I would call them back and just keep asking for a supervisor/manager until you get to someone who agrees to help you. Normally, I would say "be respectful/humble" but not with Microsoft. Be aggressive. At least, that's my advice.
I have my own war stories with them which I won't bother getting into.
Yeah, it's just like with Comcast and whatever, all the people have a certain number of discounts or refunds they are allowed to give out each time period and you need to keep talking to people until you find someone who will help you. You'll know instantly when you are talking to them, since all the things you heard were 'rules' before will never be mentioned and the costs will be cleared in 5 seconds.
Anyways..
10k is a lot of points on an existing gamertag with 42 X-box games associated with it from someone who doesn't claim to have an X-box.
Of course they're not going to kneejerk refund.
There needs to be more info / proof / explanation of the above first.
And then billing dispute that shit, pronto, through your credit card.
PSN: Bizazedo
CFN: Bizazedo (I don't think I suck, add me).
The 42 games aren't actually associated with his account. He's never played them. The only proof that he owns them is the little tagline on the article that says so.
It actually just happened to my BF last night while we were talking on the phone.
Oh my god. Seriously?
"Um, may I speak with an adult please?"
Granted, this was back in the OG Xbox days, but I remember my first call to support going like this:
Bro-dude: Heyyy, thanks for calling Xbox support, this is HAWK, what can I do for ya?
Me: uh, yeah, Hawk, my credit card was charged twice for Xbox live.
Hawk: Man! Lame! Lemme get that fixed for you, dude!
I think he may have also invited me to his kegger that weekend at the end of the call.
I'm lucky I never had any real issues with Xbox live, but when the PSN was hacked, both of the credit cards I had associated with it were used to run up thousands of dollars in charges shortly afterwards. That was really fun to deal with.
That was your fault tho. Sony CLEARLY said that CC info wasn't compromised.
:rotate:
Of course not. It was merely coincidence that the two credit cards I ha on file with them were both ripped off at the same time. And that one of them is never used for anything else.
Totally my fault.
I don't see why you're changing the subject to PSN. Fact is that Microsoft is motherfucking malicious towards the consumer with their Live service.
It happened to me in August. I got an e-mail saying I had purchased 4000 points when I hadn't even logged into my 360 for like a month. Found unauthorized purchase of Super Street Fighter IV shit too (I don't even own that game).
They are currently doing the investigation thing, which I told them about in August, and just got a call about last week to say they were going to *start* -_- So I'm fucking without my 360 for probably another month now. Glad to hear they compensated you for the Xbox Live time though.
They were pretty good about refunding everything though.
Wait. When you say this, do you mean that you're without the console, or without the Live service/account?
The hacker ended up attaching a third-party's paypal account to my Live account and using it to buy like 5000 points, then spending all of them plus my $10 worth of points. It took a while for me to explain this to the Customer Support person.
That thread wasn't very long ago, but there were a lot of silly goose apologists telling you that "You can't be sure it was because of Sony! It's just a coincidence, that has been happening a lot lately, but still just a coincidence!"
I have an xbox live account, associated to an address that is not @live.com, and has no credit card associated with it.
Never been a problem so far...
So do I but I can't have it without a card on it.
This isn't true, and hasn't been for some time. Sure, you have to have A Credit card on your account, but you can most certainly remove them.
Just saying.
Origin: Galedrid - Nintendo: Galedrid/3222-6858-1045
Blizzard: Galedrid#1367 - FFXIV: Galedrid Kingshand
I'm on Silver, do you need a credit card for a Gold account?
I was always lucky in that PSN wouldn't actually take my credit card. Always had to buy point cards if I wanted to buy something for my Go. So when the hacking thing happened, didn't get hit.
COME FORTH, AMATERASU! - Switch Friend Code SW-5465-2458-5696 - Twitch
Pretty sure situations like this are why credit cards have the chargeback feature.
I've never seen this malice before. Where is it so I can partake in the sufferage?
Yeah, I think that's it. I called them to disable auto-renew but they said they have to have an account card on record for security. If there's some online way to get rid of it then point me at it, I'd love it.
An account in general, or a gold account? Either way, that's really dumb and kind of defeats the purpose of points and time cards.
My account was recently compromised and I had fraudulent charges run up on the card associated with it. I got some of the money back already and will be getting the full amount back, but I've learned my lesson and will never, ever tie a card to my XBL account again. Assuming I get my account back. It's on lockdown after I contacted them about the charges and finding out my tag was apparently somehow lifted from my Windows Live account to a new e-mail address (or something?), but I've learned my lesson and will never, ever tie a card to my account again (assuming I get it back, they said the latest I'll find out is the end of October).
So you can completely have Gold accounts with no credit card attached. It's just that if you ever do, they keep a fucking deathgrip on it for no god damn reason.
They lock your account as part of the investigation... I could probably still play my 360 but there's not much point in doing so "offline"
When they unlocked it I got a recovery email and a prompt to swap passwords and was able to recover my live tag and all my dlc no issue. So far only gotten half the money refunded.
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