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
24,181 views 42 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Choice #4- Make and send COPIES of CDs back to seller and mail ORIGINALS with all pertinent info to authorities for prosecution.

Why would you buy this game off E-Bay when there are plenty of REPUTABLE dealers selling it? E BAY does NOT make any gaurentees whatso ever about the authenticity or validity of the products sold on their site. I would also notify EBay about what is going on (after you get your money).
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Yeah, the fact he screwed you over entitles you to report him. The fact he's bribing you to keep quiet is something else. Make sure you get the money back, then report him.

And in future, buy off totalgaming.net, with the token system it works out to something like £18. I think play.com do it for £15 as well.
Elemental: Reforged
Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Definately notify eBay. I beleive you DO have some protection - they can maybe help get your money back. If you used Paypal I'm sure there is protection furnished. This kind of scam is not just piracy - it is theft plain and simple.

At the very least, give the seller bad feedback to let others know what is going on.
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Choice 3 is assuming he'll actually give you the money back ....

Lets Say you do give the CD's back, You just gave him the evidence you had, and why would he give the money back? (i wouldn't)

Bite the Bullet and notify someone...i'm sure you can work something out with them....

Scam me Once, shame on you. Scam me twice, shame on...shame on.....well you can't scam me twice.
Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I bought the game from e-bay as it is normally a good place to buy software from for less money. I have used e-bay loads of times with no problems before. As for protection ironically enough i can get e-bay to chase them down but it will cost me £15.

I can't copy the games and send them back as the copies i have purchased are far better than i can make myself, i was only suspicious in the first place because the print on the discs is very slightly blurry, normally a sign of a copy. It is easy to be wise after the event, and maybe i should not have trusted e-bay as much as i did.

I have sent a reply e-mail tellingthem that i don't find their behaviour accepltable and i gave them until the weekend to prove to me that these are in fact originals. I intend to get in touch with e-bay no matter what, at least then they won't be able to scam other people. The worrying thing is the amount of positive feed back they have, obviously some people don't have a conscience.
Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
There is a safe method in solving this for you. As other said giving back the copy you have is the last thing you should do, as long as you hold the evidence you can do something, if you don't, the card will be against you.


For me, tell them to send you a retail Seal Box without you sending the Defective disk back. First, if this one is a copy then there is no reason they need it back, second, you paid for the game so you have the right to get a legitimate copy.
Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Just as an anecdote, if it wasn't for eBay I would have never discovered GalCiv at all! Some time ago, I bought a lot of brand new games (6 games in one auction for very cheap) on eBay and among them was GalCiv. This was at the time of GTA: Vice City, which was the game I wanted the most. eBay introduced me to Stardock, which rules, and to GalCiv. When GalCiv II was announced, there was no question as to whether or not I'd be buying it.
Reply #8 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
When exactly did it ask for the serial number during play? It should only ask during installation, and even then, it's optional.

Of course if it was when you were trying to download the patch from galciv2.com, or trying to install it via Stardock Central, then yeah, it will complain about not having a valid serial.

I'm curious what the URL is of the auction. Did he say in it that it was a new, mint in box version of the game?

-HM
Reply #9 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
You should post a url, or saved documents of this event so those who can will help.


"Show me tha money " !
Reply #10 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Keep the disc. Get your money back. Report him to EBay. Simple as that.

You hold the evidence. You'll get your money back, and he'll be taken care of.
Reply #11 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
First, why would you buy something from Malaysia? On Ebay its good to be skeptical about buying any software/music/dvd's from third world countries.

Did you pay using PayPal? If you did jsut turn him in right away and apply with paypal to have your money refunded.
Reply #12 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
My 2 cents:

Tell them to send your money back first. (That's what you had to do to get the disks, right?) Once you have the disks and the cash, then the choice is up to you.

(If they can't prove the disks are real or any good, then why would they need them back?)

In reality, if you say that you want the cash back first, they likely will not pay. If they do, then they are either hoping you are gullible, or are just desperately hoping to ge ttheir disks back without getting reported. Either way, you will know what the real answer is without giving up any leverage.

Edit: One additional thought: Stardock's non-protection scheme may have actually provided more protection than the standard copy-protection scheme here. This may be a shop that churns out cracked games and copied movies. If they are used to the standard copy-protection schemes, then they think that they can just send out Stardock game copies and they will be home free. Little do they know that the real value in a Stardock game is the ability to log in and get updates - which cannot be done without the serial number...

(The possibility does exist that they are actually legitimate middle-men that themselves thought they had bought real disks from a vendor. If this is true, then you may get your money back. This may also explain why they have so many positive feedback items in their profile - they are generally good unless they get taken, themselves.)
Reply #13 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Note that in Canada, it is a criminal offence to agree not to report another criminal offence. As this guy is infringing on copyright for commercial gain, he is committing a criminal (not just civil) offence. As such, in Canada, your evil option would also be a criminal offence. Note that copyright infringement not for commercial gain is, I think, a civil matter here but I'm not a lawyer.

May be entirely different where you live, though. Also note that it is NOT a criminal offence not to report a criminal offence, only to agree not to report a criminal offence. If you can follow that.

Anyway, if you used a credit card, immediately dispute the charge. Get this guy shut down so he doesn't scam other poor unsuspecting people.
Reply #14 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Ok let's answer a few of the questions raised..

I have bought games before from Eastern countries (Hardly 3rd world but i get your point) never before have they been fake.

Since posting this topic and e-mailing the person they have unregistered themselves from e-bay so it is really not looking good for me. Because of this i think it is fair to assume the worst and so i feel i can now post a link to the item. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=8269301739&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&rd=1 I don't think i am going to get my money back since i refused to say that i would keep quiet. Looks like i will have to wait a bit longer before joining the metaverse. To say i am gutted is an understatement. I don't get many new games as they are so expensive now, and to have this happen really puts me down Well we live and learn.

Thanks for your help now i will wait until Saturday for a reply and then i will try to get these people reported and hopefully something will be done to prevent them form doing it again. Here's hoping i get my money back.
Reply #15 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Man, your Evil and my Evil are different.

Evil: Ask for double your money back before sending the disks to "keep quiet". Then say that you changed your mind, and ask for the original copy of the game that they were copying from to "keep quiet". Then, only if you're still feeling vindictive, turn them in.
Reply #16 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Once they delisted themselves they showed their true colors. If it were me, I'd start complaining to Ebay and Paypal now.

Unfortunately there was no explanation from them of what they were selling nor a picture (taken by them) of the product they were selling. Someone else's pictures of the game and the same with description. These two things together would probably make me steer clear.

-HM
Reply #17 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Citizen Lonemessiah, please let us know if you used Paypal or a credit card. If so, you should be able to get 100% of your money back.

If not, how old are you? (Bear with me for a moment...)
Reply #19 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
He doesn't seem to be around much lately. Could he be slaving away at the release version of 1.1 maybe?
Reply #20 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I used paypal.. After reading their policy i think i should be ok in getting my money back. As for my age...old enough to know better
Reply #21 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Stuff happens man. It wasn't as obvious as these things sometimes are, and I could see making the same mistake (especially if I was all excited to get the game). At some point you simply have to assume that the seller is telling you the truth about their product, and this seller was most certainly being deceptive.

-HM
Reply #22 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Hey, my brother almost got ripped off while selling his laptop on eBay. Not once but twice. I couldn't believe he was about to ship out his laptop for the second 'buyer'.

It happens, it just REALLY sucks when you can't afford the scam and especially when you are young enough that you have to save for weeks for this.

Chin up, GalCiv2 is worth the wait. And let us know if you have any troubles getting your money back.
Reply #23 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
My dad searched through e-bay and said he find a copy himself too....

Dad> I found this CHEAP copy on e-bay
Me> It's not out yet
Dad> ?
Me> I havnt seen it in retail yet so that's bullshit
Dad> Whaaat?
Me> Probably pirated. I'm only buying retail at a store in person or off the website
Dad> Okaaaaaaaay but ebay is so coool

[Note my dad never said e-bay is cool it's just ..... he trolls on ebay all day long.... cough cough] .
Reply #24 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I once bought a small country on e-bay. Or was that someone else?
Reply #25 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
dont buy games from ebay. in my experience the vast majority are pirate copies. Where the developer himself sells direct, there is even less reason to do so.
Galciv2 is worth the money. buy it direct.