whoa completely burned

[Richter Belmount]

this from a different sites forums.
http://new.ga-forum.com/showthread.php?t=45518
LOL friend showed me this

[imanerd0011]

Wow, that guy got ripped off REALLY bad! I hope he gets his money back.
For some reason though I think he might have made it up. I find it hard to believe that a factory sealed Xbox game could come with a CD-R in it.

[Bluteg]

He just had to make sure it had the Microsoft seal on the side... not hard...

[Ed Oscuro]

:O

It had the seal, too...TIM SHAEFER?!

[Promophile]

Link isn't working for me. Could someone explain what happened?

[Cauterize]

Link isn't working for me. Could someone explain what happened?

Basically this happened

http://img110.echo.cx/img110/7727/psychonauts4zh.jpg
http://img110.echo.cx/img110/5824/psychoopen1oy.jpg

[NESaholic]

Wtf!! @_@ Hope he indeed gets his money back, man i would totally flip, the nerve!

[Promophile]

Ouch yeah. Has to be a return scam

[Promophile]

He just had to make sure it had the Microsoft seal on the side... not hard...

those sticker seals don't mean crap. Back when I was really really anal about keeping my games pristine I would carefully peel off the security stickers and stick them on this big plastic thing I have. If I wanted to I could go grab my Suikoden 2 sticker, slap it on my copy and seal it . No one would know the difference, espeically since my copy of S2 is SUPER MINT, it even SMELLS new when i open the jewel case.

[hydr0x]

i don't know at all what the problem is, he is a moron for not checking the seal (he can tell what he want, that game was NOT factory sealed, the xbox seal on the side can be "opened" and "closed" as often as you like too as long as you don't let it get dirty) but he should have no problem at all getting another one, the store owners don't care at all if it really was like that or if he burned it and exchanged the stuff or whatever, they can just send it back to the distributor and get their money back. Even if not, as long as he doesn't want his money back or anything like that there's no reason NOT to believe him.

[tholly]

its was probably the guy himself trying to get sympathy

[felix]

^^^ Yea.. Im thinking he just wanted to get some attention on the forum..

[goatdan]

Yeah. That's a fake. The reason why I think it is:

The disc is a CD music disc. It doesn't make any sense that would be anywhere around the production plant. Opening it and finding a copy of MLB 2K5 is believable. Finding a music CD-R? No.

All that he had to do to fake it is put a music CD-R of his own in. Again, there would be no reason for a pressing company to have one of those lying around -- companies that press discs don't have DVDs and CD-R's on the same production line. They are two completely different formats, and I don't even think CD-Rs are made at pressing factories, as they don't need to be "pressed" from what I know of them. I could ask...

But anyway, I don't feel sorry for him because I feel he's probably lying...

[hydr0x]

@goatdan

well, your theory would be good IF it was still factory sealed, as i stated before, this wasn't the case so it COULD be possible someone returned the game without the clerk looking inside and the store just resealing the thing... it's not very likely, but it is possible

[FlufflePuff]

I had a customer one time try to return a $5 DVD with an AOL disc inside. I wasn't sure to believe her or not, but I ended up returning it because it wasn't expensive enough to risk losing a customer over. Now, with the game, I wouldn't return it. Instead I would direct them to the manufacturer. I have also seen people try to return "resealed" games. On several Xbox games there is just a shrinkwrapped bag, not the fold over type of sealant. These are easy to rip off and reseal.

[goatdan]

@goatdan

well, your theory would be good IF it was still factory sealed, as i stated before, this wasn't the case so it COULD be possible someone returned the game without the clerk looking inside and the store just resealing the thing... it's not very likely, but it is possible

Quote from the thread it came from:


I bought it at toys r us, because I had store credit. It was brand new and sealed, when I opened it, this was inside.

So it was supposedly brand new and sealed... No. Doesn't happen. If it was just the NBA 2K5 manual inside with the game, I'd believe it because that is the sort of thing that can happen at a plant, but it isn't.

Personally, I don't believe it. If he really was ripped off, that is too bad and I hope he can get his money back... but it just smells too fishy to me.

[hydr0x]

yeah he SAYS it was sealed because the seal was there on the side, what he doesn't know or ignores is that those things don't mean shit, they can be deattached and attached again and again

so, basically, just because the thinks it was sealed doesn't mean it was...

[tssk]

yeah he SAYS it was sealed because the seal was there on the side, what he doesn't know or ignores is that those things don't mean shit, they can be deattached and attached again and again

so, basically, just because the thinks it was sealed doesn't mean it was...

OK. I'm going to stick up for this guy.

A few years ago I bought Silent Hill new from a store. Sealed and everything. Opened it up and all that was inside was a demo disc from Konami.

I had a hell of a time trying to get a replacement I can tell you.

[hydr0x]

OK. I'm going to stick up for this guy.

A few years ago I bought Silent Hill new from a store. Sealed and everything. Opened it up and all that was inside was a demo disc from Konami.

I had a hell of a time trying to get a replacement I can tell you.

that's something completely different as it was something from Konami, the same company as the game was from, in his case something random was inside that NO WAY could have made it in there in the production plant, he either did it himself or it was a game previously returned to the score (in one way he is lying, the other way he was too stupid to check if it was REALLY sealed)

[Promophile]

Some of you seem to be missing the point that a POSSIBLE explanation would be this.

Guy buys the game, CAREFULLY unfolds the top seal and slips the game out of the shrinkwrap, then peels the "security" sticker off and removes the manual and CD. Next he places some crappy manual he has lying around and a CD to make sure it weights about the same. He then carefully pulls the security sticker back in place, slips the game back in the shrinkwrap, and refolds it, resealing it with a glue stick or some other clear weak glue, returns it, and store employee sticks it back on the shelf. Seems very very possible to me.

[hydr0x]

Some of you seem to be missing the point that a POSSIBLE explanation would be this.

Guy buys the game, CAREFULLY unfolds the top seal and slips the game out of the shrinkwrap, then peels the "security" sticker off and removes the manual and CD. Next he places some crappy manual he has lying around and a CD to make sure it weights about the same. He then carefully pulls the security sticker back in place, slips the game back in the shrinkwrap, and refolds it, resealing it with a glue stick or some other clear weak glue, returns it, and store employee sticks it back on the shelf. Seems very very possible to me.

eeeh? that's exactly one of the two possiblities i have been mentioning all the time....

[Promophile]

How would be be stupid if he didn't know it was resealed? If it happened like i posted then it would be impossible to tell without opening it.

[jdc]

This can happen.

Back in the N64 days, a friend of mine went to Walmart on the way home from a nightshift to pick up the new F-Zero X. When he opened the shrinkwrap there was an old manual in the box along with a copy of Hexen. Someone with access to a shrinkwrapper had done a return scam.

He was incredibly worried that he would be the fall guy, after all "I bought it like this" sounds like bullshit. Strangely enough, the woman who sold it to him seemed a little TOO willing to put things right, as if she remembered the original return and had been suspicious of it.

It's a good rule of thumb to open a game and check it in front of the clerk who rings it through. I'm sure that this happens all of the time. Security seals mean nothing. Go ahead and restick them as many times as you like. All you need is a very sharp Exacto knife and the edge lifts cleanly.

[hydr0x]

How would be be stupid if he didn't know it was resealed? If it happened like i posted then it would be impossible to tell without opening it.

you can tell without opening, trust me, i actually DO this testing with returned games at our store, and it's absolutely possible to tell (cheap glue is especially easy, you just have to use your nose ;) )

[DDCecil]

This can happen.

Back in the N64 days, a friend of mine went to Walmart on the way home from a nightshift to pick up the new F-Zero X. When he opened the shrinkwrap there was an old manual in the box along with a copy of Hexen. Someone with access to a shrinkwrapper had done a return scam.

He was incredibly worried that he would be the fall guy, after all "I bought it like this" sounds like bullshit. Strangely enough, the woman who sold it to him seemed a little TOO willing to put things right, as if she remembered the original return and had been suspicious of it.

It's a good rule of thumb to open a game and check it in front of the clerk who rings it through. I'm sure that this happens all of the time. Security seals mean nothing. Go ahead and restick them as many times as you like. All you need is a very sharp Exacto knife and the edge lifts cleanly.

Yep. Same thing happened to my dad. He bought Space Station Silicon Valley at a Target in California, brought it home, and inside was a California Tour Guide, about the same weight as a N64 game! Target didn't have any problems taking it back.

[Promophile]

yeesh now Im worried that some of my sealed games are imposters haha.

[Nature Boy]

Do companies like TRU go back and flag the people they know might've brought the game back? Or do they just ignore the whole thing and pretend it didn't happen?

I'm willing to bet they'd take it back from the current guy though. Yeah you'd worry about them believing you, but at the same time you're *not* lying so you can continue arguing until you get what you want.

(I received a PS2 game for Xmas that was paid for as new but came in one of EBs preorder style cases. I returned it as is with the receipt, and although the guy had a hard time believing me he eventually let me swap it for a *real* new copy of the game).

[hydr0x]

Do companies like TRU go back and flag the people they know might've brought the game back? Or do they just ignore the whole thing and pretend it didn't happen?


well, i know we at MM do "watch" suspicious returns, we never had a case like this one yet though, so i'm not sure what happens then, but i think some kind of trouble for the customer is guaranteed

[purelunatic]

sucks to be him. hopefully he'll learn from his mistake.

[Ed Oscuro]

sucks to be him. hopefully he'll learn from his mistake.
Which is the same mistake YOU make every time you buy a game at the store and don't rip it open right there and then, apparently ;)

[Anexanhume]

While remote, it's possible some employee at the plant thought it would be funny, was disgruntled, or wanted a free game.

[culltyler]

sucks to be him. hopefully he'll learn from his mistake.

I dont understand his mistake. Purchasing himself a new piece of entertainment and getting shafted?

Anyway, its also possible that some one at the factory stole the game and put that shit in there. Or maybe that idea sucks.
Either way its going to be a bitch returning that.

[The-Bavis]

Assuming the guy's claim is legit, I don't think he did anything stupid. I, for one, am not going to study each game's label and smell the glue. If I get it home and it's a fake or really used any reputable store would take it back, despite the chance that I'm running a scam.

Buying a sealed collectible is another story. In that case, buyer beware.

[hydr0x]

Assuming the guy's claim is legit, I don't think he did anything stupid. I, for one, am not going to study each game's label and smell the glue. If I get it home and it's a fake or really used any reputable store would take it back, despite the chance that I'm running a scam.

Buying a sealed collectible is another story. In that case, buyer beware.

well, i open EVERY game or DVD or whatever i buy right after i walk out of the store (if possible still in reach of the security cameras so they can proof everything)

[Ed Oscuro]

Well, I usually check over packages myself, simply because I figure that even if it's just a PS2 game, it's worth getting the best package. It's not too terribly hard to use my eyes and just take a look, and apparently it might help prevent this happening...

[Richter]

about them security seals:
it's easy to spot it being a reseal. Sure you can take it off cleanly but the sticky residue of the seal like sto pick up fingerprints, lint, etc. If you attempt to place it back you'll noticed that it likes to "fog" up and no longer be clear.

Happend today at work. Somebody wanted to return XB Splinter Cell CT. CS has to get somebody from the Electronics dept to do the exchange. Soon as the CS rep showed me the sealed i immediately said it's be resealed (security label edge wasnt clear, not to mention the dude managed to get an airbubble in it). CS opened it up anyway


soooooo, always inspect the security seals before buying

[Nature Boy]

well, i open EVERY game or DVD or whatever i buy right after i walk out of the store (if possible still in reach of the security cameras so they can proof everything)

There's nothing wrong with this, but that's a little on the extreme (and paranoid) side. A store is certainly not going to expect everybody to do this and refuse a return if they don't.

[hydr0x]

noone said they refuse it if you don't do that @nature boy, i'm not doing this because they wouldn't take it back otherwise, but because i want to save me from the hassle of having to get to the store again and so on, it just saves time for me (and doesn't everybody look at the stuff he bought as fast as possible anyway???)

[Promophile]

(and doesn't everybody look at the stuff he bought as fast as possible anyway???)

No, unless I recieve it in the mail or its used.

[Nature Boy]

noone said they refuse it if you don't do that @nature boy, i'm not doing this because they wouldn't take it back otherwise, but because i want to save me from the hassle of having to get to the store again and so on, it just saves time for me (and doesn't everybody look at the stuff he bought as fast as possible anyway???)

How often does it actually happen to you?

I've got a paranoia surrounding Lego. When I was a kid, I got a kit that had one piece missing, and another substituted for it. To this day I build my new kits (yes, I still buy 'em :) ) *convinced* that I'm going to be missing a piece. I never am, and I know I'm just being paranoid, but the feeling is always there. The last thing I want to do, at this point, is add "opening things right away" to my list of eccentricities :D

[hydr0x]

well, in 2 years of DVD buying i had 3 or 4 dvds with missing manuals, i also had one or two games where the disc was slightly scratched (despite it being factory sealed). So it's not like i never found anything