Having a PayPal payment cancelled before you got the money

[OneOfOne (Trevor)]

I hope the title gives you some idea of the problem.

My wife's daughter's boyfriend (convoluted enough for you) apparently sold a WOW license (some sort of network gaming thing) over the net to another person in the US. I don't know any details of how, eBay or whatever. This guy made the payment (about $1000) to PayPal. They saw the funds in PayPal as "uncleared" and so sent the guy the password for the account. He promptly cancelled the payment and the money disapeared! PayPal say they have no record of the transaction. He has contacted WOW with the license number etc in the hope they can cancel the access. They say he needs to fill out some paperwork...fingers crossed. I don't think there is much else he can do....other than to never forward goods to people until you have the money.

When I heard the story I just thought "how could they be so stupid!" Maybe they just trusted the other guy too much. I guess it is like receiving a cheque for a scope and then sending it off, only to find the cheque bounced when presented.

I guess we all learn, pity it involves so much money

[DJVege]

Well....A WOW license (probably character) is not worth $1000...so your wife's daughter's boyfriend isn't out of pocket. (Isn't your wife's daughter...your daughter too??)

WoW can be bought for $30, then you pay around $12 a month to continue playing. What your dude was trying to do, most probably, was sell his "levelled" character (probably a level 70) for big bucks. It's kind of like selling your "work" at levelling a character. So, he's not really out of pocket, except for what he payed to play.

Unfortunately, it's his own fault. You never send details until the payment clears (which is why paypal says "uncleared" next to the transaction). Will be interested to see what paypal can do, as they did what they were supposed to. Keep us updated, please.

[OneOfOne (Trevor)]

Yes, you're correct. He was apparently selling his "levelled" character. He bought it off another guy originally for $200 and sold it because it was taking so much of his time.

A learning experience I guess. Let's hope he doesn't do that again!

[DJVege]

Mate, honestly, he's already grown in maturity just by noticing WoW took up too much of his time. People lose themselves in that game. It's like some sort of weakness. LoL. It's quite a good game, mind you...but some people's lives consist solely of WoW....crazy!!

Obviously my initial estimates were out seeing as he paid $200 for it. Sux for him, but definitely a learning experience, especially in using paypal.

[dugnsuz (Doug)]

eBay have got funny(peculiar) rules regarding the selling of electronic/virtual type media like this - don't expect any joy from them, and I suppose PayPal either as they're the same lot!!
My son tried to sell a Habbo Hotel character and items via a password sale - ebay pulled the auction twice before he sold it by slipping under the radar and organising it off-ebay, but with a bidder from the pulled auction. But, I was hovering over his shoulder waiting for funds to clear before the password was sent
Doug

[DJVege]

Boyfriend should be ok, mind you. If he contacts Blizzard and tells them the account was hacked, they should reset the password, and he should get the account back.

People used to (maybe still do) run that scam on ebay. Sell your character, receive the funds, then tell Blizzard the account was hacked. Blizzard resets the password, and you have your account back.

I'm not 100% sure on what ebay's rules are regarding the selling of accounts...

[OneOfOne (Trevor)]

I suppose if you are only 18 and this is the worst thing that ever happens to you, you can look forward to a really happy life..."real" life that is and not a virtual one I am glad he at least recognised that it was taking too much time (and money I guess) and would rather spend the time studying for uni or saving to buy a car. Let you know when (and if) I find out the results, I am not always privy to the goings on in my step daughters "intimate" life, sometimes I don't want to know

[Alchemy (Clive)]

Hmmm this gives me an idea

Become a virtual Astro person


For sale IIS character name ( mine)

800 plus posts
good experience points
reputation .... bit above rookie
comes with collection of pictures

1000 dollars (in this case because of the previous posts... cash)

[Bassnut (Fred)]

comes with a scope?

[Terry B]

Originally Posted by Bassnut

comes with a scope?

A virtual scope.

[Cerberus]

what about the view from your place, alchemy, is that included too? maybe a nice virtual 1/4 acre of pristine clear sky? lol

re wow selling, didn't blizzard/ebay ban selling of virtual characters? or am i thinking of trading virtual currency for real money?

[OneOfOne (Trevor)]

All is fixed. He was able to get his account restored. Rather than go through the paperwork he told WOW that he had a trojan on his computer and someone had hacked his account. They cancelled the "sold" one and restored his original. During the interim, the b.....d who got it had stolen gold off other players and had received a 72 hour ban It is up for sale again, but he is not releasing it until he gets the money

[Cerberus]

i'm sure your friend was honest, but what about another less honest seller? they could sell something similar and report it to blizzard get the account cancelled and resell later?

[dugnsuz (Doug)]

Originally Posted by OneOfOne

During the interim, the b.....d who got it had stolen gold off other players and had received a 72 hour ban

That guy was a twat online and off!!!!!!!
Karma has made all things well!!!!!
Namaste
(think I'm mixing my philosophies - but what the hey!!!!!)
Glad to hear you future son in law() got it all sorted
Doug

[Bassnut (Fred)]

BTW, "bank" cheques to a recieving bank need clearing just like any other. If the account is short of funds, its bounched, it happens, youd be supprised how often.

[Ian Robinson]

Originally Posted by Alchemy

Hmmm this gives me an idea

Become a virtual Astro person


For sale IIS character name ( mine)

800 plus posts
good experience points
reputation .... bit above rookie
comes with collection of pictures

$1000 (in this case because of the previous posts... cash)

Anyone who pays $1000 for a virtual character and score (or what ever it is called) has got to have rocks in their head or be high on something. And the person trying to sell it needs a reality cheque.

Nothing changed hands -

[smenkhare]

Originally Posted by OneOfOne

All is fixed. He was able to get his account restored. Rather than go through the paperwork he told WOW that he had a trojan on his computer and someone had hacked his account. They cancelled the "sold" one and restored his original. During the interim, the b.....d who got it had stolen gold off other players and had received a 72 hour ban It is up for sale again, but he is not releasing it until he gets the money

just so you know, selling accounts is against the license agreement agreed to when installing the game

[DJVege]

Ebay also doesn't allow this. Here's an email I got from them:

eBay doesn't allow the sale of on-line virtual gaming items, including
game accounts, game characters, game currency, game points or other
similar game items.