Buyer trying it on - windows 8 (new and boxed with receipt)

JasX

Hey all,

I think I have a buyer trying it on, they bought from me a new sealed 'with receipt' retail copy of windows 8 I purchased from PC world that was surplus to requirements.

Having sent it first class signed for they're now trying it on with a straightforward 'it doesn't work'

I've tried in vain to help them with the install but they are refusing to answer even basic questions like 'were you installing on a blank hard drive or computer already running windows' 'what error message did you get' etc

They claim to have a screenshot of it not working, how that might be linked to my supplied copy vs a random screen grab from the internet I have no idea....

Are they going to be able to basically open and keep my windows 8 key and return an open box with used code back to me under some routine ebay scam? advice please!

J

ballisticbrian

Let them send you the screen shot as you can tell quite a lot from it.

JasX

ballisticbrian wrote: »

Let them send you the screen shot as you can tell quite a lot from it.

they did, it shows a partial error message.... and FULL windows key in shot (which I've blanked out below)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-KEZ6gdq4OdS2Y0MFp4blZLTDA/view?usp=sharing

gunte

Did you have any terms/conditions like this which is normal when selling Software?

Please note, Software may not be returned under any circumstances once it has been opened.
Software may be returned 14 days from the date of delivery for a full refund if you have not opened it.

enfield_freddy

seen a few postings over time with similar problems , can you confirm it was a full win 8.1, and not the upgrade version ?


not sure this is applicable to win 8 , but was a problem with some win 7 software floating about

soolin

gunte wrote: »

Did you have any terms/conditions like this which is normal when selling Software?

On any online selling site that complies with Uk law those terms are useless if buyer claims there is a fault.

I'm assuming this is ebay, which makes the terms even more useless.

JasX

Yes it is ebay. so standard ebay Ts & Cs will be applying.

and it is an upgrade version of windows pro (part number 3UR-00006 )

They've 'apparently' done a fully compliant install on a machine previously installed with and running windows 7 (and I even had them do the regedit / rearm / reboot) directions to do an clean install

so I'm expecting an imminent ebay dispute claim. Is there any defence against this type of scam?

enfield_freddy

patched/bent copy of win 7? therefor no serial number to allow an update?


not had this happen to me yet , but I do remember many many moons ago , win 95 update from 3.1 on a blank drive , you had to insert disk 2 or 3 in the floppy and then windows would continue , failing that you needed a full key(not update)

JasX

enfield_freddy wrote: »

patched/bent copy of win 7? therefor no serial number to allow an update?


not had this happen to me yet , but I do remember many many moons ago , win 95 update from 3.1 on a blank drive , you had to insert disk 2 or 3 in the floppy and then windows would continue , failing that you needed a full key(not update)

Windows doesn;t work like that - it has a simple 1/0 bit in the registry that detects if it was installed over *any* prior copy of windows (even an unlicensed/unactivated copy will work),

Buyer has finally admitted they didn;t bother to attempt the 30s fix I advised them of that should 99% fix any screw up they've made installing.

I've now resorted to being quite blunt with them -> if they've screwed up the install (or rather, are insistent they didn't) why not disprove me by ATTEMPTING my fix of typing the three text commands I suggested into windows and seeing if it works given it'll take 30 seconds to do so.

JasX

So this one has moved on a little.

1-So after the buyer sent me a screenshot of the 'non working' license code they found in the sealed windows 8 retail box I've downloaded the latest windows 8 install disk direct from microsoft (from here http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows-8/create-reset-refresh-media). Guess what, worked first time -It gave an error message that 'this code is in use' -which the buyer didn't claim to be getting but I was able to activate via telephone activation selecting the 'I've changed my hardware' option (it's a retail therefore fully transferrable license so long as it is only ever used on one machine at a time)

2-Having found it working I've sent multiple screenshots of everything I did to the buyer including their code clearly active and working (using magic jelly bean to display the key they supplied 'in use' and active on the machine). The buyer's line has now been to come back with a short "I'm caling them a liar" and open a paypal claim for SNAD - wrong model supplied.

3-I guess I'm taking my chances with paypal now, I've uploaded extra photos I took of the item when posting the auction (clearly showing the correct microsoft part number I quoted in the add and clearly factory sealed in shrink) PLUS full details of buyer sending me the code without being asked and me proving it works on a test machine (along with todays newspaper in shot to prove when this all happened)

Do I stand any hope of getting a fair outcome via the buyers paypal dispute? are they seriously likely to still let the buyer buy sealed software, use the license key and return the opened useless box to me for a full refund? in the face of pretty irrefutable evidence to the contrary?

I've sold <20 items on ebay but over a 10 year period all on the same account and never with any problems.... now it looks like i'll be £70 out of pocket and get my feedback rating trashed on account of a scammer buyer

JasX

Well this eventually took a few twists and turns:

After sending paypal extra photos and documentation the copy of windows was factory sealed when sent and matched the exact part number from the ebay ad they found in the buyers favour.

-speaking to paypal on the phone they advised I might be able to do a 'returned in unacceptable condition' claim if it arrived unsealed but I didn't hold out much hope.

Then luckily I found you can contact microsoft product key support/licensing directly via live chat. Turns out they log whenever a product key is used, the exact time and date (along with how many times it has been used and whether it was still good)

So I ended up with a nice little paper trail

-Royal mail logged that the buyer received and signed for the item 1st July as 11:20

-Microsoft logged the windows product key first used at 12:10 1st July, that it had been used and successfully activated once only (and was still regarded as a valid key by them)

-ebay then logged the buyer first messaging me to complain it "didn't work" and demanding a refund at 12:36 that day.

The buyer had previously claimed they worked in a benefits office fraud department so I messaged them again with a copy of this electronic trail and how they could independently check everything themselves. Also pointing out if they indeed did work in a fraud department they'd probably realise electronic records from royal mail, microsoft and ebay that could be reproduced and verified at any time were pretty damning evidence, woudl stand up in a court of law and since their fraud was starting to look very transparent was there any reason I shouldn;t be contacting the police.

After that I didn't hear a thing but the item they'd won the paypal dispute over was never sent back to me, they didn't leave any feedback and I got the funds released to me by paypal after the dispute timed out

I guess that's a result :T