Community Expert

Question

Thinking of buying from eBay?

Forum|Forum|18 years ago
February 15, 2008
221 replies
324379 views

Edited October 23, 2008

The original article that this post referred to has expired but there's still quite a bit of good information in this thread.

The point is that eBay software is a risky purchase with much of it illegally pirated.

Bob

This topic has been closed for replies.

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J

Jehosaphet

Participant

Hi there, I'm one of those guys on Ebay that sold pirated copies of CS4 Extended. I was duped myself after spending $199 a piece for nine copies of the software that I really wasn't sure how much it was worth until I went to Best Buy in order to match up the boxes. They looked so real that it was amazing to think of the amount of effort and know-how that must have went in to the job.

Now that the buyers have been refunded, I'm in the hole almost 2k and am curious as to who I'd contact at Adobe to help them pursue the man that scammed me (I managed to follow him and get his license plate number).

I posted the whole story on the CS4 windows forums and while awaiting a response there (http://forums.adobe.com/message/2668055#2668055), thought I'd respond here. Yes the software looks VERY real, all the way down to the stickers and the artwork on the CDs. It's just incredible.

Anyone know how to go about making sure the person that ripped me off gets what's coming to them? Will the local police even take action or is this something they'd leave to another agency?

Sorry to anyone who's been ripped off on Ebay, but I really don't think many Ebay powersellers would knowingly risk their Ebay reputation (and in my case, my livelihood) peddling this stuff. I don't have much of an excuse myself really other than making a bad judgment call and...how it looked so dang real! I didn't really think that there was anyone who would be financially capable of pulling off such a monumental undertaking...for something that was fake. I guess it boils down to ignorance as to how far piraters have come in their abilities. It was a very costly mistake =[

BobLevine

Author

Community Expert

While I feel sorry for you and hope you manage to get your money back, the software, as real as it looked didn't pass the "if it sounds to good to be true..." test. How in the world could anyone sell LEGAL copies of $1,000 software for 80% off?

You should have known something wasn't right. There were only two possibilities for that software...pirated or stolen.

Bob

_

_LightPainter

Participant

BOB, USED SOFTWARE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

_

_LightPainter

Participant

I purchased Photoshop CS4 Extended from a reseller at Amazon.com last spring. It installed and runs great, updates and even says that it is registered. I found last Thursday that I bought a pirated copy. I found that out here and confirmed it when I manually tried to add it to my account at adobe.com.

I don't have a problem with Adobe's priceing as market's will set there own price ie: "if it doesn't sell then either it does not work or it is priced too high.

The technology exists today to force a user to actively connect to a publisher's website to make a program work. I think that the publisher's need to go a step farther and make the programs connect frequently to verify and if verification fails, to make the program stop functioning period.

The technology does exists. In the spring of 1998 Direct TV sent out a signal that smoked every pirated Direct TV control box in the western hemisphere, I don't mean it made the pirated blue cards stop working, I mean that the signal smoked the control box of pirated signals. To protect us from thieves and to protect the publishers they need to start doing something like that.

I have bought used software before and I have not had a problem with Adobe about it.

I am disabled, and have a gross income of $1,216.00 per month. If I can afford to buy new and or used programs so can anyone else! The muslems have a really great way to handle thieves. It should be practiced more widely!

A

Anonymous

PS CS4 does phone home to verify activation serial numbers once in a while. Not sure how often or when. I assume it checks activation when the software is turned on and the computer is connected to the internet. (flexnet)

S

sharmaatul

Participant

Whether it is software or computer parts like ram etc i wouldn't buy it on ebay and won't advise it to anybody else.

R

rogleale

Inspiring

That is too sweeping a statement to make.

E-Bay is a good source of used computer components, and photographic accessories etc, provided that care is taken. I have bought and sold many times on E-Bay, like millions of other people world wide. If you follow the guidelines, and take the recommended precautions you are well protected.

Software is obviously different, and any expensive software sold at a suspiciously low price is almost certain to be pirated.

Roger

D

DL9921

Participant

Stay far away from buying software on eBay!

E

eli sloves

Participant

There is also another site to look out for. It is [link deleted by forum host]. They are selling cs4 and other products at very low proces (<$100). I called them and they were very evaisive about tech support. They have their own and are probably better than Adobe according to them. Like they say. If the price is too good beware.

the_wine_snob

Inspiring

Glad that the MOD's removed the site link, as some are probably gullible enough to pay money for pirated software, which is illegal, and will probably not run - or will send all of one's personal info to some far-away country to help the poor people there.

Good work,

Hunt

A

Anonymous

I would not buy any software,I prefer to download free software!

the_wine_snob

Inspiring

I would not buy any software,I prefer to download free software!

If one does thing legally, that pretty much limits them, but that is a personal choice.

I, OTOH, prefer to buy, even if there are some free similar programs, CODEC's out there. I always go to the "source."

Good luck, and happy editing,

Hunt

V

Valathome67

Participating Frequently

You know people say don't buy from E-Bay your taking a risk! Maybe you are. People say you should buy from a dealer well thats fine for some people but everyone has $1100.00 in there pocket to buy from dealers so some time we have to take risks to save mony. When yu are a Photographer starting out theres alot of expence and you try to save as much as you can. I have bought alot of my lens and backdrops from E-Bay and had no problem. But then i bought an Adobe Photoshop CS4 Extended i tried to register it and they told me the serial # is invaled. I don't know my looks prety real to me it was wraped and has a PHSP CS4 Win PN,Pet IE,DV Lot Code and a UPC # made in USA, also has a black inked stamp inside with Adobe Systems Incorporated on it i could go on and on. What i am getting at is how do yu realy know if it is pirated or not and can you take it to a retail store to have them check it to see if it is or not.

Thanks,

Valerie

A

Anonymous

Valathome67 wrote:
What i am getting at is how do yu realy know if it is pirated or not and can you take it to a retail store to have them check it to see if it is or not.

The answer is you cannot check whether an eBay purchase of software is genuine until it is too late.

You can try to get your money back but it's not so easy.

Buying hardware is different.

I know it's difficult for many people to raise the cash to buy the Creative Suite products from adobe but there are student and educational versions or, dare I say it, cheaper alternatives!

V

Valathome67

Participating Frequently

I tell ya if this is a pirate they are prety creativ

e cause it looks like the real thing??? i spoke to the seller they only had 1 posted on E-Bay she said she switched her computer to Mac so didn't need it anymore. I told her i could not register the software on line she says it is imposiable it was never opened?? She has been very cooperative with me, Maybe until i asked for my money back!!!.

Zeno Bokor

Inspiring

adding posts to clear up the thread display bug

Zeno Bokor

Inspiring

It is a sticky, just not in the Photoshop Windows section. I put it in the main Photoshop forums: http://forums.adobe.com/community/photoshop

My reasoning being that this isn't affecting only those that use the Windows version and new users will have to go through that page anyway.

Thread display bug, hopefully posting this will clear it up

A

Anonymous

I think all the fakes reported are Windows versions.

(And who on earth stops to read at that little outpost?)

Sorry about the bumps

Zeno Bokor

Inspiring

They were needed, no need to feel sorry for them:P

As for who notices that thread there, well, when was the last time that somebody came in here complaining about licensing problems after buying Photoshop from eBay? There's also a link for the Photoshop Elements forum and that's been working out quite well too because we barely get any more threads about PSE around here (especially compared to what it was like about half a year ago)

Sure, the forum veterans don't notice them because they speed past that page but they're not there for them but for the new users

Edit:

I think all the fakes reported are Windows versions.

That would be because the thread itself is on the Photoshop Windows forum but there are also some mac versions floating around, see post 255.

F

FaeriezWingzCreationz

Participant

Hello Everyone

I want to buy a LEGAL Copy & have seen many different stickers.

Does ADOBE place their *below* sticker on ALL or

are the packages different determined by who/what factory packages them?

Do ALL Adobe products have the attached ADOBE hologram sticker?

And if a product does not...is if fake?

Thanks for your time " )

A

Anonymous

The best way to buy a legal Adobe copy is to buy from Adobe. That is what I have done, and I've never had problems.

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