Thinking of buying from eBay?

[BobLevine]

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

[Guest]

He has it!

[Guest]

ah. missed his first post.

[Michael D Sullivan]

David, I don't know what country you live in, but in the U.S., the credit card companies can reverse a charge, which means they get the money back from the vendor, within some specified period, for good reason. The procedures and standards will vary by card company. American Express allows you to contest a charge as incorrect, fraudulent, etc., and they will give you a temporary credit automatically; this becomes permanent if the vendor doesn't justify the charge, so it shifts the burden of proof to the vendor. I haven't contested a charge for fraud or pirated software, but I have challenged charges for "discount cards" that I never ordered or received, for some unknown alleged purchase from TimesofIndia.com (which I have never visited), for an unordered software subscription from RealNetworks, etc. In each case, I was immediately credited, and I am a very satisfied AmEx customer as a result. Check with your credit card company to see what its policies are.

[Guest]

ya, amex rocks. (member since 1988).

I just got a "free" sony playstation 3 from them on points! blu-ray rocks too. :)

[Guest]

Ditto on Michael. Mine have been subscriptions to magazines I've never heard of. Visa and MC treated me like garbage so I canceled them. AmEx since '96.

[_david_baston_]

Hello Micheal D Sullivan

You are correct i have been had the software as you read in my email i did before explaining what has gone on
Today i got intouch with adobe customer sevice they could not say toom much due to data protection act but i did find out that the serial number is a bogus one
So now i have emailed an address they gave me and i have emailed the revalent details on to them
The person who sent me this must be stupid i think as he is setting up a new website and i have looked at the new website he has setup and he has his home address on it.So all this has been passed on to Adobe piracy centre and now i wait for the outcome i do have a lot of communication with the bloke who sold me it plus the consignment note from where it came from in china
Have been in touch with Ebay itself as i do have a direct phonelink
as i'm one of the people who are testing this service for them
the direct phonelink works a charm
So all i have to notify now is paypal which i'm going to do next day or two when i have had a reply back from adobe
As for the pirate software itself it has updated okay and works a treat so far so thankyou for your concern

[Guest]

I for one look forward to watching them burn. Please update us here on whatever progress you see.

[_david_baston_]

HELLO ALL

Since my last post i have been intouch with Ebay and started a dispute claim i have also had an email from an adobe adviser
and i do have to send the pirate software to ADOBE IN USA with my details and emails i have got from the sender plus the consignment reciept that i have got from where it came in china.
So it looks not to good for who ever sold it to me.
Unless he is not aware that what he sent me was a fake copy
but i think different if it was a genuine mistake why has he not emailed me to say so as he does know as i have sent 3 emails that mentions the fact and have given him ample time to explain to me about it all.
The only looser here may be me if pay-pal do not pay up.They now know all about what has gone on i'm just waiting for emails back now
will keep you all posted about the next bit in this saga

david

[_Jessica_Donnovan_]

From my understanding, about ninety percent of the Adobe software being sold on eBay is pirated, along with most of the other software, thats the only way they can sell it for so cheap. I would steer clear of software on eBay and buy from trusted stores.

[R Popham]

It looks like the software industry may be getting ready to do something serious about all this bogus eBay software.

[replacing long url]:
http://tinyurl.com/67v361 or
http://preview.tinyurl.com/67v36l

[Guest]

that would be nice. it would be nice to be able to confidently buy used sw from ebay at a deep discount from people who genuinely want to sell their stake in such software. as it is now i wouldn't buy sw from ebay with YOUR credit card! 🙂 good find rick!

[R Popham]

> as it is now i wouldn't buy sw from ebay with YOUR credit card!

...and I appreciate that! :)

[_Liz_Collins_]

Hi,
I just wanted to add to this post. I followed it before I purchased my copy of CS3 from a reputable Adobe dealer here in Australia. In fact the supplier was Adobe Australia's preferred dealer and they directed me there. When I received CS3, on the box it said "Made in Singapore". I was very concerned and rang Adobe here, as well as having my son living in USA do the same thing with Adobe. Both of them verified that I have a genuine copy. Perhaps "Made in Singapore" is not a definite clue to holding a pirated copy. It may be that Adobe produce their product here for the Asia-Pacific market.

[Guest]

Could be the pirates got their original from there.

[Guest]

> Perhaps "Made in Singapore" is not a definite clue to holding a pirated copy.

no. from what i understand there is a legit adobe manufacturer in singapore. it's just that the most pirated copy seems to have been taken from an original that was made there so that many of the pirate copies out there bear the 'made in singapore' tag.

[Guest]

or what john said.

[Guest]

;)

[NickMDal]

There are some legitimate discounts on ebay, though not so steep. As is well known, some sellers provide the upgrade version and also include a full unopened legacy version, such as 6 (how I bought cs2). This will net a full current version with a pretty respectable discount.

[Guest]

Nick, unfortunately, this is not always a safe way to obtain a legitimate discount either.

While the upgrade product may be legitimate, the 'base' or qualifying product (if it even comes with one) may not be - some sellers just supply a paper license with a serial number that may already be registered, or from a keygen...
when they do supply a legacy product, this may also be counterfeit, so it's still a case of 'if it sounds too good to be true... it usually is'.

[_Turtle_Sensei_]

Some Pirated copies DO go through the automated computer serial system, but they get flagged as Pirated. Meaning if you ever try to uninstall and reinstall you won't be able to, or if you ever try to upgrade or sell it it won't work. Buying software online is a HORRIBLE idea unless you buy from the software company. It's just plain common sense.

[_Designers_Pro_]

Congratulation if you got the genuine one that cheap.

But I suggest that,next time, if you want to make sure that you got genuine one, just buy straight from the company or their authorized reseller.

And you may get some discount if they're running promotions. But not likely that the company itself willing to sell it for very low price without running a grand campaign to public eyes.

[_Oscar_Orihuela_]

I once bought adobe on ebay, it came in a box, shrink wrapped and all, thinking I got a good deal but unfortunately it was just filled with fluffy foam. Thankfully I did not pay much but I learned my lesson to never buy software on ebay.

[Guest]

Adobe had the same thing happen when they bought Macromedia.

[Guest]

[_JMallory_]

I don't know of anywhere that you can get CS3 in the US for $200USD wholesale or otherwise. Probably a scam.