software on ebay

is there any chance that software sold on ebay is pirated? if so and it's rampant then i feel mighty silly but it seems to me that someone would have to be out of their mind to try that. i found an awesome deal on some software that normally cost over $200 for under $20. there's no manual and box, the disk is all i get... but still.

Hello.

I would suggest you ask the buyer. I got ripped off with a 'bargain'. I'd guess some is going to be genuine, but the advice to follow is 'If it sounds too good to be true, it generally is.'

Goodbye.

A lot of software on Ebay IS Pirated CD-R, but if yoo are careful then yoo can get some good deals.

I always send an email to ask if the software is Pirated in anyway and if it is on CD-R. If I get no reply then I dont bid and everyone I have asked has either not responded or have sent confirmation that the item is indeed CD-R.

I always look for Clues such as any previous feedback where customers were duped. If it says Full software with serial, no box or manual I give it a body swerve.

Whenever I sell software I always put it up stating that it is not pirated and stating that what yoo see in the picture is what yoo get.

If something seems to good to be true then it probably is.

Cheers

Garion

it's a DVD - East West/Quantum Leap Symphonic Orchestra Silver Edition.

we shall see. if it is a copy, then i'll notify who i have to.

software on Ebay = AVOID.

There is sort of legit software on ebay as in OEM software that has to be sold with the machine it was bought with.

The rest is most certainly pirated or sold with a dodgy CD.

Take for instance this guy on Ebay who was selling PhotoShop CS2. He was selling the CS2 upgrade and stated in the auctions that you would also receive a license for an earlier version of photoshop that would allow you to complete the upgrade. He was selling this for £265. What he didn't mention was that he would indeed give you a photoshop cs2 upgrade pack(legit) but the CD for the earlier version would be a pirated Photoshop 5,6 or 7. This allowed him to sell CS2 upgrades at £265 by giving you a pirate copy of an earlier photoshop.

So, If you value your money and don't want to end up paying for pirated software, avoid Ebay like the plague.

As an eBay member with over 6 years experience, I second Amon - "If you value your money and don't want to end up paying for pirated software, avoid Ebay like the plague.". Well put, and all you need to know.

if it does end up being pirated and i inform Ebay, the guy is toast right? that would be enough satisfaction for me.

Yes and no.

Good chance the account would get yanked, but in many cases all contact info is fake anyway. He'll just be back 10 minutes later under a different username.

If it's cheap on ebay, it's pirate. The same with DVDs. App like Office are often pirated and so are games. They often say "backup CD" in the small print somewhere. Avoid like the plague. The fact that people sell it disgusts me, it should be free ;-)

here's the item

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5874626628&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&rd=1

I like the software auctions where they state in big letters that it's a full legit piece of software. It is full version and legit but when you read the small print with an electron microscope it states that it's an educational software license only.

I also like the ones that sell Adobe Creative Suite for £12.99. When you click on their Auction they have 100 copies of it ready for sale. These people make me laugh but whats more laughable is that I see people actually bidding on these auctions. Whether or not these bidders are legit or are fake account bidders to gain the Auction some trust is something I don't know. Either way Ebay is the marketplace for fraud and warez.

Don't even get me started on Paypal.

I have bought 35 ebay items and one was a pirate DVD by mistake. I got a full refund. All the rest have been great, little items of harware and console and PC games, mainly used.

I do know someone who bought a car, omg, what an idiot. Nissan Pulsar GTI-R cos he wanted to save £800 off a typical garage price DOH! It was knackered and by the time he's had it repaired (multiple times) he coulda bought an Imprexa.

>is there any chance that software sold on ebay is pirated?

Ahem, yes!

>if so and it's rampant then i feel mighty silly but it
>seems to me that someone would have to be out of their
>mind to try that.

Why. Ebay knows all about it and they don't give a flying fig about it.

>I found an awesome deal on some software that normally
>cost over $200 for under $20. there's no manual and box,
>the disk is all i get... but still.

!Red alert Will Robinson!

>if it does end up being pirated and i inform Ebay, the guy
>is toast right? that would be enough satisfaction for me.

No! Ebay doesn't do anything about anything! Their policy is that they are merely mediators and cannot do anything about any wrongdoing on the part of the sellers.


Andy

"here's the item
cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5874626628&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT&rd=1 "

See the bit where it says "You are bidding on the DVD only, no box or manual are included"? Enough said!

Yup. Thats what I tend to look out for.
I know its very likely to be a cracked game on a DVD/CD.
They usually state instructions for installing game are on the CD too.

When I sell my old games I always state
"original game boxed and complete with manuals"
I also supply photos as re-assurance.

Er.. Hello!!??



How do you think he's gonna replace it for free unless he's just burning the DVD's from an ISO on his hard drive? Of course it's pirated.

And as previous posters have said, forget about reporting him to EBay, you'll be lucky if they even pull his account. Just do yourself a favour and don't bid.

Shipping Cost
GBP 1.00

That said to me it's only a disc... I guess it isn't original. But you can ask. Always go for boxed versions with manuals.

you're right, Ebay probably won't care... but I bet the creators of the software will.

ooh, he.lllpo

a friend of mine got 3dsmax 7 for $1200 boxed,sealed unregistered and legit . Was surplus from a bankrupt game dev, and came with a bunch of plugins and what have you.

Was a good deal as he got a upgrade to 8 and still saved a lot of money from retail.

All I can say is that if the price is too good to be true then it probably is. But a lot of the softare on ebay is the real deal too.

I have bought several peices of software on Ebay over the last few years and have only been stung once (got my money back though). I have been able to register my purchases and upgrade from them, but.. yoo have to be very careful.

Be vigilant and use commonsense and there ae bargains to be had.

This particular auction has all the signs of being a Blackbeard Special though. YAHARRR ME HEARTIES :)

Cheers

Garion

Something else to keep in mind: If an auction looks somewhat dodgy, then that's typially exactly what they are.

Past auction ratings don't count for a whole lot -- remember all those bay phishing scams where they trick people to 'log in to a fake ebay site or your account will be terminated'?
There are tons of people/groups that harvest real ebay usernames/passwords that way, stricktly so they can start auctions from reliable looking accounts with good ratings.

If you see an auction for a great priced laptop from an account that has 100% positive feedback but has only sold angels figurines until then, avoid like the plague. (Actually, avoid laptops / LCD screens / HDTV and the likes as the plague anyway on ebay, a huge percentage of auctions involving those items are scams.)

Also make sure to read the small print with an electron microscope, or you'll find yourself bidding on a picture of an item instead of the item itself. :-?

lol :P

Is there a place like ebay that actually does make sure the deal is legit? The goods get shipped to "whoever" runs the site and the payment goes to them as well, if things are legit then the owner would send the goods to the buyer and the payment to the seller.

Yes. That's exactly what escrow is, and it's one of the services EBay offers as well. A bunch of other auction sites offer it as well -- but overall few people use it, due to the extra cost involved.

Within minutes of an unsuccessful bid on ebay for a legitimate CubaseSL2.0 I was inundated with several emails offering the software for a tenner from other ebay sellers....which of course I declined.

I'm going to buy it.

then i'm going to make him honour his words by buying a legal copy and sending me that DVD! :)

Ok ok, i bet he wouldnt quite honour his words....

Simply ask

yay, it arrived just a bit ago.

tucked into a flimsy plastic cd cover and crammed into a flimsy envelope with no return address. i'm surprised the DVD isn't broken. hastily scrawled onto the DVD in black marker is: "EWQL Silver Orchestra". at least he had the decency to include a keygen. lol.

please oh please shower me with ridicule and shame. i deserve it.

hehe No ridicule from me, yoo paid yer money yoo made yer choice and I hope Lesson learned.. But if yoo do it again... :)

Cheers

Garion

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