Buying a CDkey on Ebay

Joeslucky22

Joeslucky22

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IS ILLEGAL!

See here:
http://www.halflife2.net/forums/showpost.php?p=705016&postcount=725

My friend purchased a cdkey from ebay (from member Melody08696) and his ebay account was susspended and his paypal account blocked.

Heres the email from gabe I received:
From: Joe [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Friday, August 27, 2004 8:26 PM
To: Gabe Newell
Subject: Selling CS:CZ cd keys on EBay...


Hey Gabe,

My father tells me that selling Counter-Strike: Condition Zero CD-Keys on ebay is illegal. I really don't think its illegal at all!

http://search.ebay.com/condition-zero-cd-key_W0QQsokeywordredirectZ1QQfromZR8

Gabe, please answer my question so we know who's right?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It isn't legal.
Click to expand...

So there you have it. It is illegal and your account will be suspended...

This is no joke.
 
ah, for a sec, i thought it said it isn't illegal, buti read again, and iwas like ohhhh
 
I really would like to know the legal reasons behind it being illegal. Where are you, Icarus!? :)

I mean, how is it any different than selling your cd copy to EBGames? That would have the cdkey go along with it as well.

The only reason I can see it being illegal is if they were generated keys.
 
Generated keys never work, these are all legit.

"Not for RESALE" is what makes it illegal. Atleast i think CZ says it's "not for reasale" doesn't it?
 
Shuzer said:
I really would like to know the legal reasons behind it being illegal. Where are you, Icarus!? :)

I mean, how is it any different than selling your cd copy to EBGames? That would have the cdkey go along with it as well.

The only reason I can see it being illegal is if they were generated keys.
Click to expand...

I'm guessing that the keys were not obtained in the first place through legal means. Though I'm not sure how that would be done. Like you say I guess it could be a key generator, but I didn't think those worked for modern games.

Edit: Nvm, joey answered it.
 
I enjoy all three of my accounts I have used eBay keys on. :)

Wish we had something more than a "its not legal.". Personally, I'm not buying that someone's eBay and PayPal account's were suspended for this alone.
 
If I buy a brand new CZ game and just want the cd-key I don't see how that is illegal.

I think might be refferring to someone selling a cd-key from a used/open game.
 
Joeslucky22 said:
Generated keys never work, these are all legit.

"Not for RESALE" is what makes it illegal. Atleast i think CZ says it's "not for reasale" doesn't it?
Click to expand...
um, for ur indo, key gen DOES WORK
 
Johan_Tayn said:
I enjoy all three of my accounts I have used eBay keys on. :)

Wish we had something more than a "its not legal.". Personally, I'm not buying that someone's eBay and PayPal account's were suspended for this alone.
Click to expand...


The account WAS susspended and he emailed ebay asking what rule he broke.

Still no response.
 
I bought my CD key off ebay...it should be legal because they purchase CZ in foreign countries, I was emailed from my seller, he said they were receving their shipment that day and then he gave me my CD key a couple hours later.

We apologize for that, we just buy a bit more from the whole sale today.
Click to expand...

That's what he sent. From China.
 
FoB_Ed said:
Not anymore. I know I've tried
Click to expand...

And you do realize they can see how many times you've tried to enter cdkeys that dont' work?


:-/ I wasn't sure if it was illegal or not, but after finding out for sure, I wish I didn't recommend getting one off ebay to a friend of mine.
 
mods, sticky the thread.. I'd do it just incase anyone else thinks this is a good idea...

The TOTAL: $77.00

After all of this...
 
well i bought my cd key off ebay and it is perfectly legal to do that, if the person wants to sell the game then they are damn well guaranteed to be able to sell it.... valve cant say what people want to buy and sell off ebay...

-merc
 
Interesting. I purchased a Condition Zero CD-Key for my girlfriend on eBay for about $25 CND (I am an ATI Voucher holder). I doubt she'd ever want to play Condition Zero, but she surely wants to play Counter-Strike: Source, which she does every day. It'd be nice to know what the real legal reason behind this is. It certainly raises an awful lot of questions.
Is it illegal because it is a generated key?
Are these sellers flooding the Counter-Strike: Source beta with too many users?
Are they denying Valve some sort of monetary compansation?
Are they re-selling product?
Are users who purchase these keys prone to being banned for using them? Could Valve tell?

You get the idea... :dork:
 
i know people who have a ton of them, no one cares that they are illegal and i doubt valve can tell or care.
 
valve apparently doesn't care but ebay and paypal sure did..

paied fricken $62 in fines....

And why isn't this thread a sticky yet??
 
And what if you buy a "real" game, with box, manual and everything? :eek:
That should be perfectly legal right? Ok, I will have to wait 3 days (I guess it will be on my doorstep mondaymorning) but hey... for only a few €'s more I do get a complete game on CD's to use on my laptop or something like that :thumbs:

>>> My purchase <<<
 
Because it says, not for resale in the manual or something...

And how can payap give out fines? just don't pay them
 
Yea, and I fear that most of these Ebay keys are generated... I mean, I don't see some dude buying 50 copies of the game (even in Asia @ bargain-basement prices) only to throw them away after selling the keys ... :rolleyes:

About the paypal-fines : I guess they either automatically deduct it from your creditcard (of which they have all necesary information) or after some months they send a dude to impound your car or something ! :eek:

As far as my purchase is concerned, I did well I think: not some Asian shit (which I can't read + takes weeks to ship to europe) and I can show Valve my box/receipt if they complain about the key :thumbs:
 
So what buying unscratched ATI vouncher from eBay is illegal too ?
 
Well here is whats going on. Since you dont need to buy an actual physical copy of Condition Zero, stores probably have lots of copies of the game. Someone can also go buy them at wholesale cost, sell you the cdkey and throw away the cds. Thats what ebay is, someone buying something at wholesale and selling it a little over wholesale. Since there is steam now you dont physicaly need the cds just the key since you are able to dowload the actual copy of the game from steam. I dont think that email from gabe was real. How would it be illegal to sell the game? I dont und3rstand how you guys have to pay fines for ebay and why? Did you sell the games? Can you explain a little more about this ebay fine? Thankx.
 
You don't think its real?

you want me to post some frukin proof? or maybe email him yourself?

Im still pissed because my dad is still pissed at me for doing this...

I DONT UNDERSTAND HOW this hasn't happened to ANYONE besides us?!

But then again, I did email gabe before purchasing the thing... but how would they know my ebay account? wtf...

Heres some proof that the email is real for all you non belivers:
 
They cant fine you. You can buy used records, cds, dvds, you dont get fined for that. I know at least 20 people that have purchased cz keys from ebay and they have had no probs.........Ebay cant just fine you and charge you money for nothing. If you had a charge on your paypal account for a transaction you didnt occur, you can sue paypal. They cant just put a charge on their without your authorization. Or maybe I am not understanding you, could you give more details about this whole fine/charge thing......
 
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