I think some dude sold me bootleg DVDs on eBay

[AlienCraft]

Originally posted by: mar23
says that in the auction
AUTHENTIC Region 1 release (USA/Canada) copy.

since it says that in the auction i dont think you have any leg to stand on unless he is nice enough to take it back.. I would be heated spending 150 on fakes.

hmmmm, maybe the simple fact that eBay doesn't allow fakes to be sold, especially when they are under copyright protection?
That's a pretty good leg.
Then let's just ignore the all region encoding , when the label clearly says REGION ! ?

You would be ok buying a diamond, then discovering it's cubic zirconia?

OK, get back to us....:laugh: ya tool.

 

[Cuda1447]

Originally posted by: Leros

Originally posted by: Captante

Originally posted by: Marinski

Originally posted by: Iron Woode
tell him you will be informing the MPAA about his activities.

thats not cool

Getting ripped off isn't cool either.

And there is a big difference between the average home pirate downloading a movie and a guy selling pirated media, represented as being legit, for a profit.

QFT. I'm all for people burning backups and whatnot, but once you're stupid enough to go selling bootlegs on EBAY of all fucking places... and on top of that ripping people of?!? You're just asking for trouble.

 

[Marinski]

Originally posted by: AlienCraft

Originally posted by: Marinski

Originally posted by: Iron Woode
tell him you will be informing the MPAA about his activities.

thats not cool

The #1 response of the immature, and the friend of the thief.

How is selling bootlegs as authentic product "cool"?
Is it cool to conduct fraud on an interstate level?
Maybe it's cool to defraud the companies that produce the itemin the first place?
I guess it's cool to rip off people, companies and others, just because they "have"more that you?

You're right. Its an immature comment on my part. I feel bad for the guy who got jipped. Especially if he thought he was getting an authentic. Not cool to bootleg and sell as authentic.

 

[DrPizza]

My ideal world:
The majority of buyers had a clue about the technology they were using. As soon as someone started selling bootlegs on ebay, wherever, the buyers would return them, get their money back via paypal, and give appropriate feedback: negative "Nice quality bootlegs, but bootlegs nonetheless."

But, it's not the ideal world - I'd bet that at least 3/4's of the people who even recognize that they just purchased bootlegs end up giving the seller positive feedback anyway, because they don't want to be hit with a retaliatory negative.

<begin humor>
After the ad campaigns about how smoking marijuana helps support terrorists - without any industry lobbyists pushing them to do so - I'm surprised the government hasn't started advertising that buying bootlegs is supporting terrorists.

 

[Wheezer]

If it sounds too go to be true, it usually is.......if you want to ensure a proper retail purchase.....don't buy from ebay.

I have purchased several discs on ebay that I know for sure were 100% bootleg once I got them....very good quality bootlegs....but bootlegs none the less.

I knew that there was a 99.9% chance that it was a bootleg when I bought it, but for the price I paid and the quality of the merchandise it was almost indistinguishable from the retails you purchase.

Had they been beat to hell like this set...yeah I would have done something.

 

[OhSnap688]

Why don't you just report the seller to Ebay? They can look into it more and help you out. Although in my opinion that definitely looks like it's a bootleg.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: TruePaige

Originally posted by: spanky

Originally posted by: bigal40
Use this program, http://www.dvdinfopro.com/ I think it gives you a bunch of info about the DVDs.

thanx! i think i got what i wanted to know, and more!

The region coding is a dead give away.

And no CSS.

And the fact that it's a TV show DVD that's a single layer DVD.

Originally posted by: Marinski

Originally posted by: Iron Woode
tell him you will be informing the MPAA about his activities.

thats not cool

Why not? The guy is SELLING bootleg DVDs.

 

[marrr]

Originally posted by: AlienCraft

Originally posted by: mar23
says that in the auction
AUTHENTIC Region 1 release (USA/Canada) copy.

since it says that in the auction i dont think you have any leg to stand on unless he is nice enough to take it back.. I would be heated spending 150 on fakes.

hmmmm, maybe the simple fact that eBay doesn't allow fakes to be sold, especially when they are under copyright protection?
That's a pretty good leg.
Then let's just ignore the all region encoding , when the label clearly says REGION ! ?

You would be ok buying a diamond, then discovering it's cubic zirconia?

OK, get back to us....:laugh: ya tool.

relax i didnt think about that at first

 

[AlienCraft]

Originally posted by: OhSnap688
Why don't you just report the seller to Ebay? They can look into it more and help you out. Although in my opinion that definitely looks like it's a bootleg.

Think ebay will refund anything? Fat f*&#ing chance.

eBay doesn't care about the consumer, they care about eBay's exposure to risk.
In this case, they block a seller name, they're done
The OP is still out the fees, the selling price, the shipping, the hassle.

 

[RagingBITCH]

Those are just the foreign copies you get across seas. I've seen plenty of "pressed" all region DVD's that are of course copies. (I bought 4 seasons of 24 off of there, in similar packaging) My cousin bought a bunch of HBO series in Thailand with that same packaging/look. Quality wise - mine are perfect, looks great, don't have any issues.

 

[UberNeuman]

spanky, just remember - I'll be there for you....

 

[Q]

Any update here?

 

[SoulAssassin]

Originally posted by: adairusmc

Originally posted by: spanky
i bought the friends complete series dvd box set

:laugh:

That's bad but you forgot about...

Originally posted by: spanky
i have some "home improvement" dvds

Now that's something to laugh about.

 

[50cent1228]

nice bootleg quality

 

[theprodigalrebel]

It's a good show. I :heart: Monica!

 

[spanky]

Originally posted by: Quintox
Any update here?

i haven't gotten a reply from the seller yet. im giving it a few days, since its the weekend and all. the guy has been selling like one set a week since around december... i find it hard to believe that i am the first to become suspicious that these are bootlegs

 

[BoomerD]

My first advice would be to report him to E-Bay for selling bootleg products, but then I remembered that E-Bay doesn't give a shit about anything except the fees they generate.
Next recommendation would be to report them to the MPAA or whatever agency deals with television shows. Report him to them for selling bootleg products...THAT should get a response...(now if it were the RIAA, the guy would be in REAL trouble...:roll:

 

[Injury]

Originally posted by: Sphexi
Doubt they're boot-legged, nobody would go through the trouble like this for $140. Likely used, or likely a messed up set that was sold cheap by a store somewhere because it was damaged in shipping to them.

Also, right at the top there's one going for way less, you paid too much for that crap

Well, if you get a crapload of copies from some huge bootlegging operation for cheap, the case and such doesn't look so complex that it would cost much (especially considering the quality). I bet with a few hours to build the case and such you could buy the materials to make 3 or 4 of the boxes and such for about $50 at any chain craft store... maybe $100 for 3 sets of discs and esentially you're making a couple hundred profit so long as you can sell them.

 

[spanky]

update 2/11/08:
so i first emailed the seller on 2/06/08, and after no responses, i emailed him again today. at the same time, i decided to open a dispute case with paypal. three hours after i opened the paypal dispute case, the seller responded via paypal. the following is the messege i posted via paypal:

dear seller,

i have contacted you (kingvinylandvideo@yahoo.com) on 02/06/08, and again on 02/11/08, regarding this transaction. i have not recieved any responses from you, so i have resorted to attempting to get in contact with you via paypal. to re-iterate, i purchased an item from you on ebay (auction #320213223790), but it arrived damaged due to insufficient/negligent packaging. also, the item that you sent to me is a pirated bootleg item. your auction described the item as new, unopened, and authentic. i bid on and won your auction, paid for it via paypal, but when i recieved your package, the item was not what i had agreed to purchase. i wish that you will be willing to correct this situation.

i believe there are two reasonable & acceptable resolutions. they are as follows:
1.) send me what i purchased, which is a brand new, unopened, and legitimate copy of "friends the complete series collector's gift box set". please package this item appropriately. in browsing through your other ebay feedbacks, i see that you have had other buyers criticize you for your packaging (or lack thereof) practices.
2.) issue me a full refund, including all shipping costs. what you sent to me was not what i had agreed to buy. i should not be held accountable for an error on your part. the fault is yours, thus, so are the consequences.

i am not accusing you of purposely misrepresenting and selling the item on ebay. this is an issue between you and your distributor. all i ask is that you fulfill your half of this ebay transaction. if you are unabled to, please refund to me all costs involved in this transaction. thank you.

the following is his reply:

please send back. this is a legimate box set. once i recieve the boxset i will refund your money in full. please send back to:
michael scammer
street address
city name, state zip

maybe i am just being paranoid here, but i kind of want him to send me a pre-paid shipping label. the reason being is that if i mail it back... i doubt he will refund me the return shipping cost. and what if i ship, and he just plays dumb... as in "i never got the stuff, what are you talking about?".

suggestions?

 

[zerocool1]

what color is the data side on the disc, that's usually a good way to check if its bootleg.

 

[spanky]

Originally posted by: zerocool1
what color is the data side on the disc, that's usually a good way to check if its bootleg.

it looks pretty much like the same color as commercial dvds. its not purple or some funky color.

 

[Soundmanred]

Concerning his response in your last update-
This is probably how he works - sell the bootlegs and hope the buyer doesn't notice. If they notice, offer a full refund, no questions asked and resell it and hope for a sucker this time.
If the buyer says they are bootlegs, play dumb and blame "the guy I got them from".
When threatened with being reported, some bootleggers go so far as to tell the buyer that they will say that the buyer knew they were bootlegs so they would be in trouble as well, scaring the buyer into not saying anything.
At least send it with some kind of proof of delivery to avoid the "I didn't get it" scenario.

 

[spanky]

Originally posted by: Soundmanred
Concerning his response in your last update-
This is probably how he works - sell the bootlegs and hope the buyer doesn't notice. If they notice, offer a full refund, no questions asked and resell it and hope for a sucker this time.
If the buyer says they are bootlegs, play dumb and blame "the guy I got them from".
When threatened with being reported, some bootleggers go so far as to tell the buyer that they will say that the buyer knew they were bootlegs so they would be in trouble as well, scaring the buyer into not saying anything.
At least send it with some kind of proof of delivery to avoid the "I didn't get it" scenario.

i'm trying to ensure that he covers the return shipping cost too. i do plan to use UPS when i send it back to him. i figure that at least it is trackable, and someone needs to sign for it. the following is how i replied to him via paypal:

i would like to document here why i believe these dvds are pirated. the dvds that you sent to me are single layer discs, non-css protected, and region free. commercial dvds from television studios are dual layer, css protected (or some other DRM), and region coded. also, the craftsmanship of the box that you sent to me was very poor, and unfinished.

if you have any more dvds that you are selling on ebay, i encourage you to inspect the merchandise before you continue selling. i advise you to contact your distributor, because you have been defrauded. otherwise, you may take the fall for another person's crime. you would not want the local authorities or the MPAA pinning you for copyright infringement.

to be clear, i am requesting that return shipping costs to be refunded as well. i have paid you $147.95 on 2/3/08 for ebay auction #320213223790 . if it cost me $10.00 to ship these dvds back to you, i am to be refunded $157.95. if you would like to send me a prepaid shipping label, i'm fine with that too.

if we have an accord, please let me know if you wish to provide me a pre-paid shipping label, or if you will simply refund my initial payment of $147.95 and the accrued return shipping cost.

also, the address that you provided to me in your paypal dispute console message is slightly different then the return shipping address on the shipping label of the package you sent to me. could you please confirm the exact address that the package is to be shipped to?

thank you.

 

[Q]

Dude don't let this guy get away. Soundmanred has the right idea, all he is going to do is bootleg sell them to someone else.

 

[spanky]

Originally posted by: Quintox
Dude don't let this guy get away. Soundmanred has the right idea, all he is going to do is bootleg sell them to someone else.

i do plan on ratting him out... after i get my money back.