Selling game codes on ebay: How easy is it to get scammed?

[OCNewbie]

I recently bought a GTX 780 and received 3 free games with it. I want to sell these games. I'm thinking ebay might be the best way to do it, but I'm concerned about getting scammed. Is there any way to safeguard yourself from this happening to some extent? Maybe sending an ebay message to the person receiving the code asking them to confirm they know they will be receiving the code only, that there is no physical item to be received, and that there are no refunds. Would that make a difference?

Thanks for any help. The only thing I ever sold on ebay were 3 or 4 XBox 360's like ~5 years ago, and that was through an ex's account. I've never sold anything on my current ebay account.

Edit: I already sold one game, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, for $30. The guy has paid already (he has like 100% positive feedback, 95 in total, over ~14 years on ebay), but paypal says I won't be able to access those funds til the 26th. The game comes out the 22nd, so the guy can't do anything with the code now anyway (which I stated in my listing). I'm just wondering if somehow I send this guy the code and then he raises an issue with ebay and/or paypal and I have to give him the money back and lose the code.

 

[Anteaus]

There are never guarantees with things like this. It's a gamble for both sides. You're just going to have to risk it if you wish to sell them. Everyone knows that the vast majority of PC game codes released today are one time use and locked to the person that uses them and the publishers definitely don't care whether it's you or someone else, regardless of whether you get ripped off or not. I personally would never buy a loose code like that because I could never trust that the seller isn't given me a used or stolen code.

Basically, it's a crap shoot.

 

[OCNewbie]

It's a gamble for both sides.
<snip>
I personally would never buy a loose code like that because I could never trust that the seller isn't given me a used or stolen code.

My understanding is that, at least on ebay, the buyer is MUCH more protected in this scenario than the seller.

 

[Ricochet]

Just understand that selling game codes (as a pure digital distribution) is against Ebay terms of service. A lot of people have been able to get away with it because Ebay cannot police everything. What is permitted is selling the physical coupon that the code is printed on. That's why you see on some of the listing that the seller will NOT email the code and will ONLY ship.

If you specify anywhere on your listing that you will email and your listing gets flagged, your Ebay and your Paypal account can be grounds for suspension.

Yes, you can absolutely get scammed if the buyer is unscrupulous.

 

[frowertr]

I was scammed when I sold one of my AMD gaming bundles. Guy bought the codes and sent me payment via Paypal. Then I e-mailed him the codes. A day later, he filed a Paypal resolution request saying an unauthorized user accessed his Paypal account and paid for the gaming bundles with it. Paypal reversed the charge and gave him his money back. He had already redeemed the codes so I was out the money and the games.

Upon calling Paypal to see how this could be avoided in the future they told me to NOT e-mail codes to sellers. You must send it through the mail with delivery confirmation in order for the seller to be protected.

For me, it's too much trouble to mess with all of that. I'd rather take the slight chance on chargeback. Really depends on how much risk you want to assume and how much your time is worth to you having to go down the Post Office to handle the sale.

 

[CPA]

I've bought codes twice and each transaction was smooth and problem-free.

 

[Fire&Blood]

Sell here on AT forums or similar sites. Only 13.7% of AT members are absolutely evil, the rest are noob villains in training and the vast majority is genuinely good people unlike eBay.

Personally I've been lucky on ebay but I wouldn't bother there with virtual item transactions.

 

[OCNewbie]

I think buying on ebay is probably safer than selling. This is the first time I was looking into selling (game codes) on ebay.

 

[CPA]

Sell here on AT forums or similar sites. Only 13.7% of AT members are absolutely evil, the rest are noob villains in training and the vast majority is genuinely good people unlike eBay.

Personally I've been lucky on ebay but I wouldn't bother there with virtual item transactions.

I don't think the mods allow selling of the codes.

 

[OCNewbie]

I don't think the mods allow selling of the codes.

I thought they did.

They do:

http://forums.anandtech.com/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=35705311

 

[smackababy]

When I sell on eBay, I specifically state if the buyer has less than 10 feedback, I will not sell to them (that generally discourages scammers and those that will not pay). I've heard horror stories, but I've never had a problem (but, I sell shoes for a pretty high price and take every precaution).

I believe selling the codes is against the TOS for receiving them, and that is why you can't sell them on AT.

Realistically, if you sold the code on eBay, the buyer could use the code and then report the code as used or fake. eBay would most likely side with them and since you have no way of proving it worked other than it was already used, you're either out the money or your PayPal account holds a negative balance.

 

[frowertr]

The gestapo here at Anandtech doesn't allow the AMD bundles to be sold here unfortunately.

As if AMD has the time or inclination to police every message board on the internet looking for those pesky "criminals" selling legitimate game codes.



You don't get to call out moderators in a thread.

If you have an issue with the mods or the moderation here, make an MD thread and voice your complaints.


esquared
Anandtech Forum Director


And you really don't get to follow up said call out by attacking a mod by pm. You were instructed on how to respond. You responded in the worst way possible. Please take a day off to reconsider your approach here.

Perknose
Forum Director

 

[imaheadcase]

OP if they are activated on Steam, trade or sell them.. Many threads on internet that do this.

 

[Madia]

I've never sold anything on my current ebay account.

Edit: I already sold one game, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, for $30. The guy has paid already (he has like 100% positive feedback, 95 in total, over ~14 years on ebay), but paypal says I won't be able to access those funds til the 26th. The game comes out the 22nd, so the guy can't do anything with the code now anyway (which I stated in my listing). I'm just wondering if somehow I send this guy the code and then he raises an issue with ebay and/or paypal and I have to give him the money back and lose the code.

I think ebay holds the funds back for a period of time for all new sellers. It happened to me when I first opened a paypal account and sold on ebay last year.

 

[alcoholbob]

Even box software can easily be scammed. Someone who works at retail can easily get something shrink wrapped even after its been opened. I've bought apparently sealed software off ebay before only to be rebuked when I attempted to register it online.

 

[Midwayman]

To sell on ebay you need to accept that the seller basically has no protection. Paypal will side with the buyer no matter what proof you provide. Don't sell what you can't afford to give away on ebay.

Its part of why I'm not listing my launch ps4's on ebay. I figure that the scammers will be out in force on those.

 

[smackababy]

To sell on ebay you need to accept that the seller basically has no protection. Paypal will side with the buyer no matter what proof you provide. Don't sell what you can't afford to give away on ebay.

Its part of why I'm not listing my launch ps4's on ebay. I figure that the scammers will be out in force on those.

That is not always true. I've had friends sell things and people attempt to scam them, and eBay sided with my friend. He sold a MacBook Air and the seller, in an eBay message, asked them to send it to a different address than the PayPal address. My friend asked eBay if this was okay, they said it was so long as it was in the eBay message system, and he did. The seller then tried to claim he didn't receive the item and it wasn't shipped to the PayPal address. eBay opened an investigation, my friend provided the message, and the buyer's scam was foiled.

You just have to be careful. Also, if buying / selling anything that is known to have reproductions (shoes or clothing, etc) make sure you put 100% authentic in the description, or if buying, it contains 100% authentic. Otherwise, you'll get a fake and it seems getting your money back is about 50 / 50. And if you don't have that, the buyer can claim it is fake, send you an empty box, and get their money back.

 

[Midwayman]

That is not always true. I've had friends sell things and people attempt to scam them, and eBay sided with my friend. He sold a MacBook Air and the seller, in an eBay message, asked them to send it to a different address than the PayPal address. My friend asked eBay if this was okay, they said it was so long as it was in the eBay message system, and he did. The seller then tried to claim he didn't receive the item and it wasn't shipped to the PayPal address. eBay opened an investigation, my friend provided the message, and the buyer's scam was foiled.

Inexperienced scammer. You just need to ship a brick back to the seller if they tracked it to you. All paypal seems to care about is the tracking numbers. They have no real way to determine what was sent. I'd highly recommend video taping you opening anything you get back from a ebay buyer so you at least have some evidence. Check seller forums. All they have to do is say not as described and send it back and you're screwed.