Amazon Global Buying Service/Windows Software Forgery
In December I purchased a copy of Windows 7 Ultimate from Amazon Global Buying Service. I figured I have used Amazon for years and have trust in them.
The software arrived in a timely manner and was in the MicroSoft packaging that you see in retail stores. No problem. It installed easily (for Windows) and worked fine, just had some drivers to reinstall for different hardware bits.
Then, at the end of March a notice appeared "This copy of Windows in not Genuine" and similar messages. With some top notch investigation by quentarielf it was discovered the copy of Windows 7 was a complete and utter forgery. The Certificate of Authenticity was a fake (embedded metal strips that should be there were just printed with ink), the DVD was made to LOOK like an actual MicroSoft disk, but while MS disks have the holographic art embedded in the plastic during manufacturing, this one was just a scalloped-edged label to just appear to be real.
So I contacted Amazon Global Buying Service, who basically said "the time limit for returns has passed, so sorry." Now whatever their corporate policies are, there is no 90 day time limit on committing mail fraud. I contacted my credit card company, who opened and investigation, I contacted the Better Business Bureau, who was going to contact Amazon. My CC got me in touch with Amazon's customer service, where I found out that "Amazon Global Buying Service" is really just "Global Buying Service" and just another Amazon seller, not really connected with Amazon itself, they were just jumping on Amazon's name coat-tails.
The good news is, Amazon doesn't like their sellers committing mail fraud though their website, so they opened up their own "investigation." During that time my CC dropped the matter and the BBB shuffled the case around to their different branches chasing Amazon's offices. In the end, Amazon had the full price of the software plus shipping refunded to my account, but gave me no details on the issue itself. Since I don't think there was just 1 forged copy of the software floating around, I think there were most likely hundreds of copies (if not thousands) they will all be failing about now.
If this happens to you or someone you know, put in the complaint through Amazon's interface, wait 3 days (that is Amazons policy on resolving issues, the seller has 3 days to reply), if the seller does not reply, contact Amazon directly at 800 201 7575. Give them to facts, let them deal with it. They came through for me in 6 days, and I ordered another copy through WalMart so it can be delivered to my local store, I can go there, open it and make sure it is OK before I leave the store.
On spotting forgeries, here is a good video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iX9T5xOATc.
Good luck, and don't let them keep your money! Don't forget to leave a scathing review of the product bashing Global Buying Service for this atrocity.
Ags
The software arrived in a timely manner and was in the MicroSoft packaging that you see in retail stores. No problem. It installed easily (for Windows) and worked fine, just had some drivers to reinstall for different hardware bits.
Then, at the end of March a notice appeared "This copy of Windows in not Genuine" and similar messages. With some top notch investigation by quentarielf it was discovered the copy of Windows 7 was a complete and utter forgery. The Certificate of Authenticity was a fake (embedded metal strips that should be there were just printed with ink), the DVD was made to LOOK like an actual MicroSoft disk, but while MS disks have the holographic art embedded in the plastic during manufacturing, this one was just a scalloped-edged label to just appear to be real.
So I contacted Amazon Global Buying Service, who basically said "the time limit for returns has passed, so sorry." Now whatever their corporate policies are, there is no 90 day time limit on committing mail fraud. I contacted my credit card company, who opened and investigation, I contacted the Better Business Bureau, who was going to contact Amazon. My CC got me in touch with Amazon's customer service, where I found out that "Amazon Global Buying Service" is really just "Global Buying Service" and just another Amazon seller, not really connected with Amazon itself, they were just jumping on Amazon's name coat-tails.
The good news is, Amazon doesn't like their sellers committing mail fraud though their website, so they opened up their own "investigation." During that time my CC dropped the matter and the BBB shuffled the case around to their different branches chasing Amazon's offices. In the end, Amazon had the full price of the software plus shipping refunded to my account, but gave me no details on the issue itself. Since I don't think there was just 1 forged copy of the software floating around, I think there were most likely hundreds of copies (if not thousands) they will all be failing about now.
If this happens to you or someone you know, put in the complaint through Amazon's interface, wait 3 days (that is Amazons policy on resolving issues, the seller has 3 days to reply), if the seller does not reply, contact Amazon directly at 800 201 7575. Give them to facts, let them deal with it. They came through for me in 6 days, and I ordered another copy through WalMart so it can be delivered to my local store, I can go there, open it and make sure it is OK before I leave the store.
On spotting forgeries, here is a good video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iX9T5xOATc.
Good luck, and don't let them keep your money! Don't forget to leave a scathing review of the product bashing Global Buying Service for this atrocity.
Ags