Once you get the "activation confirmation" email...

#1 Edited by iDarktread (1206 posts) - 1 year, 9 months ago

... are the points stuck on your account? Does that confirm that you have redeemed an official, genuine code, with no chance of it being revoked in the future?

"This mail is confirmation that you successfully activated Xbox Live XXXX Microsoft Points Prepaid Card on Friday, July 29, 2011."

#2 Posted by Turtlebird95 (1216 posts) - 1 year, 9 months ago

Yes.

#3 Posted by ReyGitano (2461 posts) - 1 year, 9 months ago

Yeah, it's just a confirmation email. They don't send you anything when you actually purchase a game with them, just when you add the points.

#4 Posted by iDarktread (1206 posts) - 1 year, 9 months ago

The reason I'm asking is because someone in Vietnam is sending me codes for both XBL and PSN, and they've all worked so far. I'm just a little paranoid that something will go horribly wrong.

#5 Posted by Daveyo520 (6538 posts) - 1 year, 9 months ago

Well not revoked per say, but if your account gets banned you can not recover those points and they are gone forever.

#6 Edited by iDarktread (1206 posts) - 1 year, 9 months ago

@Daveyo520: The buyer is trading me points for Team Fortress 2 items. He's saying the codes are wrapped and sealed when he's purchasing them, but the whole thing just worries me a bit.

I remember reading about cheap Steam codes from other countries, and that if you activated them on your account after buying them, it could get you banned.

I don't understand how that could happen, though. If the code is valid, shouldn't I be worry free?

#7 Posted by Daveyo520 (6538 posts) - 1 year, 9 months ago

@iDarktread: What you are doing is kinda illegal and will probably be ban you if they find out how you are getting the codes, but just activating them won't do it. just know you are treading on thin ice.

#8 Posted by iDarktread (1206 posts) - 1 year, 9 months ago

@Daveyo520: How's it illegal?

#9 Posted by Daveyo520 (6538 posts) - 1 year, 9 months ago

@iDarktread: Is he actually buying those cards? Sounds like he is getting them in some iffy ways if he just has so many.

#10 Edited by Turtlebird95 (1216 posts) - 1 year, 9 months ago

@iDarktread: The dude could somehow be generating the codes. If caught you could face a Perma-ban on your account.

If he's not generating them you should be fine.

#11 Edited by iDarktread (1206 posts) - 1 year, 9 months ago

@Turtlebird95: I thought that point generators didn't work, though?

@Daveyo520: I'll ask him to show me a receipt tomorrow. He seems to be buying them one at a time.

#12 Posted by Turtlebird95 (1216 posts) - 1 year, 9 months ago

@iDarktread: They don't. I'm pretty sure you're fine. I'm sure though, there are plenty of other illegal ways he could have gotten them.

Also, just curious, what exactly are these codes giving you? Points?

#13 Edited by iDarktread (1206 posts) - 1 year, 9 months ago

@Turtlebird95: I mean, if he were to work in a game store in Vietnam, and have scanned the codes himself to trade away without the buyer knowing, I don't think that I, the buyer, would get in trouble with anyone. I think I should screencap some of our chat logs just in case.

But yes, these are for points, not Gold subscription. I'm trading him Keys in Team Fortress 2, which I have traded for legitimately. I think he's traded me 1 $20 PSN card, and 1 1600 Microsoft Point card so far. I'll stop for now until I can get verification that he's actually paying for these cards.

I've traded for 10+ of these cards already, but none had come from a country outside of the US, which is where I'm located.

#14 Posted by Legend (2495 posts) - 1 year, 9 months ago

@iDarktread You should ask him to send you a scan or a pic of the card with the code and serial number displayed clearly. Tell him you don't know him very well, and this is necessary because you are concerned whether or not the cards are legit. Problem solved. :)

#15 Posted by iDarktread (1206 posts) - 1 year, 9 months ago

@Legend: Thanks for the honest advice. Yeah, I'll check in with him tomorrow when he gets online. It's 3 PM in Vietnam, and 1 AM here.

#16 Edited by iDarktread (1206 posts) - 1 year, 9 months ago

Update: Well, after many different excuses, he basically told me that they are out of stock at the store he was supposedly buying the cards from, so he couldn't take a picture of a receipt or a physical card. Even though I had done three different trades with cards bought from that "shop," and nothing has gone wrong yet, I can't help be wonder why this seems so sketchy.

Does anyone know anything about getting Steam keys from other countries, cheap, and then getting your Steam account banned or put in bad standing because of them? These aren't Steam keys, they're Xbox Live and PlayStation Network store codes for credit, but I'd hate to get my accounts banned for something I had no proir knowledge about. Some help would really be appreciated.

To recap... : Lately, I've been trading Team Fortress 2 items for XBL and PSN points, and some Wii Shop points from people I do not know. I only trade with people that allow me to redeem the cards first, and then have me pay them the promised items after the card is successfully redeemed. I have traded for close to $300 USD in store cards. This latest guy is trading them to me at a slightly reduced (not unbelievably cheap) rate because he claims to not have a credit card and, therefore, cannot purchase Keys (which are basically currency in Team Fortress 2 trading) directly from the in-game store. This is the Vietnamese website he say he buys the cards from (you do not have to follow that link). I haven't checked the website out all that much myself because he has yet to confirm that he's actually buying the cards from there.

This is pretty damn frustrating. Oh well, I guess. I've been doing this for months without any concerns, but I do not want these points to get revoked, or have my account banned, because I'm missing something obvious. I have never been scammed or tricked while making money off of this trading system, nor have I done anything illegal or dangerous. Would my best bet just be to find another supplier that doesn't seem so illegitimate?

#17 Posted by Law313 (110 posts) - 1 year, 9 months ago

The only way to stay worry free is to buy them yourself. What your doing now sounds iffy. Everything might be fine now but you never know. Hell, NOTHING might happen. Trust your gut, If it feels bad 99.8743632092 % of the time it is.

#18 Edited by iDarktread (1206 posts) - 1 year, 9 months ago

@Law313: Say he's buying them with a stolen credit card, or something. Will the points get revoked? Are the activation traceable? Bah, this is stupid.

You're right, though. As of now, I'm basically done doing trades with people I don't know, or who refuse, for whatever reason, to supply the information I'm requesting.

I'm just trying to figure out what could happen on my end of the deal at this point. I've already traded for two or three cards from the same "shop" from two different people who apparently live in Vietnam. It has been over a month since the first card, and nothing has happened

@Law313 said:

Trust your gut.

Edit: I may as well mention that I'm basically trading $11-12 in items per $20 card.

Microsoft Points

Microsoft Points are the form of currency used on the Xbox Live Marketplace, Games for Windows Live client and Zune Marketplace.

@Law313 said:

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