Cheap, refurbished game systems seem too good to be true

Adhering to an old saying -- "If it's too good to be true, it probably is" -- might have saved money and prevented headaches for hundreds of people who are unhappy with websites claiming to offer irresistibly priced video game systems.

The premise was innocent enough: a factory-refurbished Wii for $19.99, or an Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 -- including a one-year warranty and free shipping -- for $34.99. That's  less than the price of a game remote.They were offered on several related websites, such as PS3-Bargains.com (pictured above) and RefurbishedWiis.com. The websites' lists of frequently asked questions say the "slightly worn" systems are offered at such a low price — more than $150 less than anywhere else — because the site gets paid by sponsors "for every survey you fill out."

But customers are complaining that although their credit cards were billed, they never received the game consoles, let alone any surveys to complete.

According to analyst Aaron Naternicola of the Internet Crime Complaint Center (a collaboration among the FBI, the National White Collar Crime Center and the Bureau of Justice Assistance), 18 related websites have generated hundreds of complaints about unfulfilled game console orders, and  four other  websites -- apparently connected to the first group -- generated more than two dozen complaints about software related to the World of Warcraft game that didn't work as promised. (The 22 websites are listed after the jump.) Efforts by The Times to reach the proprietors behind the websites were unsuccessful.

As of Tuesday morning, the IC3 had received 324 complaints from consumers about the game console websites since August 2007, which the IC3 says amounts to about $17,100 in lost money. The magnitude is rare, reaching a level hit by only a dozen or so  cases a year, Naternicola said in an e-mail.

"Any time you have double-digit complaints, that's considered more than just noteworthy," said Craig Butterworth, spokesman for the National White Collar Crime Center. "The higher those numbers go up, the more serious it becomes."

The Better Business Bureau also has received a series of complaints claiming "delivery issues." (A spokeswoman said the bureau doesn't disclose the specifics until after cases have been resolved.)

Thanks to Better Business Bureau reports, the IC3 was able to draw connections among ...

... the 22 websites, which are advertised through Google AdWords, from patterns in names, addresses and e-mail handles, Naternicola said.

The IC3 fielded eight complaints last year and 18 more in the first half of this year against sites related to the $24.99 World of Warcraft Gold Duplicator. The sites pitching the software, which buyers complained didn't do what it claimed to do, were advertised in the Warcraft world by characters who would spam in-game chat rooms.

Then in July, grievances about undelivered game systems began rolling into the IC3 with more frequency. Just last month, the group of sites attracted 215 complaints.

Irate buyers congregated on Internet message boards, attempting to have the sites shut down and calling for legal action. "I was tricked," a user who went by the name hatesbeingrippedoff wrote on a forum on 419Legal.org. "This is a total fraud and I hope we can get a class action lawsuit." Many said they were concerned about identity theft and canceled their credit cards. "Although it's just $35, that doesn't mean he's not going to use all the credit card information he's acquired so far for his dirty little self," wrote a user posting under the name NessaLee. 

Although the federal agencies aren't saying who they think is behind the offers, the websites appear to be based in Pensacola, Fla., and Atlanta, according to investigations by The Times, Internet message boards and an anonymous sleuth. Accounts registered with fake names and periodic expirations of domain names have helped conceal the sites' proprietorship.

One unlikely target of citizen investigators: a Catholic-goods reseller who says he has nothing to do with the case. Amateur sleuths discovered that, on its FAQs page, the Online Catholic Store lists the same phone number that's on the refurbished console sites (it lists a different number on its contact page). The number sends callers to a voice-mail box for a company calling itself Consoles for Less.

Ken Fabrick, owner of the Catholic-goods website, said he had previously registered the toll-free number with Internet calling service Vonage but no longer owned it. He said he had forgotten to update his site's FAQs page with the current phone number. When asked about the game console websites, he said, "We're not associated with them at all."

A Vonage spokesman said he couldn't disclose information about who currently owned the account because of federal privacy laws but said, "It's ours, and it's active."

Butterworth says the IC3 is  assisting authorities with an investigation, and Vonage says it will fully cooperate with a government subpoena if one is filed.

-- Mark Milian

Sites that users have accused of not delivering game consoles and World of Warcraft software, according to the IC3:

consolesforless.com
consoles4less.com
gaming-plugins.com
gaming-strategies.com
refurbishedxbox360.com
1cheapps3.com
35dollarxbox360.com
360sforcheap.com
buyaxbox360online.com
buyxbox360s.com
cheapestplaystation3.com
cheapestwii.com
getacheap360.com
ps3-bargains.com
refurbishedxbox360s.com
refurbishedwiis.com
waycheap360.com
wiisforless.com
powerleveling-wow.com
wow-powerleveling.com
wow-advantage.com
wow-toolbox.com

Comments

[Topsy]

I don't know how hard the government is investigating, I handed him over 3 days after he started. With all the evidence they needed to bust, (he flaunts it) His picture is online too.

[Topsy]

I don't know how hard the government is investigating, I handed him over 3 days after he started. With all the evidence they needed to bust, (he flaunts it) His picture is online too.

[johnathan murray]

i purchesed a xbox360 from buyaxbox360online.com it i was kinda thinking i was being scammed but wasnt sure

what should i do now????????? repot it to the bank or who please e mail me

[jeffrey elliott]

I ordered a Wii system for my son. Its been over a month now and have not recieved it. Have made many phone calls to Consoleforless and all I get is a recording. I ordered this from Refurbishedwiis.com. The price was $19.99 and free shipping within 2-3 business days. I had should have known this was to good to be true. If any one knows want I can do to get my money back, please let me know. My E-mail address is- jeffrey1969@aol.com

[jeffrey elliott]

I ordered a Wii for my 13 year old son. It was for his 13th year old birthday. He was so happy and excited. The price of the Wii was 19.99 and said it took only 2-3 days to ship. I ordered this through GameStop site from refurbishedwiis.com. I never gave it a thought that it would be a scam. After over a month I started investigating to see want was taking so long. After calling the toll free number and always getting a recording every time and leaving several messages and no return call, and then the web site not working, it didn't take me long to figure out I was just scammed. The so called company that charged my card was consolesforless.com. So this site and refurbishedwiis.com are the same and working togather. If I could get my hands on them I would ring their neck. Scammers make me sick!

[diane klecan]

I ordered a Playstation 3 for my grandson from consoleforless 3 months ago of
course still have not received it. I have called several times and now I can not
get on the website. They tell you it is on the way,give you a order number and it means absolutely nothing It seems they wait long enough to get paid from the chargecards and then disappear. It is a scram and sorry I did not see all these comments before I was taken like everyone else.

[Dani]

If you used a debit card or credit card you can dispute the charge through your bank or credit card company

[Jamie]

Okay folks - you got scammed by someone operating on your greed factor.

First off, you should have KNOWN that something wasn't right when someone was offering anything at 1/10 the MSRP and included shipping in that price. Hopefully, you have learned your lesson. You can find good deals out there, but verify (through a third party) that the company is legitimate before making a purchase through them.

Second, there may be hope to get your money back. If you are within the dispute time frame, typically 30 days (check your credit card/debit card paperwork or call the bank to check it out), you can dispute the charge and have the transaction cancled. This will typically involve filling out a form and mailing it to your bank/credit card administrator. The details (and forms needed) are typically posted on the bank's/adminstrator's website.

Third, if you have not already, place a fraud alert on the account that you used to make the purchase. Most companies will not make you go through cancelling your account, but will gladly issue you a new card, with new numbers and a new CVV - ask your bank/adminstrator for this. Replacing your card and putting the fraud alert on your account will effectivly stop this scammer from using your account to finance his relocation to the Cayman Islands, where you can't reach him or your money that he stole.

Fourth, if you have unauthorized charges on your account, get your credit report and dispute any fraudulent transactions listed. Unfortunately, if the scammer got to your credit report, it can take years for you to clear it up, but it can be fixed.

For the future, shop only at trusted and/or verified sites. Make sure that any orders that are placed are done so through a secured site (the web address will begin with https://). If you have not recieved a purchase within 14 days (or verification it is being shipped through a third party) phone the company and let them know that you will dispute the charge if it is not received (not sent but received) within 7 days. If you still have not received it within 21 days - dispute the charge; the dispute can be withdrawn if you receive the product, but can not be filed once the dispute period has expired. The same works for non-working products. If a company sent you something that does not work as advertised, you can dispute the charge. The company can correct the problem while the dispute is being investigated; remember you can always withdraw a dispute or recharge the purchase, but you have a time limit as to when you can file a dispute.

[Fire Storm Fox]

Well I'm not really shure just how long it has been since i ordered an xbox 360 from consoles4less.com i would guess about 7 months ago . it never came. it not only cause me to loose around $40 but also caused me to loose my online shoping confidence. i felt cheated out of more than just mere money. i lost my faith in justice. there was no attention given to my problem by anyone. as though i was not importaint enough to even diserve a single reply by even my internet providers. so even though these few typed words from a lone victim may never amount to anything but the whimpers of someone whom was poor and had hope that there was a cheaper xbox 360 Still i write these words for future buyers . . . . always do a background check on a site you just found before you deside to buy . . . it could save you more than just money. and embarasment is the least you will endure. .