4 ms·

> But - EA scammed me out of the $60 before... Chargeback if you can't get a refund (like me, I bought on Origin). I called up Amex, identified the charge, tol

> But - EA scammed me out of the $60 before... Chargeback if you can't get a refund (like me, I bought on Origin). I called up Amex, identified the charge, told them EA misrepresented the product, and a day later I had a credit on my statement. Took three minutes.

ChikkaChiChi 14y ago
Same here. I explained they failed on digital delivery of a service. I also told the rep that the company had threatened me and other customers with a refusal of service if any such chargebacks were attempted. I may have been willing to wait out the launch fiasco, but when EA reps explained to me and others that our Origin account would be BANNED if we issued any chargebacks...that was the last straw for me. I'm sort of hoping EA does ban my account. I'm sure my AG would love to hear about how they no longer provide me access to games I purchased in the past but they now no longer think I should be allowed to use.
- jamesaguilar 14y ago
  I'm guessing their TOU covers this, and that the AG won't be able to do jack about it.
  - svachalek 14y ago
    There's a big difference between what's in a contract (and I'm not sure TOU even count as contracts, even though they may call themselves such) and what's actually considered "binding". IANAL but as I understand it, the more unilateral a contract is (see just about any TOU) the more likely it is to be thrown out.
    - jamesaguilar 14y ago
      I'm aware of that, but this kind of provision (chargebacks cancel access to service) have been around for quite some time. I think I'd have heard about it if they'd been challenged successfully.
      - ChikkaChiChi 14y ago
        A conglomerate refusing their customers as a retaliation for exercising their rights to consumer protection is exactly why we have class action lawsuits in the first place (I think). The TOU may have clauses in there that reserve their right to cancel your Origin account, but I think the situation gets murky when you prevent paying customers from using products they may have purchased at brick & mortar retailers, etc. Someone, someday, is going to challenge this. Its one of the many unanswered legal questions we have with licensing and ownership rights.
      - sk5t 14y ago
        I'd assume the sort of organization that would write in a chargeback=cancel policy would also work strenuously to avoid an actual test of that policy in the courts...
peacemaker 14y ago
EA made it quite clear if you were to do a chargeback they would cancel your Origin account. Fine if you only have SimCity on there but you could end up losing a lot more than $60 if you had a few of their games via Origin.
- ebiester 14y ago
  I smell a class action lawsuit.
- bjelkeman-again 14y ago
  Nice. Blackmailing your customers.
- qu4z-2 14y ago
  If I were in that situation, this by itself would be enough to make me do a chargeback. Possibly over-reacting, but I hate it when people use underhanded tactics like this, and I'd be ok with losing my other games just to spite them. Sadly, I don't own any EA games, so I can't do this.

ChikkaChiChi 14y ago

Same here. I explained they failed on digital delivery of a service. I also told the rep that the company had threatened me and other customers with a refusal of service if any such chargebacks were attempted. I may have been willing to wait out the launch fiasco, but when EA reps explained to me and others that our Origin account would be BANNED if we issued any chargebacks...that was the last straw for me. I'm sort of hoping EA does ban my account. I'm sure my AG would love to hear about how they no longer provide me access to games I purchased in the past but they now no longer think I should be allowed to use.

jamesaguilar 14y ago
I'm guessing their TOU covers this, and that the AG won't be able to do jack about it.
- svachalek 14y ago
  There's a big difference between what's in a contract (and I'm not sure TOU even count as contracts, even though they may call themselves such) and what's actually considered "binding". IANAL but as I understand it, the more unilateral a contract is (see just about any TOU) the more likely it is to be thrown out.
  - jamesaguilar 14y ago
    I'm aware of that, but this kind of provision (chargebacks cancel access to service) have been around for quite some time. I think I'd have heard about it if they'd been challenged successfully.
    - ChikkaChiChi 14y ago
      A conglomerate refusing their customers as a retaliation for exercising their rights to consumer protection is exactly why we have class action lawsuits in the first place (I think). The TOU may have clauses in there that reserve their right to cancel your Origin account, but I think the situation gets murky when you prevent paying customers from using products they may have purchased at brick & mortar retailers, etc. Someone, someday, is going to challenge this. Its one of the many unanswered legal questions we have with licensing and ownership rights.
    - sk5t 14y ago
      I'd assume the sort of organization that would write in a chargeback=cancel policy would also work strenuously to avoid an actual test of that policy in the courts...

peacemaker 14y ago

EA made it quite clear if you were to do a chargeback they would cancel your Origin account. Fine if you only have SimCity on there but you could end up losing a lot more than $60 if you had a few of their games via Origin.

ebiester 14y ago
I smell a class action lawsuit.
bjelkeman-again 14y ago
Nice. Blackmailing your customers.
qu4z-2 14y ago
If I were in that situation, this by itself would be enough to make me do a chargeback. Possibly over-reacting, but I hate it when people use underhanded tactics like this, and I'd be ok with losing my other games just to spite them. Sadly, I don't own any EA games, so I can't do this.