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Home What the hell was that? updates

Customer pays $50 for a SILVER account?

7:41 PM on 08.18.2008, Jim Sterling 62 comments

Customer pays $50 for a SILVER account? photo
     What the hell was that?

The Consumerist is always a handy little site to check if you want to see what certain companies try and get away with, and every now and then you'll see some game-related chicanery pop up. Such is the case today, as one unfortunate customer explains how he was talked into forking over a year's Gold subscription for the privilege of having a free Silver account.

ForceTrainer recently ran into problems when he forgot to update his credit card information. Despite reminders from Microsoft, the absent-minded gamer failed to update the info and his access to Xbox Live was terminated. While not a big deal to the former XBL member, he still wanted access to his DLC so finally decided to update his information and get a Silver account. However, he soon ran into problems after Microsoft made him pay a full year's subscription to settle the month or two of Xbox Live Gold that was outstanding.

He verified that my billing information was updated, and he told me that I would be charged $49.99 because I had an owing balance on my account. While all I wanted to do was convert to a Silver account (hopefully for no charges), I was half expecting this since my account had technically lapsed in June. I asked if it was possible to just pro-rate the two months that I was given service after my account lapsed, and I was told because I'm an annual member that wouldn't happen. Alright, fine, no big deal – it's just $50.

Just fifty bucks indeed, but it was certainly a big deal when he found out that the $50 was just to get reconnected to the Internet via his 360. After being informed that the money was purely to bring his account into balance and that he was not due the rest of the year's Gold membership, needless to say that things got very messy. More after the jump.

The charge was put through and I figured all was set. Here's how the rest of the conversation went:

Me: Alright, so my account is settled. Since my account lapsed in June I'm assuming I should have about 10 months left of Xbox Live Gold service, right?

Rep: No.

Me: Ummm… what do you mean no? When I paid the $50 I was paying for service from June 2008 to June 2009. I understand that I won't get a full year of service from today, but how come you're telling me I'm not going to get Gold service at all?

Rep: By paying the $50 you settled your account. Your account has been reactivated as a Silver account.

Me: Okay, I understand that my account is now settled, but I just paid for 12 months of service. If you date that from June 2008 I should have a Gold account until June 2009.

Rep: No. When you paid the $50 that was just to settle the account and bring it current. Your account was almost sent to collections, so your payment stopped the process.

Me (Getting very pissed off right now): Okay, so what you're telling me is that I just paid $50 so you wouldn't send me to collections? With Xbox Live service you PRE-PAY for the service! If I'm paying you $50 I just PRE-PAID for services that you owe me. Now you're telling me all I did was stop you from sending me to collections?

Rep: Yes. However, now that your account is settled you can go ahead and purchase a Gold account if you want.

Me (To the point of ripping my hair out): So what you're telling me is that I just paid you $50, and if I want to get a Gold level account I will need to pay again for it even though I just paid you $50?!?

Rep: That would be correct sir.

Me (Trying not to yell at the guy so I can ask pertinent questions): Okay, that makes no sense, but let's continue. Can you tell me exactly what I was charged for? Was the $50 I just spent for Xbox Live Gold service, collections fees, account reactivation… what?

Rep: The charge will be for Xbox Live Gold service.

Me (Ready to rip his throat out through the phone): You just said that I was being charged for Xbox Live Gold service. If that's the case then how come I am not getting the balance of the months?

Rep: Because that charge was to bring your account current.

Brutal, eh? I'm sure Microsoft has some small print somewhere that allows them to do this, and I'm sure that it wouldn't have happened if ForceTrainer had just remembered to update his information. Still, it goes to show how sneaky Microsoft can be and how you can get screwed if you don't keep your wits about you. 


Next page: More Microsoft stories




MrSadistic's Avatar
MrSadistic at 08/18/2008 19:45
Since The Consumerist is involved, I'm sure MS will resolve that dube's issue quickly. Unless, they really are the money hungry bastards that people make them out to be...

oh..
kaz's Avatar
kaz at 08/18/2008 19:45
damnit, where's the edit button?
bleep's Avatar
bleep at 08/18/2008 19:51
I guess what Im surprised most about is that when asked what fee he was actually paying for they said Gold service in most cases like this there is a "reconnection fee" or "we now take your money fee" and for it to be called Gold service, well one could argue that there isn't a service being provided as detailed in the description of just what Gold Service is. either way its pretty glame
mr spooky's Avatar
mr spooky at 08/18/2008 19:54
You got scammed by microsoft. Play for free on PS3.
Arttemis's Avatar
Arttemis at 08/18/2008 19:55
@Kaz - Awesome.
Syn's Avatar
Syn at 08/18/2008 19:55
What? PSN is free? Cool!
mix's Avatar
mix at 08/18/2008 19:57
Sucks to be him but like the signed 360 this will be fixed due to the public being notified.
Gamechamp's Avatar
Gamechamp at 08/18/2008 19:59
I don't see the problem. He paid to have access to Live again at all. It's not Microsoft's fault he was a jerk who didn't want to pay.
Arttemis's Avatar
Arttemis at 08/18/2008 20:05
His conclusion summed it up the best.

"If I had been paying via Xbox Live Cards that you buy at retailers nothing would've happened because there are no recurring payments. So for the most part, a dedicated customer who makes an annual commitment to the service gets screwed the hardest. Thanks Microsoft!"



@Gamechamp - wtf???
randombullseye's Avatar
randombullseye at 08/18/2008 20:07
The cards from stores are the only solution to such problems. Credit cards only cause problems.
Miguelcar808's Avatar
Miguelcar808 at 08/18/2008 20:09
In the fututre when ever there's a argument about "PSN Vs. Xbox Live". The person in favour of XBL will not remember this story and if a PSN fan shows it to him he will have forgotten how to read.

This story fits in to the "But I didn't play with my Xbox 360 during the Xmas of 07, so I was never prevented from playing my games on-line" pile of arguments.
Gott's Avatar
Gott at 08/18/2008 20:17
Sterling is still the same fanboy he always is.

"Still, it goes to show how sneaky Microsoft can be and how you can get screwed if you don't keep your wits about you."

Who's to say that this wasn't just an isolated incident?? Do we have legions of others complaining of this? So before you start crying about "ohh look at what Microsoft does!!" How about you get some supporting evidence?

Way to blow an isolated incident out of proportion. Get a clue Sterling.
flamesofchaos's Avatar
flamesofchaos at 08/18/2008 20:28
@gott - A couple of people on Neogaf had this issue and some of them had wonderful letters from the collection agency, unfortunately if you pay xbox live with a credit card by default it's set to auto-renew and once the credit card ends up being expired and Microsoft will try to charge that credit card, then they lock your xbox live account and eventually if your lucky they email/call/send you a letter that you have a outstanding balance due and finally you will get calls from the collection agency.
hpv's Avatar
hpv at 08/18/2008 20:38
Tell them to fuck off and buy a PS3.
Cowzilla3's Avatar
Cowzilla3 at 08/18/2008 20:46
I pray I'm never broke when renewal time rolls around.
Syn's Avatar
Syn at 08/18/2008 20:53
@Gott: What makes you think this is an isolated incident? Chances are if M$ is screwing one person they're screwing many. You would have to be biased pretty strongly for them to ignore their reputation and even attempt to convince yourself that MS wouldn't participate in dirty business tactics.
monosylabik's Avatar
monosylabik at 08/18/2008 20:57
this happend to me as well...
necrozen's Avatar
necrozen at 08/18/2008 21:11
The PS3 online community is getting heftier by the day (it's getting easier and easier to get a good game going) and I would like to thank the fine print that MS put at the bottom of the page, LOL. Seriously though, is anyone that surprised?

I like it when Microsoft pulls this kind of shit because I get to read all colorful posts by the brain-numbed apologists, not only making excuses for MS, but accusing those who call them out on their shit of fanboyism.
nintendoll's Avatar
nintendoll at 08/18/2008 21:33
That's kind of fucked up. I work in a game store so I buy my yearly subscription there so I can get a 15% discount. No deals like that from M$.
-PL-'s Avatar
-PL- at 08/18/2008 21:36
Glad I bought a PS3. After playing PC games online for free for a decade, I find it pretty asinine that people are trying to charge for it.
DanGale's Avatar
DanGale at 08/18/2008 21:42
@gott

This isn't isolated. This happened to me as well. I bought a month of Live just for Christmas and then it kept auto-renewing, which I thought sucked. I mean if I wanted more months wouldn't I have bought a three month period or a year? Anyway, I was a bit lazy about canceling it so I just paid £4.99 a month for the occasional FNF. Then I had my 360 offline for months and I received a couple of email notices during that time saying my credit card was expiring. "No biggie", I thought, "they just can't charge me".

It stands to reason that if I'm not paying for a service, they cut me off until I do pay. But last week when I went online again I find out that they tried charging me for another two months and I owe then £9.98, which I find ridiculous. Needless to say, I won't be paying. I'm not in the business of paying for something I haven't used, and I don't understand the logic behind Microsoft's billing practices. Surely they should have cut me off straight away and told me that unless I pay then I'll get no Gold. Instead, they apparently still gave me Gold for two months, whilst I was offline, and were still attempting to charge me.

Well, I have a new gamer profile now and I'll be using only pre-paid cards, should I wish to use Gold again.
GrayFox's Avatar
GrayFox at 08/18/2008 21:51
Microsoft and all tech companies rent out 3rd parties to do their support. This could be a case of the 3rd party dropping the ball, but it's also possible Microsoft could have f'ed up, I really wouldn't put it past them. Really makes you wonder why they would risk potentially losing a customer by trying to pull tricks like this, but then again, I saw a lot of similar stuff going on when I worked for HP support.

And yeah that guy should totally buy a Sony Playstation 3. I hear Sony's online service is free and they have lots of new exciting games coming out this fall just in time for the holiday season such as Killzone 2, Little Big Planet and Resistance 2, to name just a few. The Sony Playstation 3 also features a Blu-Ray player which allows you to see all your favourite movies like you've never seen them before. It's the ultimate home entertainment console.
leshrac55's Avatar
leshrac55 at 08/18/2008 22:08
"I'm sure Microsoft has some small print somewhere that allows them to do this, and I'm sure that it wouldn't have happened if ForceTrainer had just remembered to update his information."

No, this is bullshit... Microsoft is clearly wrong here and there is no fucking way they would charge $50 just to "bring your account current."
xe-cute's Avatar
xe-cute at 08/18/2008 22:08
I have a problem as I want to take off my grans debit card (about to be billed later this month) and switch to pre-paid Live cards instead.

However, I have heard horror stories (on the xbox forums) of peoples gamertag sometimes being cut off when they stop paying by credit card and switch to pre-payment cards with M$ saying they will need to get a new gamertag.

I have even heard a few problems with switching credit cards where both get charged and M$ refuse to refund any double payments or even stop charging both cards and say you have to cancel one card at the bank instead (also pot luck that you cancel the right one that does not affect your service).

This is far from isolated and I regret the day I asked my gran if I could use her debit card as it has left it wide open to these problems and even fraud (people getting other gamertags passwords reset easily with a simple phone call pretending to be the owner and not answering any (or very easyily talking there way out of doing so by acting young and stupid) security questions so they can then cut off the true owner and use the tag themself for there debit/credit card... or recon armour... if you are into that kinda thing).

Also I have to keep an eagle eye open when someone else is playing about with the console incase they 'accidentaly' buy an arcade game when playing the demo of one... as M$ slip it in so easy to mistakingly buy a game at one push of a button.

Lastly if the console ever does get stolen then thats a credit card that needs canceling ASAP which involves a lot of stress and changing all other direct debits to a different card.


The DRM issue is yet another silly reason why they make you pay for gold, to get at games already paid for... what a con.
luvmysegadc's Avatar
luvmysegadc at 08/18/2008 22:15
Funny how Destructoid and The Consumerist do more good for consumer protection today than the Better Business Bureau has done in their 96 year existence!
DynamicSheep's Avatar
DynamicSheep at 08/18/2008 22:15
This kind of shit is SOP for Microsoft. I'm sure this guy will raise enough of a fuss that Microsoft will make it right in order to look good to the public, but it shouldn't have been this way to begin with. The story here should've been Customer almost pays $50 for a SILVER account? and that last bit should've went.

Me: I want to talk to your manager.
CS: OK.
Manager: Hello
Me: (explains situation) You can see the absurdity, right?
Manager: Yes, let me fix this for you.

As it is, (based on my experience with with Microsoft's CS) if he had asked for the supervisor, they would've said the same thing. I should contact the Consumerist about my busted ass Zune...
GrayFox's Avatar
GrayFox at 08/18/2008 22:20
xe-cute:

I remember when I was looking for my first prepaid card I heard that there are certain cards (or maybe it was ALL 12 month gold cards?) which just allow you to "top up" your account. I would give customer support/sales department a call and see what they have to say before you make the purchase. And yes, I do realize how dumb that sounds after reading a story like this.
luvmysegadc's Avatar
luvmysegadc at 08/18/2008 22:26
@ the DIPSHIT TROLL, GrayFox,

The fact that you worked for HP support and now are trolling for the PS3 as if you work for their support team, is nothing to be proud of.

Honestly, a high school dropout, illegal alien working night shift custodial at Oracle's home office, has more to be proud of than you!

You're opinions on the pros and cons of the PS3 are for a different post. And regardless of your personal preference and that the company in question is Microsoft, the point is a CONSUMER GOT SCREWED, PERIOD.
norm9's Avatar
norm9 at 08/18/2008 22:41
I'm glad I don't have my credit card information tied to my Xbox.

Oh wait...
Purringturtle's Avatar
Purringturtle at 08/18/2008 22:41
@luvmysegadc I am so impressed by your ability to detect sarcasm. You win a cookie.

Yeah the dude got screwed and MS should Fess up and fix it, I agree, but it was about as obvious as it comes that GrayFox was making fun of fanboyism.. not adding to it. Just the PS3 Blu-ray nonsense should have clued you in... cause every gamer everywhere cares about Blu-ray over or as much as games.
GrayFox's Avatar
GrayFox at 08/18/2008 23:10
I was serious about the first part though. I really wouldn't put it past them, or any megacompany like them to do something underhanded like that. They didn't get to where they are through kindness and genorisity, that's for sure.

And luvmysegacd: Trust me, I'm not proud that I worked for HP support. :D
Necros's Avatar
Necros at 08/18/2008 23:20
Wow. Sucks to be him.
natespotts's Avatar
natespotts at 08/18/2008 23:21
This same thing happened to me, but the reasoning was that my account info was expiring AND the fact that for some reason they couldn't trace my account back to when I first started it on the original xbox (I had a very old account). Instead of being hassled about it and being charged 100$ plus tax, I just started a brand new acct. for only 50$. Easy workaround, I suppose. Still, it did royally piss me off.
Arttemis's Avatar
Arttemis at 08/18/2008 23:22
@luvmysegadc - You can't be serious.... That has to be some dedicated sarcasm on your part.
kaciesaurus's Avatar
kaciesaurus at 08/18/2008 23:26
bummer
ArrestedDeveloper's Avatar
ArrestedDeveloper at 08/18/2008 23:46
You have to take these stories with a grain of salt and realize that all representative instantly become 100% more smug and unreasonable while the "victim" is cool as a cucumber and always in the right. Such is the internet.
Arttemis's Avatar
Arttemis at 08/19/2008 00:14
@ArrestedDeveloper - Despite the fact that the transcript described the customer's anger in each paragraph, you can't dismiss the fact that Microsoft's policy is flawed in this situation, and this isn't a singular event as others have described.
Fleet3000's Avatar
Fleet3000 at 08/19/2008 00:26
note to self: never try to do this, ever.
Jim Sterling's Avatar
Jim Sterling at 08/19/2008 00:28
Wow, haven't seen Gott in a while. Still calling me an anti-360-fanboy, which is still the fucking funniest thing in the world.
TurboSpaz's Avatar
TurboSpaz at 08/19/2008 00:40
So if it had of just gone to collections, would they have just tried to collect two months? Insanity.
Syn's Avatar
Syn at 08/19/2008 01:24
It's a prepay service, there shouldn't have been an issue with not paying, you just shouldn't receive the service. The fact that they try to send this shit to collections means that they're trying to squeeze people for money and aren't willing to let their claws out of your neck without one last squirt of nectar.
leshrac55's Avatar
leshrac55 at 08/19/2008 02:50
Syn-

Your point makes me wonder if the story is even true... I don't get it, if you have a Gold account and decide you don't want to pay for Gold any more, they suspend your account or something? That doesn't make any sense, and is clearly wrong. I doubt that they sent a collection service either... I wonder if MS even HAS a collection service for XBox related things. I don't even know what they would need to do with it, unless they had a "bill me later" option for XBox repairs or something.
Syn's Avatar
Syn at 08/19/2008 02:55
I couldn't tell ya bro, I haven't ever had the "pleasure" of dealing with this mess. Everything I know about it I learned from this page, I just have no doubt in my mind (of course I'm biased against M$) that they would do something dirty like that.
CALkulon's Avatar
CALkulon at 08/19/2008 05:58
Wait. What the fuck? They should disconnecting the moment they can't take payment, and that's that.

Bloody M$, this is why you should get PS3s!
brainderailment's Avatar
brainderailment at 08/19/2008 09:41
This is the kind of shit that AOL is famous for.
Gulo's Avatar
Gulo at 08/19/2008 09:43
Registered to say this; the same thing had happened to me once when I had attempted to 'rescue' some Microsoft Points on an old account.

I was told the account was in arrears, and needed to be paid. When I asked why I was given access to the Xbox Live service after they were no longer able to bill my account because the credit card had expired and I didn't update it with a new one (because I was not interested in having the Gold (dis)service) the phone rep told me "that's the way it's done".

I was denied the ability to talk to the supervisor, being told that nobody was available to speak with.

After being told where to go by the representative (although rather politely), the 360 went to EB and funded the purchase of many PS3 games. I'm not interested in give Microsoft any more money for any reason.
Radie's Avatar
Radie at 08/19/2008 11:01
Yeah, very sneaky indeed. Who do they think they are? Putting in fine print an explanation of the rules and guidlines for their service. The nerve.

What is next? Expecting you to actually pay on time. Madness!

@ Gulo... The lack of a supervisor is really your only complaint. Other then simply not liking how MS handles your reupping subscriptions. But let us keep in mind that the way they do it is for OUR CONVENIENCE. This way you dont have to enter your credit card info each time or have to go out to a store and purchase a card. If you hold up your end of the bargain, then all should be well... How can you be so mad at a company because they wont fix YOUR mistake in the way that you want them to?

You could argue that you simply dont like the way they run their service and I couldnt argue with your opinion on that, but you cant really expect to break the rules and expect them to make up for it, can you?

Are we that spoiled of a nation?
necrozen's Avatar
necrozen at 08/19/2008 11:33
@ Radie

You can't excuse this kind of bullshit just because they hint to it in their cryptic lawyer-speak. You know and they know that even if people do read it (which most don't), half of them don't understand it.

Of course, it's easy to be an apologist when you're not the one being ripped off.

As a leader of a collection team for Citibank (having worked there for the last 9 years), I should know how this kind of backwards stuff works. We call it an idiot tax. That doesn't make it right.
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