test content
Logo
What is the Arc Client?
Install Arc
My Account Was Banned For No Reason
vixie
Member Posts: 16 Arc User
I recently filed a support ticket asking for a refund for a Zen purchase because I was not aware that when I purchased items with it, they would be account bound. I was told that they could not issue me a refund and because I had made my purchase through steam I needed to contact them. I sent Steam all of my correspondence with support and they issued me a refund. The next thing I know my account is banned.
I am really upset because had I know that they were going to ban me for contacting Steam (like they told me to) I would not have used Steam to purchase my zen in the first place.
I have spent a lot of money in this game over the years and find that banning someone for contacting support like they were told to do is highly unfair. I am hoping they will contact me and we can resolve this matter very soon.
I am really upset because had I know that they were going to ban me for contacting Steam (like they told me to) I would not have used Steam to purchase my zen in the first place.
I have spent a lot of money in this game over the years and find that banning someone for contacting support like they were told to do is highly unfair. I am hoping they will contact me and we can resolve this matter very soon.
Post edited by Unknown User on
0
This discussion has been closed.
Comments
The ban in such case is a standard procedure-steam issued a chargeback, PW got money for zen you have bought AND used taken away and they have banned and blacklisted you for scam attempt.
The same would happen with PayPal chargeback for any other company. Pretty much the only country that allows such chargeback on earth is England, but if the company isn't located there, you'll get ban and blacklist anyway.
You should explain the situation to PW support, link them previous ticket, link them steam ticket, suggest an account rollback to before the time of zen purchase, but there is no guarantee it will work, its just an option, pretty much the only option.
Also lesson for the future: ALWAYS READ BEFORE YOU BUY, especially digital goods or services.
I filed a ticket and they said because I did not follow the proper guidelines when using a coupon, they cnnot give me refund.
I chalked it up to be a learning part of the game.
Second, follow up with PWE Support. Any time you initiate a refund or chargeback not authorized by PWE, your account will get terminated. I would also continue to work through STEAM support, because it was their actions that caused your account to (unknowingly) get terminated, too. I'm sure had you been given the answer from STEAM support that they CAN refund you BUT it would result in the termination of your account, then your decision to receive a refund would have been different.
And just out of curiosity, what did you buy? I'm pretty sure most stuff is clearly marked as far as bind status on the store front.
Like everyone knows everything... customer service please.
Here's what happened: You made a cash purchase through Steam.
Steam give you a token that tells Neverwinter to give you the Zen (Cryptic has;t been paid yet).
At some point in the month, Steam pays Cryptic all the money that is owed, minus Steam's cut.
You asked for a refund through Steam.
Steam notifies Cryptic of the 'refund' in a generic way.
To Cryptic it appears as a charge-back.
A charge-back is a bankable offense (fraud response).
YOU the Steam player are not at fault, but you are caught in the middle.
For future reference: never, ever, EVAR purchase Zen through Steam, EVVAARR. Not only can it cause problems like this, but it also never qualifies for purchase rewards or freebie prizes and such. Always buy Zen points directly through Neverwinter web site. Always.
They automatically ban any account that does a charge back that PWE didn't authorize, this was already stated. I'm sure they'd prefer not to deal with steam but let's face it, that would be suicidal...
Have you ever read ToS ?
Everything you "have" on "your" account doesn't belong to you, but to the publisher of the game. Your account can be deleted in any moment and you don't have the right to do anything. They can switch off the servers permanently in any time and you can't do nothing about it. They can ban you for ANY reason - or NO reason and you can do nothing about it.
Feel free to spend another $$$$ for such game.
F2P games are like third world countries: you have absolutely no rights and the "authority" can do everything it wants to do.
It's a shame what happened to the OP. But warnings are given when you get zen through steam. And additional warnings are issued when you try to spend the zen explaining that purchases would be bound. Those warning have to be willingly disregarded to end up in this situation.
Support, however, also dropped the ball by not explaining the problem to the OP properly, and basically passing the buck to steam
Encounter Matrix | Advanced Foundry Topics
I once charged Zen but never received it. I disputed the charge with Paypal and my account was banned. After I recieved my refund. I wrote an email to support explaining that all issues were resolved. They then unbanned my account.
Ah, you're exactly right.
PWE needs to have Steam include some sort of warning for players who purchase Zen (or try to) from STEAM.
For better or for worse, never, ever, ever use Steam to purchase Zen. Ever.
But it's a shame that the PWE customer service rep didn't inform the player that he was on probation, which puts binds everything bought with the Zen to the account. At the end of the day, it's actually a very good anti-fraud technique (PWE doesn't unbind anything until they can verify the purchase), but it does hurt players who don't know what's going on.
You bought something, had buyers remorse, found a loophole , got money back and still have the items?
I actually agree with the company on this one, maybe Im not reading everything accurate, but I wouldnt be happy that someone came in, got product, charged it, then told the company that they hadn't gotten the item.
I know we're suppose to be all "RWAR RWAR RWAR PWE RWAR RWAR" but it's all too common these days for people to purchase and consume digital goods, decide they don't like them and demand refunds or chargeback for services received.
I think in the OP's case, he got really poor information originally from Steam, and then whoever helped him at PWE.
But the overall the system is set up to prevent fraud, and it does work. For games without it, one of the biggest "new" tricks for exploiters and gold-farmers is to use stolen or illegitimate credit cards or other electronic payment means, purchase stuff, sell it and move the profits off the account before the company can figure out the payments are bad. Not only does the company lose money, it could potentially cause huge impacts to the in-game economies, worse than any exploit.
So I support PWE on their safeguards. They just need to do a better job of making sure users are aware of those before they purchase.
I've never brought Zen through Steam. Is there anything on Steam on the probation period, or any warning?
myles08807 said, "Back in my day, we didn't have any of this fancy Mulhorand gear while we were leveling . . . we walked uphill both ways while dying once every five seconds while leveling, and we liked it fine!" . . . Now, get off my lawn, you kids!"
pointsman said, "I don't rue the game. In fact I don't feel any regret for the game at all."
looomis said, "I don't like people changing to alts and then bragging about their mains like schizophrenic role players."
Good luck. Hopefully they'll be able to help.
A misunderstanding on your part was exasperated by bad information from PWE's customer service.
@ironzerg: PWE does not release probationary actions until the payment is received for purchase. Since Valve (the owners of Steam) pays PWE in bulk for purchases and not immediately, Steam users would be disproportionately affected by probationary measures.
At any rate, we also have a post in the Hot Topics sticky concerning probation on ZEN purchases taht explains the measure a bit more in detail.
Great Weapon Fighter: Because when is today not a good day to die?
PC and PS4 player. Proud Guildmaster for PS4 Team Fencebane. Rank 5 Officer for PC Team Fencebane. Visit us at http://fencebane.shivtr.com