CS3 rip-off

[Fireball]

Bought CS3 last week on E-bay and went to upload it this week and was told by Adobe that the serial number is invalid. Not a very happy camper here! The seller is telling me he'll refund my money, but I have yet to see that before I mail it back to him.

Anyone else have this experience on E-bay? Where else do you recommend I buy it from at a decent price? Anyone know anything about violentsquirrel.com?

[Sonny]

Originally Posted by Fireball

Bought CS3 last week on E-bay and went to upload it this week and was told by Adobe that the serial number is invalid. Not a very happy camper here! The seller is telling me he'll refund my money, but I have yet to see that before I mail it back to him.

Anyone else have this experience on E-bay? Where else do you recommend I buy it from at a decent price? Anyone know anything about violentsquirrel.com?

Unless you buy any Abode products via the Academic Versions then you're not going to find it for a big discount. As you experienced, I'd be very hesitant if purchasing from those type of websites.

"eBay generally has plenty of sellers offering the latest version of Photoshop at various prices. Prices can be as low as almost half the regular retail cost in auctions that include the Buy It Now option. Be sure to read the auction thoroughly, as many auctions are only for an upgrade from a previous version. In general, the cheaper prices under $300 are for upgrades, training, or add-ons. Listed prices higher than $300 are for full unregistered retail versions. As with all auctions, it’s a good idea to check the feedback of the seller for any negatives and what the reasons for them were."

I hope that person keeps his word and refunds your money.

[dbphotos]

Years ago and now the seller is in Federal prison (no kidding). I got real pissed and followed through. The only negative experience I have had on eBay.

Assuming you paid through PayPal, file with them that you were sent pirated software and not a legitimate copy, then go here and file a report: https://reporting.bsa.org/usa/home.aspx.

[Fireball]

Yep, I paid with paypal, but how long do I wait to see if this guy refunds me my money? He's been saying he's "working on it" (at least what I can understand of his broken English) and says his supplier is the bad guy. He wants me to wait till I get my refund before mailing it back to him. Hmm...just don't know how long to wait to do more.

This is also my first and only negative experience with E-bay, and I just earned my yellow star this week for being a great buyer! Go figure!

[SpeedRacerSlots]

They have the ability to refund immediately.
His supplier is not the seller... HE is, therefore that is who YOU have the beef with.
File with eBay and then follow the link above to file with BSA.

[RKEnnis]

Yeah, don't wait! If you paid with paypal, there is a good chance they are still holding the funds from the transaction. So file the complaint right away.

[srwatters]

Adobe plainly states on their website that they ONLY authorize the sale of current versions of their software through resellers. Any reseller that claims to have older or OEM versions of Adobe products is almost assuredly selling pirate or counterfeit software. If you purchase a used copy, make sure to check with Adobe for the 'transfer of license' paperwork and that the serial number is not already registered or used for an upgrade by another user.

As always, if it sounds too good to be true, it most likely is... Let the buyer beware!

[dbphotos]

Originally Posted by Fireball

Yep, I paid with paypal, but how long do I wait to see if this guy refunds me my money? He's been saying he's "working on it" (at least what I can understand of his broken English) and says his supplier is the bad guy. He wants me to wait till I get my refund before mailing it back to him. Hmm...just don't know how long to wait to do more.

This is also my first and only negative experience with E-bay, and I just earned my yellow star this week for being a great buyer! Go figure!

Don't wait at all. He sold you pirated software. PERIOD! "Working on it" is not a good response. He's trying to move your money so that when they shut down his account they won't be able to get it back. If he wanted to send your money back it would take about 60 seconds for him to cancel the transaction. REPORT IT NOW!

[Fireball]

Did that! Thanks everyone!!!

[z-monster]

Originally Posted by srwatters

If you purchase a used copy, make sure to check with Adobe for the 'transfer of license' paperwork and that the serial number is not already registered or used for an upgrade by another user.

This was my experience.

[corralup]

Wow! That's terrible. If it makes you feel better I'm real happy with my Photoshop Elements 6. I bet you can find it for 75.00 now. My only beef is it doesn't download RAW files. Grrrrr. I have a way of doing it though but it's a pain.

[flx2000]

for nothing more than curiosity, could you post a pic of the disc and packaging?

[Colyn]

I had a chance to buy a used copy of cs3 locally but adobe said DON'T DO IT. I'd have to buy a key from them in order to activate it..

[Fireball]

Well the guy sent me a copy of the money order he's sending me for the refund INSTEAD of instantly putting the cash into my paypal account! So I'll be getting that next Tuesday or Wednesday. We'll see!

[srwatters]

It will be counterfeit. By the time you find out, he will be gone.

Demand a PayPal credit and turn him in anyway.