KaiserWAVE's miraculous adventure: The German Customs Authorities

[Snowcone]

Question for Snowcone - did you pay with a credit card when you bought the stick?
If so, initiate a charge back against GameStop for selling you fake merchandise - have KW send you the documentation from MS/German Customs stating that the merchandise was fake...

I did and this is a good idea. Kaiser, I know the VP of Global PR for Mad Catz. I'm going to see if he can help.

[Snowcone]

Oh and here is the transaction from my bank ledger:

02/19 43.24 DEBIT CARD PURCHASE 021909 GAMESTOP #4677 SAN ANTONIO TX

[lordpenguin]

I've been to that gamestop!

[Snowcone]

The one in Huebner Oaks?

[UncleBob]

Question for Snowcone - did you pay with a credit card when you bought the stick?
If so, initiate a charge back against GameStop for selling you fake merchandise - have KW send you the documentation from MS/German Customs stating that the merchandise was fake...

I did and this is a good idea. Kaiser, I know the VP of Global PR for Mad Catz. I'm going to see if he can help.

Yeah, it won't get shipping charges back, but it's something, at least.
Once you get this story up on SBG, you should send a link to consumerist.com.  I'd be interested in hearing their take on it.

[Snowcone]

Unfortunately the PR manager was unable to help with this.

[UncleBob]

Sucks.

I think the charge back route would work though.  Either GameStop did actually sell you a counterfeit controller and the charge back is deserved, or when the charge back hits GS, they'll fight it and you'll have the claims from German customs that it's counterfeit.

[Snowcone]

Kaiser,

Do you have written proof from Customs on this that you can send me?

[KaiserWAVE]

Yeah, I do. I'm just not sure that I want to be caught in the middle when Gamestop and the customs office go toe to toe and a deathmatch may ensue over it

I'll see if I can get it scanned in and email it to you.

[UncleBob]

Any updates on this?

[KaiserWAVE]

No, not yet. Not sure if there will be any. I couldn't scan the letter I got claiming it's fake as my scanner/copier/printer machine crapped out on me. Remember, when you buy cheap, you GET cheap
I don't know if it would do any good to do this now anyway since it's been a few months now. So I guess I won't get my money back anyway and it would be just as a matter of principle. Honestly, I've made my peace with it and just take it as a rather expensive lesson that Microsoft really is just a bunch of greedy *** and I won't be importing a MS product ever again.

Deep in the back of my head it's still bugging me though and I really would like to know what they have to say to defend their claim. After all, maybe I will try to scan and translate it this week and at least post it here for everyone to read.

[Mick Dundee]

That Reminds me....Play N Trade sold me a rip off 360 memory card.
It had Japanese writing on it, didn't say Microsoft on the clear case protector, and didn't have the metal prongs on it.

 Upon noticing that before opening it I returned it and got a full refund.

The pictures on the back of the case were blurry too. I don't think Microsoft would have a blurry picture of their own product.

[UncleBob]

You just returned it?  I would have contacted Microsoft.

[Mick Dundee]

Ya, I just wanted my money back, those memory cards are expensive, I only bought one to transfer my wife's profile and saves onto her own 360 with ease.