Losing patience with Origin (Store). SSTP VPN safe/secure?

[Akiho]

Hello again, ongoing issue which I have mentioned in a previous thread, but just to recap...

Having moved to Thailand 3 months ago, decided to restart UO on a server closer to where I live so essentially starting from scratch. I have got to the point where I require a few essentials that are pretty much only attainable through the origin store without millions of gold at hand on my new server. Items being a couple of soulstones and a few forged metal tools.

The Issue is when using the Origin store I get forced to the Thai Origin site which has only one single UO product (see screenshot) which is about as much use as a chocolate ashtray!



After submitting multiple tickets to EA/Origin over the past 3 weeks, all of which were either marked as resolved or closed with zero replies or feedback and any kind of online chat/calls were just not answered after hours of waiting. I gave up... complete bankers!

Anyway, in my neverending search to find a way around this I have been advised to try using a SSTP VPN (paid service), everything I have read about these services seems legit and secure for making online payments and should also allow me to purchase from the UK Origin site (tested with non-secure VPN up to the point of payment).

The question is... Anyone have any experience of using SSTP VPNs for online purchases? are they as safe and secure as they make themselves out to be?

My last option is to try and convince a friend from back home to open up an Origin account (I wouldnt wish that on my worst enemy), make the purchases for me and send the codes. Of course this involves bank transfers and a degree of trust which I'd rather avoid.

Something that was once so simple has now become almost impossible!

Thanks for any guiding lights!

A very frustrated Akiho.

 

[Parnoc]

Yep, I gave up long time ago trying to purchase anything from the Origin store in Thailand, I have never purchased anything using a VPN and I hope I never have to but you never know. Any game stuff I want I buy from one of the non authorized outlaw sites but have never had a problem, been using the same one for over 10 years now.

 

[Akiho]

Yep, I gave up long time ago trying to purchase anything from the Origin store in Thailand, I have never purchased anything using a VPN and I hope I never have to but you never know. Any game stuff I want I buy from one of the non authorized outlaw sites but have never had a problem, been using the same one for over 10 years now.

I had never considered using one of those sites and I really wouldn't want to... but if Origin forces my hand...

Tx

 

[DJAd]

I had this issue when I was living in Thailand. In the end I had to just PayPal the money to a friend back home and get them to order me codes etc.

Setting up PayPal in Thailand was another joke also. K-Bank was the only bank that I managed to use for this.

This is what they told me about the Origin store in Thailand when I asked before

@DJAd Sorry to say DJ, but just heard back from the Origin team & UO codes wont b up 4 sell on our TH store due to high fraudulent activity. - Jeff Skalski

 

[BeaIank]

If you are using a paid VPN service from a reputable provider, your payment information will be mostly safe.
Worst case scenario you have someone to sue for damages should your credit card information gets leaked through them. But if they are reputable and have been around for years, you could use them to do those transactions.

Now, using a free VPN for this is a big no.

 

[Akiho]

@DJAd Sorry to say DJ, but just heard back from the Origin team & UO codes wont b up 4 sell on our TH store due to high fraudulent activity. -

Jeff Skalski

That has got to be an absolute cop out!!

They can not surely be telling us that UO is one of the most popular titles played/sought after codes in Thailand! There are many more far more popular titles and products available from the Thailand Origin store which would be much more desirable and thus be more susceptible to fraud.

But hey... who am I to say how it is.

What makes the whole thing even more ******** is that the one product they do have on there is likely to have been acquired by 99.9% of UO players for free!! Why did they even go to the time and effort to put it up there?!? Makes zero sense. And if people have missed past expansions, what do they do?

 

[Kirthag]

Origin store is not just about UO... but about all of the EA games. Sadly... that is how Big Business here in the states work.... they cater to their bigger titles and let the little ones fall to the side - precisely what has happened to UO over the years.

Hopefully, the new Broadsword site will get fully up and running with their own ecommerce which will hopefully cater to all UO players equally... I hear that will be Soon™.

 

[Uriah Heep]

Hopefully, the new Broadsword site will get fully up and running with their own ecommerce which will hopefully cater to all UO players equally... I hear that will be Soon™

Yep, I am sure it will be anytime now...

 

[Capt. Lucky]

This VPN thing has never been anything I have had to have experience with. Guess I need to look it up just so I know what it is.

 

[MalagAste]

I suggest going with Paypal and having a friend in the States buy what you need for you... Probably a whole lot safer.

 

[Scribbles]

@Akiho sorry for your troubles. If you need help purchasing some items id gladly help you out. Just PM me.

I think its pretty crappy that the game can release an expansion and offer it in thailand but they cant have a suitable website for acc mngment or a store with all items available...

I might start a humanitarian/nonprofit website to help people in other countries get the codes they need for UO. lol.

 

[Parnoc]

This VPN thing has never been anything I have had to have experience with. Guess I need to look it up just so I know what it is.

If you live outside your home country, you know quickly about VPN's. Otherwise you get blocked on lots of stuff and sometimes you wanna see it, I'm in Thailand and if I go to most USA TV network sites or sports sites, they're blocked. VPN lets us expats view them but I've heard that will not work soon, they are I guess figuring out ways to block us even with VPN.

 

[Akiho]

I suggest going with Paypal and having a friend in the States buy what you need for you... Probably a whole lot safer.

I did try this, but having similar issues setting up a paypal account. Billing address, my location, mobile number requirement for activation dont marry up. Denied!

 

[Akiho]

@Akiho sorry for your troubles. If you need help purchasing some items id gladly help you out. Just PM me.

A very kind offer, but I would rather not involve someone I don't know on the off chance something doesent work out/goes wrong especially when it comes to online transactions. Thats me more worried that you get ripped off/lose money/items and not implying the opposite!

I appreciate the offer nonetheless.

 

[Akiho]

If you live outside your home country, you know quickly about VPN's. Otherwise you get blocked on lots of stuff and sometimes you wanna see it, I'm in Thailand and if I go to most USA TV network sites or sports sites, they're blocked. VPN lets us expats view them but I've heard that will not work soon, they are I guess figuring out ways to block us even with VPN.

It was something I didn't factor in when moving here but is becoming more apparent by the day, many sites I used to visit daily, mostly news outlets, are blocked here.

I'm going to bite the bullet and sign up to PureVPN which seems to be a big player and the cost won't break the bank. Fingers crossed I don't get cleaned out!

 

[Petra Fyde]

do you have any vet reward picks? Red soulstones are a year one choice and might help solve at least a part of your problem.

 

[Deep Ellum Dan]

If you live outside your home country, you know quickly about VPN's. Otherwise you get blocked on lots of stuff and sometimes you wanna see it, I'm in Thailand and if I go to most USA TV network sites or sports sites, they're blocked. VPN lets us expats view them but I've heard that will not work soon, they are I guess figuring out ways to block us even with VPN.

SSH tunneling for port 80 works like a charm.

 

[Akiho]

do you have any vet reward picks? Red soulstones are a year one choice and might help solve at least a part of your problem.

Thats another issue altogether! Got 5 months to wait for my next batch. And what I really need from those is a commodity deed box and an ethy or 2! oh and a Davies locker, some soulstones a few dye tubs and.... well, you get the picture! MOst I'll just buy from player vendors once I start generating gold so not all essential at the moment.

Oh the joys of moving shard!

 

[Picus at the office]

I'd farm gold or hit the third party sites.

 

[Uriah Heep]

I'd farm gold or hit the third party sites.

There are places out there that love to assist you and take your money. And a few that will do it honestly, promptly!, and in my experience, sometimes even cheaper than the Origin store. It's a shame to be able to say that, but it's true. There's one out there that "a friend" has used fairly often, always satisfactorily, always prompt with delivery.

 

[Parnoc]

SSH tunneling for port 80 works like a charm.

Way way over my head here Bud. Trying to even read about this gives me a headache.

 

[Deep Ellum Dan]

i can understand but a quick google of "how to create a ssh tunnel with Firefox" shows how easy it could be. The only thing is you need to find a friend that will give you access to a Linux shell connection in a country that has the ability to reach your desired content. This doesn't even have to be a dedicated Linux server but even a working home Linux computer that is accessible.

 

[Akiho]

i can understand but a quick google of "how to create a ssh tunnel with Firefox" shows how easy it could be. The only thing is you need to find a friend that will give you access to a Linux shell connection in a country that has the ability to reach your desired content. This doesn't even have to be a dedicated Linux server but even a working home Linux computer that is accessible.

There's hurdle number 1, no one I know uses or has any experience with Linux. In fact I would go as far to say 99.9% of people I know wouldnt even know what Linux is!

 

[Poo]

didnt broadsword say that they are hoping to get the in game store up and going so that you can purchase your items in game instead of in the Orgin store?

ya, i know, they have been saying that for years.

anyways as much as i hate to see origin loose money if i where you id be shopping at one of the other sites that sells UO items.
ive picked up stuff over the years and ive never had a problem.
i have a guild mate and he uses them a lot and swears by them.
some of us just dont have time to farm gold anymore or wait to get ethys and such, much easier to just buy the stuff, specially if you have a lot of disposable income.

 

[Deep Ellum Dan]

There's hurdle number 1, no one I know uses or has any experience with Linux. In fact I would go as far to say 99.9% of people I know wouldnt even know what Linux is!

I might be willing to setup a temporary access tunnel if one wanted to purchase something from the store. If I decided to do this, it would have to be like at the most a 1 hour window just to help someone else out.

 

[Parnoc]

i can understand but a quick google of "how to create a ssh tunnel with Firefox" shows how easy it could be. The only thing is you need to find a friend that will give you access to a Linux shell connection in a country that has the ability to reach your desired content. This doesn't even have to be a dedicated Linux server but even a working home Linux computer that is accessible.

That's what I did was a Google search, not all of us are computer super savvy, never even seen a Linux machine, let alone have a friend who has one and can do some sort of hookup. Sorry, you're just a bit beyond me, no problem tho I get along ok. I live in a country and a location that has no English speaking computer techs so I have learned to fix my machine software or hardware if something breaks strictly on my own, but to be like you guys that are computer super smart, whups, not me, lol

 

[Uriah Heep]

didnt broadsword say that they are hoping to get the in game store up and going so that you can purchase your items in game instead of in the Orgin store?

ya, i know, they have been saying that for years.

anyways as much as i hate to see origin loose money if i where you id be shopping at one of the other sites that sells UO items.
ive picked up stuff over the years and ive never had a problem.
i have a guild mate and he uses them a lot and swears by them.
some of us just dont have time to farm gold anymore or wait to get ethys and such, much easier to just buy the stuff, specially if you have a lot of disposable income.

Exactly Poo. I do business with the place who can do it better, with no mistakes/hassles. It's simple business sense for everyone whose initials aren't EA.

 

[BrianFreud]

I might start a humanitarian/nonprofit website to help people in other countries get the codes they need for UO. lol.

I've already had to do it for friends living in other "Third World" countries that the store apparently also thought were "high fraud risk"... namely France, Sweden, Norway, and Iceland...

Oh, and the store is trickier than it seems, when it comes to VPNs... One store - the Norwegian one I think? - once put UO items on sale, though no other stores did. So I tried using a VPN to get to the Norwegian store... which worked fine, but it wouldn't accept a credit card that wasn't also from Norway. I've heard the same problem for France, where people there were able to VPN to Canada, but couldn't actually buy items, because their card was French, not Canadian.

 

[Kirthag]

reading all this gave me a thought.

we are suddenly required to be internet and tech experts just to throw money at one of our favorite games.

isn't that just ironically funny in some way?

 

[Akiho]

reading all this gave me a thought.

we are suddenly required to be internet and tech experts just to throw money at one of our favorite games.

isn't that just ironically funny in some way?

Couldn't agree more, through the arduous task of buying from the store, I have learned about a variety of VPNs, I have learned what PPTP, TCP, UDP, L2TP, SSTP and IKEV protocols are and the pros and cons of each, I have learned that click to buy is a concept that Origin seem to have lost with their 'may take up to 48 hours to process' even though they have already taken payment from my card and seems to take 48 hours just to spite you! I have also learned that Origin are incapable of adding a 'Quantity' selection (That every other online store on the planet has!) so the 2 forged metal tools I wish to purchase have to be done on separate transactions thus making the process twice as long!

There was a time I remember not so long ago, if I needed something I popped onto the store... Click Click, Check out... *Poof* Code was in my mail all within a minute.

What went wrong?!?