What would you do?

[Fridgster]

So since EJs release I decided to start pulling old account info from storage. Back in the day I did a lot of trading and buying of accounts back when uo offered their own transfer service. Some I used their service. Some I did not. Last night I came accross an account that was actually active. This was confusing. I logged in and found myself in a castle... that my character was the owner of. I started looking around when another character popped in and started freaking out that I was on their account. The account was linked to my old email with my security question. Long story short I had a phone conversation with this person who claimed that she has been playing the account for 10 years. In the end I ended up letting it go and giving her the account. Now my misses is telling me that I should have kept the account and that I was probably scammed by the person I originally purchased it from. Obviously I never played the account so to me I wasn't really losing anything. So my question to you folks... would you have given the account back?

 

[Larisa]

Well it's not like you lost anything if you hadn't played it....so yes I would have given the account back, if it was an account that I had invested time and money in and had items on then I would have fought for it.

 

[GarthGrey]

I'm confused as to how you logged a character in that owned a house, and another character logged in and said "hey, that's my account". It doesn't jive. If that person had logged in on the same account, it would have booted you out and them in.

 

[Fridgster]

Well it's not like you lost anything if you hadn't played it....so yes I would have given the account back, if it was an account that I had invested time and money in and had items on then I would have fought for it.

Pretty much exactly how I looked at it. This actually should serve as a lesson though. You play with fire if you play the accounts game. Eventually you can get burned. Really why I stopped doing it. Too many headaches.

 

[Fridgster]

I'm confused as to how you logged a character in that owned a house, and another character logged in and said "hey, that's my account". It doesn't jive. If that person had logged in on the same account, it would have booted you out and them in.

They had multiple accounts as well.

 

[Picus at the office]

So did they never change the password? I have an account which I got from a bud years back, I have updated the password/master account but would be a little pissed if that wasn't enough.

 

[Fridgster]

So did they never change the password? I have an account which I got from a bud years back, I have updated the password/master account but would be a little pissed if that wasn't enough.

Yes they changed the password but I had the security info so I was able to reset it. I suggested she change that too

 

[Thoronnar]

idk. tough one. the account was linked to your e-mail for a reason.

The thing is. How were you scammed if the account was linked to your e-mail? If anything, whoever was using the account got scammed.

 

[ShriNayne]

If you got the account through honest means and it was legit as far as you know then the account was yours. I am inclined to agree with your missus on this.... I think if I was you I would have been really shocked.

 

[Fridgster]

idk. tough one. the account was linked to your e-mail for a reason.

The thing is. How were you scammed if the account was linked to your e-mail? If anything, whoever was using the account got scammed.

Some people back in the day would sell their accounts and would then call EA claiming it was hacked. They then get the account back if you didn't use EAs transfer service.

 

[Fridgster]

If you got the account through honest means and it was legit as far as you know then the account was yours. I am inclined to agree with your missus on this.... I think if I was you I would have been really shocked.

I agree but the thing was according to my notes on th account it was purchased due to age and had nothing on it. I really didn't lose anything by giving it up. Where as she would have lost 10 years of playtime.

 

[Gorbs]

I don't understand. How is it an active account with a castle if it is linked to your email? This other person was able to get into account management to pay for the account without the correct email? I have trouble getting in with my own email. If it's an EJ account they could not own a house. If the account were deactivated within the decay timer for the castle the login attempt would throw a message saying you can't log in, go to account management, blah blah blah.

 

[Fridgster]

I don't understand. How is it an active account with a castle if it is linked to your email? This other person was able to get into account management to pay for the account without the correct email? I have trouble getting in with my own email. If it's an EJ account they could not own a house. If the account were deactivated within the decay timer for the castle the login attempt would throw a message saying you can't log in, go to account management, blah blah blah.

Something you would have to ask her. People are careless sometimes with updating account info.

 

[Thoronnar]

I agree but the thing was according to my notes on th account it was purchased due to age and had nothing on it. I really didn't lose anything by giving it up. Where as she would have lost 10 years of playtime.

Well you lost an old account.... idk... I would have kept it and give her other player the castle and all the items. The whole thing is just pretty weird.

 

[Lord Frodo]

I agree but the thing was according to my notes on th account it was purchased due to age and had nothing on it. I really didn't lose anything by giving it up. Where as she would have lost 10 years of playtime.

I am on your wife's side on this one. You purchased the account in good faith and someone else was using your account without your permission. One of 2 things happened is that the owner told UO that they were hacked and got the account back after selling it to you or they sold it to someone else after selling it to you either way IMHO you got scammed twice and possibly someone else got scammed too. Was it the original owner of the account or another owner.

 

[Thoronnar]

Get your account back if this person hasn't changed the e-mail. Once you recover it, try to give them all their items, and castle, and do everything you can to give them what they earned playing for 10 years. Then keep your account and don't talk to them again.

If they pester you, ignore them. Change name of characters.

 

[Archnight]

So my question to you folks... would you have given the account back?

Yes, I would have given it back. It's been 10 years so how can you remember what you did with this account? Maybe you did sell or give it to this person and they never changed the account/security info... after all this time you wouldn't have a castle standing with all it's content. Also with the state of the game why would you want to make someone lose all their stuff and quit? I'm all about a deal and maybe the account is rightfully yours, the content that's there with an active subscription isn't...

 

[Fridgster]

Please realize when i recieved the account it was a 70 month blank account. It's an account I probably would have never played if not for EJ.

 

[Fridgster]

Yes, I would have given it back. It's been 10 years so how can you remember what you did with this account? Maybe you did sell or give it to this person and they never changed the account/security info... after all this time you wouldn't have a castle standing with all it's content. Also with the state of the game why would you want to make someone lose all their stuff and quit? I'm all about a deal and maybe the account is rightfully yours, the content that's there with an active subscription isn't...

I actually kept pretty detailed records of all the accounts I have. Right down to character info.

 

[Archnight]

I actually kept pretty detailed records of all the accounts I have. Right down to character info.

So was this person the original owner or someone else since you spoke to them on the phone? And do you agree with my reasoning or still your wifes??

 

[Fridgster]

So was this person the original owner or someone else since you spoke to them on the phone? And do you agree with my reasoning or still your wifes??

I think the one that sold it to me sold it to her as well. The fact she was giving me her number to talk made me side a little more towards that she got scammed as well. Seemed like an honest person but I must admit I have been accused of being too trusting lol.

 

[ShriNayne]

You only have their word that they have been playing that account for 10 years, how do you know it hasn't been bought and sold many times over? To be honest I find the whole situation both intriguing and worrying...on the other hand what you did was very kind, or at least it seemed the right thing if you had all the facts! But what if you didn't...

 

[Fridgster]

You only have their word that they have been playing that account for 10 years, how do you know it hasn't been bought and sold many times over? To be honest I find the whole situation both intriguing and worrying...on the other hand what you did was very kind, or at least it seemed the right thing if you had all the facts! But what if you didn't...

That's when I rely on karma to take its course

 

[Archnight]

I think the one that sold it to me sold it to her as well. The fact she was giving me her number to talk made me side a little more towards that she got scammed as well

Regardless of it all, you did the right thing and shouldn't listen to your wife . What you originally owned was a 70 month blank account... not the current 190+ month account (if left open all this time) loaded with a castle

 

[Lord Frodo]

shouldn't listen to your wife

LMAO You are one brave man.

 

[Archnight]

LMAO You are one brave man.

Yup, though sometimes it gets me in trouble...

Hehe

 

[Lord Frodo]

Yup, though sometimes it gets me in trouble...

Hehe

Sometimes, I think you are pulling our leg on that one and by the way hows the couch.

 

[Fridgster]

Regardless of it all, you did the right thing and shouldn't listen to your wife . What you originally owned was a 70 month blank account... not the current 190+ month account (if left open all this time) loaded with a castle

Considering the first thing that popped up was the rewards gump with 10 choices left I'd say she had been playing the account for a while.

 

[Victim of Siege]

If i had not put any time or effort into the account, I can honestly say I would let the person have it, but the big factor in the decision, more so than time and effort, would be how much i originally paid for the account.

 

[Fridgster]

If i had not put any time or effort into the account, I can honestly say I would let the person have it, but the big factor in the decision, more so than time and effort, would be how much i originally paid for the account.

Not much I'm sure.

 

[The Craftsman]

Regardless of it all, you did the right thing and shouldn't listen to your wife

Opinion, not fact. Stop presenting it as such.

 

[Archnight]

Opinion.

Oh please do share yours

 

[The Craftsman]

Oh please do share yours

If I did, I would state it as opinion, unlike you who state it as fact, when it clearly isnt.

 

[Lord Frodo]

Opinion, not fact. Stop presenting it as such.

Now this is funny because almost all of your opinions are stated as fact. So saying an opinion in a short statement is consider a fact nice to know professor.

 

[Pawain]

I think you did the right thing especially if that account owned the Castle. That means they have been paying for it and using it.

I am sure that person was very distressed about the situation.

 

[The Craftsman]

Now this is funny because almost all of your opinions are stated as fact. So saying an opinion in a short statement is consider a fact nice to know professor.

It’s quite right and proper to present things as facts. They quite often are.

However, when dealing with the complex subject of morality, which is actually the premise of this thread, then its dangerous ground to present opinion as fact (the bible does this in spades). I’d be happy to get into a conversation with you about absolute morality, subjective morality, secular morality or biblical morality if you wish to pursue this fascinating but complex matter. Im sure I could educate you on the subject.

 

[Acid Rain]

The OP is asking for opinions, hence the title "What would you do?"

Morality aside, it's pretty safe to say all comments will be opinions as that's what he asked.

No where that I've read says anything about "The fact is....", "it's a fact..." or any claim to "fact".

 

[Lord Frodo]

It’s quite right and proper to present things as facts. They quite often are.

However, when dealing with the complex subject of morality, which is actually the premise of this thread, then its dangerous ground to present opinion as fact (the bible does this in spades). I’d be happy to get into a conversation with you about absolute morality, subjective morality, secular morality or biblical morality if you wish to pursue this fascinating but complex matter. Im sure I could educate you on the subject.

 

[North_LS]

you'd have been within your rights to keep the account i think, but there's no way i could have whisked away 10 years of someone elses time and effort and not felt awful about it. I think you did the right thing.

 

[The Craftsman]

you'd have been within your rights to keep the account i think, but there's no way i could have whisked away 10 years of someone elses time and effort and not felt awful about it. I think you did the right thing.

Very nicely put.

 

[Duke Winter]

If you got the account through honest means and it was legit as far as you know then the account was yours. I am inclined to agree with your missus on this.... I think if I was you I would have been really shocked.

I don't agree, personally.

I think you did the right thing. Sure, you bought the account (x) number of years ago, but she's been using it, and paying for it for 10 years? I think that she payed for it for that long supports ownership. It's sticky because it's virtual property. But I agree with the OP.

 

[Lore]

This whole pointing out fact or opinion is BS that reminds me days when people I knew learned a new word and it was suddenly called out on everyone at every opportunity. Things like "Hypocrite" went on for months. It gets old. We can tell an opinion from a fact ourselves without someone else pointing it out.

I would have kept the account. If the other person was so invested they should have changed the email before paying for so long on it. There's no telling how long she was paying for it either. She could have just reactivated it.

This is a UO problem. The account management sucks and you all have entirely too many accounts.

 

[Yadd of Legends]

“You all have entirely too many accounts” - lol - +1 - given that premise, I also would not have fought over this account

 

[Fridgster]

“You all have entirely too many accounts” - lol - +1 - given that premise, I also would not have fought over this account

Honestly I'm a bit embarrassed by how many I have. I was thinking 40ish before I started searching CDs for account text files. Ended up closer to 100

 

[Lord Frodo]

This is a UO problem. The account management sucks and you all have entirely too many accounts.

So now you are the account police too. Be thankful that we do have so many accounts or you wouldn't be playing UO.

 

[Lore]

Or, I know this will be a struggle to comprehend, accounts left because of it and you're just refilling a void you created.

 

[celticus]

In my opinion, to punish the present owner of the account for not having changed the email of the account seems pretty unfair, and trying to claim an account that has been dead for 10 years due to a present day technicality of reclaiming old accounts etc. Closing your eyes to the fact that you gave up that account to begin with that could have been deleted in some other games, and also that the present owner has a castle on it, and items etc..what a mess..I think what you did is fair and you will not have the guilty feeling that you wronged someone is a good thing you did. Dont regret this, you did ok. Just make sure you tell her/him to change the email to theirs..

 

[North_LS]

Honestly I'm a bit embarrassed by how many I have. I was thinking 40ish before I started searching CDs for account text files. Ended up closer to 100

lmao, if any are decent and you're looking to lighten your load..

 

[Fridgster]

lmao, if any are decent and you're looking to lighten your load..

Lol nah I dont get into that anymore. Besides most are just accounts that are mostly blank that are 70-80 months old. I originally obtained them for the rewards at the time.

 

[MalagAste]

In my opinion, to punish the present owner of the account for not having changed the email of the account seems pretty unfair, and trying to claim an account that has been dead for 10 years due to a present day technicality of reclaiming old accounts etc. Closing your eyes to the fact that you gave up that account to begin with that could have been deleted in some other games, and also that the present owner has a castle on it, and items etc..what a mess..I think what you did is fair and you will not have the guilty feeling that you wronged someone is a good thing you did. Dont regret this, you did ok. Just make sure you tell her/him to change the email to theirs..

They may not have been able to... In order to change the email you have to know the "Secret word"... He/She might not know that.