classifiedpeon ([info]classifiedpeon) wrote in [info]wow_ladies,
@ 2006-11-27 12:18:00
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Current mood: amused
Entry tags:wow addict

From a post in my LJ.
Heard on the radio this morning. Those poor people at Blizzard...

Some kid apparently got his WoW account suspended for 72 hours. He was cheating, or some such. Blizzard wrote saying that his account was up for review and might be cancelled. So he writes to Blizzard and bribes them. With $3,000 (which of course he didn't have, given that he - according to the people on the radio - was about 12 years old). They don't answer.

So he writes again and says something along the lines of "What would you say if I said I'd kill myself if you don't let me play World of Warcraft?" (They quoted the email on the radio, but that was about 4 hours ago so I've forgotten the exact wording.)

The people at Blizzard write back, telling him to seek professional help. They give him the toll free number of a suicide/depression hotline and urge him to call.

He writes back again, saying that he doesn't need some [edited]* number and that he's not a [edited]*, and that he doesn't want his parents to find out what he's threatening to do. He begs them again to reinstate his account.

*They read it this way on the air. Apparently there were several things said that couldn't be repeated.

Five hours later, the cops show up at his door. Blizzard reported the kid. Apparently they traced the IP address, found out where he lives, and showed up to get him the help he needs.

Blizzard sent another email. They cancelled his account.

Talk about a sucky customer. No WoW for you!

(I play WoW. I enjoy it. But damn, it's not the end of the world if you have to go without it. Serves you right for cheating in the first place.)


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[info]abazoe
2006-11-27 05:24 pm UTC (link)
Blizz handled the situation extremely well. I'm impressed!

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[info]classifiedpeon
2006-11-27 10:31 pm UTC (link)
That seems to be everyone's reaction. I was impressed as well.

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[info]cammyd
2006-11-27 05:29 pm UTC (link)
It's good to see some snot-nosed kid who thinks the internet=anonymity learning that you can't be a jerk and expect nothing to come from it.

Kudos Blizz for once. :)

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[info]noabsolutes
2006-11-27 05:30 pm UTC (link)
I, for one, would've loved to see his face when he opened the door.

Alternatively, I would have loved to see his faced when he parents cottoned to what exactly their kid was up to.

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[info]dreamt
2006-11-27 05:32 pm UTC (link)
A really good way to handle it! Silly kid :)

PWN3D!

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[info]almostgold
2006-11-27 05:36 pm UTC (link)
Glad to see them taking it seriously, considering that there has been at least 1 known homicide over WoW loot.

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[info]kleiner_stern
2006-11-27 06:13 pm UTC (link)
Are you serious? O.o

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[info]almostgold
2006-11-27 06:50 pm UTC (link)
Whoops. I am half right. Wrong game, but it was over MMORPG loot: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8143073/

There was apparently a suicide case in China related to Warcraft: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,195236,00.html?sPage=fnc.technology/videogaming

No way would Blizzard not take such a threat seriously at this point.

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[info]tokudama
2006-11-27 07:56 pm UTC (link)
re the suicide story - O.M.G. those parents are stupid.

I guess the best solution to any and all problems lies in lawsuits...

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[info]classifiedpeon
2006-11-27 10:44 pm UTC (link)
Christ. That's just insane. Both of those stories.

What do they want the warnings to say, exactly? "Anyone under 13 will go insane and jump off a building"

*Eyeroll*

That first story, too... Jeebus.

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[info]pleiades829
2006-11-27 05:38 pm UTC (link)
Wow. Extreme applause for Blizzard.

And I hope that kid gets in serious trouble. What a moron.

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[info]classifiedpeon
2006-11-27 10:38 pm UTC (link)
I hope he does, too.

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[info]aehallh
2006-11-27 05:41 pm UTC (link)
And, yet again, I lose a little more faith in humankind.

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[info]anonymissity
2006-11-27 05:44 pm UTC (link)
Kudos to the parents for being so completely ignorant of their own childs existence!

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[info]shinefire
2006-11-27 06:48 pm UTC (link)
Yeah, that's the part that gets me. The kid obviously had a small addiction to the game to say the least. How could the parents not notice?

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[info]classifiedpeon
2006-11-28 01:04 am UTC (link)
And if they *did* notice, how could they let it continue?

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[info]agirlunwritten
2006-11-27 05:45 pm UTC (link)
ROFL

OMG that's hilarious!

Good for Blizz and that kid definitely needs some partental supervision.

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[info]amynnah
2006-11-27 05:45 pm UTC (link)
Go. Blizz. /applaud

I hate people who try to use mental illnesses to get what they want. I have a few myself, and never try to use any of them as either a crutch, or for a free handout, or a way to bend the rules.

Stupid kid. It's probably that loser who tried to report me for reporting him.

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[info]classifiedpeon
2006-11-27 10:39 pm UTC (link)
You reported somebody for cheating?

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[info]kokopoko
2006-11-27 05:52 pm UTC (link)
Good for Blizz.

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[info]tonko_ni
2006-11-27 06:13 pm UTC (link)
Haha, go Blizz. I hope that kid gets grounded for a year or three for taking up everyone's valuable time (especially the cops!)

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[info]tokudama
2006-11-27 06:19 pm UTC (link)
Good job, Blizz. At first I was a little worried that the kid had offed himself. I never liked hearing the suicide threat when I used to volunteer at the crisis center... and at least we were somewhat prepared for it (whether real or a bluff), lol. So, yeah, they handled that well.

Naughty little rapscallion, eh?

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[info]classifiedpeon
2006-11-28 01:02 am UTC (link)
Naughty, yes. In desperate need of a good lesson, too.

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[info]_juliamarie
2006-11-27 06:42 pm UTC (link)
How immature... his parents must be going nuts. Kudos to Blizz, they handled that well.

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[info]sunflower_bloom
2006-11-27 07:28 pm UTC (link)
Ahahahahah! Blizzard handled taht very well.

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[info]m0nkeygrl
2006-11-27 07:30 pm UTC (link)
He writes back again, saying that he doesn't need some [edited]* number and that he's not a [edited]*

Obviously... ;)

Good on Blizz for this one.

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[info]milkchokolate
2006-11-27 07:38 pm UTC (link)
GJ Blizz.

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[info]deidarachan
2006-11-27 07:50 pm UTC (link)
Jeez, what a nut. Blizzard handled it really well though!

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[info]krysadis
2006-11-27 08:08 pm UTC (link)
Wow. That's the online version of the temper tantrum in the supermarket after not getting candy, right? "Fine, if I don't get that candy bar, I'm going to hold my breath until I go blue!" *pause* "I WANT CANDY NOW! YOU'RE SO MEAN TELLING ME TO SIT IN THE CORNER, I'M GOING TO KILL MYSELF AND YOU DON'T CARE!" *kicks, screams, etc.*

I wonder if it worked with his parents, and so thinks he can get away with similar dramatic threats with a company?

Kudos to Blizz for their handling of the situation.

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it was posted at fark.com
[info]lisacurl
2006-11-27 09:48 pm UTC (link)
http://www.taultunleashed.com/phpBB2/about28799.html

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Re: it was posted at fark.com
[info]classifiedpeon
2006-11-27 10:35 pm UTC (link)
Awesome. I tried to find it but couldn't. Thanks!

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Re: it was posted at fark.com
[info]tokudama
2006-11-27 10:53 pm UTC (link)
GAH that whole thread makes me angry. by 'whole thread' I mean the six posts that I managed to read before my vision went red. I hate how people casually discuss botting like its actually playing.

anyway, how could the brat be going through withdrawal if he wasn't even playing?

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Re: it was posted at fark.com
[info]classifiedpeon
2006-11-28 01:14 am UTC (link)
I didn't read any of the other posts on that forum. I just didn't want to know.

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[info]dirtylittlelie
2006-11-27 11:30 pm UTC (link)
Actually, Blizzard cancelled any account that Warden found any botting/glider programs on.

My fiance's friend installed glider on my fiance's computer a year or so ago to glide his [fiance's friend's] characters. My fiance didn't condone this, but he didn't stop him. When Blizzard found glider on my fiance's comp, they banned his account with 5 level 60s on it, no questions asked.

Sucks that that kid cared so much about WoW...geez.

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[info]classifiedpeon
2006-11-28 01:17 am UTC (link)
Ouch. That's gotta suck. :/

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[info]dirtylittlelie
2006-11-28 01:19 am UTC (link)
Yah, he's been playing since closed beta, so it was kind of a blow to him...all those hours and that money.
Thankfully, he had a couple other accounts, and one had a 60 shammy and a 60 priest, so he just transferred the priest to our server.

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[info]classifiedpeon
2006-11-29 12:23 am UTC (link)
You can transfer characters between servers? I wasn't aware of that.

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[info]dirtylittlelie
2006-11-29 12:26 am UTC (link)
Yah, you can. Between servers or accounts...or both. It has a cooldown of quite a while, though, I think.

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[info]classifiedpeon
2006-11-29 12:57 am UTC (link)
That's kinda cool. And good to know. Thanks!

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