World of Warcraft, Milk, and Cannabis

[level.eleven]

Things raided by the feds, Alex.

Yep. The feds are raiding people and taking their property over a video game.

FBI agents search University of Michigan students' apartment during investigation involving World of Warcraft scheme

 

[Benny]

This is swell...I'm sure there's nothing on either of those student's stolen computers that they may need for school.

 

[Paco Bedejo]

This article shouldn't be about WoW...it should focus mostly upon the fraudulent bank accounts. Sensational reporting is sensational...

 

[level.eleven]

This article shouldn't be about WoW...it should focus mostly upon the fraudulent bank accounts. Sensational reporting is sensational...

They just busted a front for a gold farmer. They probably violated the EULA as well. Blizzard isn't a company you mess around with. I just thought it was entertaining that MMO gaming is on the fed's radar. I am guessing Blizzard tipped the FBI that something was up.

 

[Paco Bedejo]

They just busted a front for a gold farmer. They probably violated the EULA as well. Blizzard isn't a company you mess around with. I just thought it was entertaining that MMO gaming is on the fed's radar. I am guessing Blizzard tipped the FBI that something was up.

It's more like fraudulent banking is on the FBI's radar...and happened to coincide with an unenforceable EULA for a popular MMORPG, so a reporter decided to focus on something which was popular to sensationalize 5 years ago.

 

[level.eleven]

It's more like fraudulent banking is on the FBI's radar...and happened to coincide with an unenforceable EULA for a popular MMORPG, so a reporter decided to focus on something which was popular to sensationalize 5 years ago.

That may certainly be the case. Fraudulent banking amongst gamers must be hot right now. Last week it was poker players.

 

[theweakerbrother]

Thank God my tax dollars are at work!

 

[XMil]

Rat's, I could have sworn I saw WTS: in the title.

 

[tv1217]

wtf? So they were selling what is basically the electronic equal to Monopoly money? How is this illegal, people sell their accounts and stuff they've earned in games all the time.

 

[88GT]

wtf? So they were selling what is basically the electronic equal to Monopoly money? How is this illegal, people sell their accounts and stuff they've earned in games all the time.

No different than buying FV cash IMO.

 

[Bond 281]

wtf? So they were selling what is basically the electronic equal to Monopoly money? How is this illegal, people sell their accounts and stuff they've earned in games all the time.

Well it's a violation of the terms of use to play Warcraft, so there's a partial issue there. However, these people that sell gold in the game have also been known to not pay out the gold once they receive currency, hack into player's game/bank accounts, and their sites often have malware that infects computers. There also might be some law about buying/selling virtual items through unlicensed third parties. I'm guessing that either there was an issue with them getting cash and not paying out in the game, and/or the government is cracking down because they didn't get their slice of the pie.

 

[rjstew317]

Thank God my tax dollars are at work!

you don't pay taxes!!

 

[rjstew317]

Well it's a violation of the terms of use to play Warcraft, so there's a partial issue there. However, these people that sell gold in the game have also been known to not pay out the gold once they receive currency, hack into player's game/bank accounts, and their sites often have malware that infects computers. There also might be some law about buying/selling virtual items through unlicensed third parties. I'm guessing that either there was an issue with them getting cash and not paying out in the game, and/or the government is cracking down because they didn't get their slice of the pie.

dude, if I have have to hear you guy's start debating virtual law, and Rambone debating actual law, I think my head is going to explode!!

 

[Bond 281]

dude, if I have have to hear you guy's start debating virtual law, and Rambone debating actual law, I think my head is going to explode!!

It's not "virtual law," it's actual law against fraud. The point of my post was that the arrest very likely isn't at all about the specifics of virtual currency, but instead about ACTUAL fraud that took place. That fraud just so happened to be dealing with virtual things.

 

[Keyser Soze]

Lost four years of my life to that damn game. I think there may be more here than the story mentioned. I'm not sure if its the same guys but I heard some college kids were using WoW to wash money.

 

[Bond 281]

Lost four years of my life to that damn game. I think there may be more here than the story mentioned. I'm not sure if its the same guys but I heard some college kids were using WoW to wash money.

Yeah I was pretty hardcore for a couple years.

Washing money through WoW would make a lot more sense given the FBI involvement. It seems unlikely that they'd go through all the trouble just for gold farming fraud.