Got Fu**ed by FabFilter (Got fixed by FabFilter, cause after all we're only human)

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

You purchase a copy of the book. That doesn't make you the author. And yet, you can still sell that same book secondhand. What you don't have the right to do is make a copy of the book and sell it. In the US, the concept of selling the book in this example is the First Sale Doctrine. The EU has similar rules. Where those rules land on software is still a little murky, because software must be copied nowadays (no physical media).

In the case of a book, or a CD, or a computer with an operating system, those are physical items that are inoperable without the embedded IP, and as such are considered "inseparable." This is not the case with mp3s, pdfs, or software. If you can resell your software, then you can resell your iTunes music and your Amazon books. But I don't think you can, and most musicians who happily engage in selling software developers' intellectual property would be pretty pissed off at someone reselling their mp3s.

Like I said...laws vary by location.

Today is the day of KVR Law!

[vurt]

kvr law and order : subliminal intent.

dnk dnk!

[agharta]

Good luck with all this.

Some companies specifically prohibit you from selling more than one license for the same product, with izotope being one example.
I suppose they don't want to encourage 'trading' of licenses!
Although, izotope seem so disorganised that I doubt that they can actually track this.

[Proteinshake]

OK. Now we're actually getting somewhere.
The details of your story have won me over to your side.
See how easy that is when you just provide full and relevant information?

It is easier now that the steam clouds have dissipated, TBH.

I have a few remaining questions for you:

1. Did you resell the Pro-L2 and Pro-DS licenses in question?
2. Did you tell Fabfilter what you just told us?
3. Who sold you the shady licenses on GS?
4. Did you report the seller to GS?
5. Did you report the seller to PayPal?

You should publicize who scammed you here and on GS so others don't fall for it.

The Pro-L2 I snatched from the seller for merely $70 .. yes, I know. If it is seems to be too good to be true etc., but PayPal buyer protection and the fact that I didn't know about how easy it actually is to scam with FabFilter until now, I didn't think much of it. Used it for a short while, thought it was meh and didn't get the hype about L2 at all. So I sold it again, at a loss and bought it again from FabFilter directly, after I've seen a YT-Video on how L2 is actually to be used and .. oh well, facepalm. That's me alright ..

The Pro-DS I kept though.

I will try to contact FF again tomorrow, maybe I'll get a response then. The guy I got the licenses from still has a bundle up for sale: https://gearspace.com/board/gearspace-s ... undle.html

Seems he hasn't been logged in for 4 weeks now, which would be the time since I've gotten the Pro-DS from him. I don't like framing a guy based on suspicion, I don't like it at all .. therefore I've not been reporting this to GS yet, same with PayPal. That's why it pissed me off in the first place, that I wasn't told by FF what exactly is going on. Just fu** you and "If you have any more questions, just let us know!"

[vurt]

they shouldnt have waited on you getting in touch.
they should have emailed to resolve, as soon as they realised there was an issue.

it may be legal requirement in the case of fraud to suspend your account, understandable, but with some avenue to resolution.

[jens]

they shouldnt have waited on you getting in touch.
they should have emailed to resolve, as soon as they realised there was an issue.

Exactly this!

[__Karlo__]

We want names!

[vurt]

We want names!

terry duckworth.

[ians]

Father Todd Unctious

[sin night]

If I were you, I would try work this out with FabFilter and GS (and then also PayPal... if not for an immediate refund, at least to have that account freezed/suspended untill further investigation).


I clicked on the second hand sale linked a few posts before and then looked at the user profile. He's been on GS for some years and all the sales (from his stats) seems to be recent... then I searched his username on the web and it looks like he uses it on various sites (all legit places). Maybe I'm playing the devil's advocate but, for what we know, it's possible someone hacked/stole his account/identity.


I understand you may be pissed by the situation (from your story, it seems like communication could have been better), but trying to solve the situation properly is still the correct thing to do, even if you don't want to use FabFilter products anymore:

- Providing informations to the companies (FabFilter, but also GS) is important to further investigate the situation (and possibly stop other scams by the same individuals, maybe with different accounts).
- In case the user who sold you the licenses turns out to be a hacked/stolen forum/Paypal account, then you'd do a big favour to that person by reporting him, if he doesn't know his account has been compromised (what if his account is used for multiple crimes on a long period? sounds like a nightmare!)
- Maybe (I don't know) you'll get your licenses back when the situation is sorted out (maybe you don't care anymore, but you paid money for them and you used them... If I were you, I'd hope to get my account back).
- Last but not least, I wouldn't want my name associated to any scam, so I would provide every detail to clarify the situation and make it very clear that I'm a victim and I've been used by a scammer.


Just my 2 cents, of course.

[biomechanoid]

did u buy stuff from this fraud guy?

https://www.dontpostlinkstowarez.com

You're not supposed to post links to warez here.

[billcarroll]

they shouldnt have waited on you getting in touch.
they should have emailed to resolve, as soon as they realised there was an issue.

Exactly this!

The OP could have tread the license transfer info in the FAQ and had FabFilter check the license before purchasing.

This is not FaFilter’s fault or responsibility to fix after the fact when the OP has purchased stolen software. He got scammed and that truly sucks. Not cool to blame FabFilter though.

https://www.fabfilter.com/support/faq#c ... bay-seller

Can I safely buy a (second hand) FabFilter license via an eBay seller?

Most of the times, (second hand) FabFilter licenses that are offered for sale on eBay are not legit.

A FabFilter license can only be transferred to another person via the FabFilter account of the seller, using the official license transfer feature. If the seller does not agree to do this, he is not selling a legit license, and you should not purchase.

Please keep the following things in mind when purchasing (second hand) FabFilter plug-ins via eBay or other websites:

If the price looks too good to be true... it's probably too good to be true.

If people offer OEM licenses, or Windows- or Mac-only licenses: scam, these types of licenses do not even exist.

The only valid way to sell/transfer FabFilter licenses, is via a FabFilter user account.

If you are in doubt about an eBay offer, e-mail us and we'll have a look!

[rod_zero]

The one clear lesson here for end users is never buy “used” licenses. and the lesson for software developers is to protect their customers by not allowing license transfers.

Lots of users here have sold and bought licenses for years without problems. There have been some frauds but given the sheer volume of transactions fraud is uncommon.

You always have the worst takes ever.

[rod_zero]

If someone hacked the original users account and transferred the plugins, how is FF going to prove OP was the one hacking and transferring the licenses? and not a victim of the hacker?

This is what i think is wrong with tech companies, they are part and judge, they cover their own mistakes blaming someone else and act on their own.

I still think these companies need their balls kicked by big government and start filling police reports if they are being hacked or seeing suspicious activity, they are not judges.

[jens]

they shouldnt have waited on you getting in touch.
they should have emailed to resolve, as soon as they realised there was an issue.

Exactly this!

The OP could have tread the license transfer info in the FAQ and had FabFilter check the license before purchasing.

This is not FaFilter’s fault or responsibility to fix after the fact when the OP has purchased stolen software. He got scammed and that truly sucks. Not cool to blame FabFilter though.

https://www.fabfilter.com/support/faq#c ... bay-seller

Can I safely buy a (second hand) FabFilter license via an eBay seller?

Most of the times, (second hand) FabFilter licenses that are offered for sale on eBay are not legit.

A FabFilter license can only be transferred to another person via the FabFilter account of the seller, using the official license transfer feature. If the seller does not agree to do this, he is not selling a legit license, and you should not purchase.

Please keep the following things in mind when purchasing (second hand) FabFilter plug-ins via eBay or other websites:

If the price looks too good to be true... it's probably too good to be true.

If people offer OEM licenses, or Windows- or Mac-only licenses: scam, these types of licenses do not even exist.

The only valid way to sell/transfer FabFilter licenses, is via a FabFilter user account.

If you are in doubt about an eBay offer, e-mail us and we'll have a look!

What has this got to do with anything?

Fabfilter themselves accepted the licences (initially) and transferred them to him so that check would have changed absolutely nothing for him. Had they not accepted them his loss would have been smaller than it is atm, since they locked him out of his entire account.