So here's the story:

I signed up for Xbox live a long time ago with my mom's credit card when I was still on her dole.

Her credit card # gets stolen by some eurotrash who proceeds to go crazy in Spain and Ireland, which necessitates her canceling said Credit Card #.

I was out of state while this happened, and when it came time to pay the Xbox Live piper, it attempted to charge it to a stolen CC, and thus it did not work, which made them cancel the account.

Fast forward to September of 2007 when I attempt to migrate that gamertag to Xbox 360 Live Gold.

It tells me that the gamertag is in use (The horror! It was so clever), so I sign up with another gamertag, and call Microsoft in January, wanting that gamertag after my current one was met with such derision by my better half.

Microsoft tells me that the account is locked, though it is in my name.

The problem is that the script monkeys in India that I get every time I call tell me that once an account has been locked, it can never be unlocked no matter what, and my brilliant gamertag has been lost forever.

This is BS I say, if Bill Gates called, you would do this for him (Yes, I embarassingly dropped Bill Gates name to the guys in India, MULTIPLE TIMES), and they said that no matter who called in, no one can be helped.

Well anyone that knows what computers are like knows that there is no way that anything is ever lost for good, especially when they still have all the account info.

The problem is, they tell me that there is nothing that can be done.

While I do believe that there is nothing that THEY can do, I don't believe that if Steve Balmer, Bill Gates, etc. called up that this wouldn't be handled in 5 minutes.

Am I as important as those guys to MS? No. I'm not and I realize that, but I don't like being told that something can't be done when it obviously can.

Because the script monkeys do not have access to the XBL central computers, it's very believable that in THEIR eyes nothing can be done.

So my question is:

A)Does anyone have a phone number for XBOX Live that ISNT the 800 number that may get me someplace BESIDES the central customer support punjabi hodown that is 1800MYXBOX

and

B)Is there ANYWAY that they are correct and there is some system out there that locks itself out from ANYONE changing it? (Barring some doomsday computer in a movie)

You have a low threshold for what qualifies as a "nightmare" ;)

J/K, Obviously it's physically possible to do it. When the script monkey says he "can't" that means he's not allowed, it's against company policy or whatever.

I'm sure the reasons they don't allow people to recover Gamertags that are associated with stolen CC's are obvious to you. They would be inviting all kinds of illegal shenanigans.

They didn't realize that CC was stolen, just that when they attempted to charge the account, that it was rejected.

Furthermore, I don't want the account back, I just want the gamertag.

I consider it a nightmare because I have now called India over 20 times!

Migration of a name from one account to another is just something that doesn't happen. If you want the tag so bad, then just change the name of your current
one, and add a "1" to the end. Problem solved.

If you'll notice, my current gamertag is "darklordjames3". Yes, "darklordjames" was also mine, but I don't have access to it any longer as it was a Xbox 1 tag from the launch of Live 5 years ago that I proceeded to not use for 4 years. :)

They didn't realize that CC was stolen, just that when they attempted to charge the account, that it was rejected.

Furthermore, I don't want the account back, I just want the gamertag.

I consider it a nightmare because I have now called India over 20 times!

Either way my point is that it's not that they "can't" do it, it's that they are not allowed to do it due to MS company policy. It's well known they don't let anyone recover gamertags from closed accounts. They say it's to prevent fraud, but it also gives people one more reason not to let their Live account lapse.

Anyway if you've called 20+ times just to try and get a gamertag back...wow. Just do what darklord said.

Migration of a name from one account to another is just something that doesn't happen. If you want the tag so bad, then just change the name of your current
one, and add a "1" to the end. Problem solved.

If you'll notice, my current gamertag is "darklordjames3". Yes, "darklordjames" was also mine, but I don't have access to it any longer as it was a Xbox 1 tag from the launch of Live 5 years ago that I proceeded to not use for 4 years. :)

yah, i've done that 4 times already.
OP, the sad truth is MS locks the tag and thats it.
sry:(

Yeah.

If I just gave up on things, then I wouldn't be me. Also, I would be less awesome.

I will work this up from the Microsoft corporate side tomorrow. I just had a hard time finding Microsoft corporate numbers.

Im gonna turn this **** into John Q, and I'm the Denzel Washington character.

I mean, what do you guys give up when people tell you no?

If my kids dying in the hospital, Im not just going to accept that they "cant" help him because he doesn't have insurance or whatnot.

I wouldn't have just taken it for granted if I was black that there were places that wouldn't serve me.

(And yes, I just compared my migrating gamertag to my dying child and the segregation movement).

It's a gamertag. It's value in my life is so low that I wouldn't be bothered to overcome the simplest obstacle for it.

Yeah.

If I just gave up on things, then I wouldn't be me. Also, I would be less awesome.

I will work this up from the Microsoft corporate side tomorrow. I just had a hard time finding Microsoft corporate numbers.

Im gonna turn this **** into John Q, and I'm the Denzel Washington character.

I mean, what do you guys give up when people tell you no?

If my kids dying in the hospital, Im not just going to accept that they "cant" help him because he doesn't have insurance or whatnot.

I wouldn't have just taken it for granted if I was black that there were places that wouldn't serve me.

(And yes, I just compared my migrating gamertag to my dying child and the segregation movement).

Wow

What time are you calling? Try calling during normal US business hours such as 9 to 5 PST. You are more likely to get someone with out a thick accent.

So you are trying to get a gamertag for an account that was closed for non payment to your account with a card in someone else's name that was stolen and also used fraudulently elsewhere and you stopped using years ago? Can you not see why this really isn't going to happen?

I was calling during the day from 12pmMST to about 3pmMST.

And if I could explain it to you, I would say something like

"Do you know who I am?"

But you dont, and it wouldn't make sense contextually anyway (I'm not famous).

However, all of you telling me that it's not going to happen only makes me want to go FURTHER to make it happen.

I wish I had a video camera so I could document how this all goes down (in flames. Wha!?)

**** dude just let it die.

the bottom line is that gamertags are locked for a good reason, which is that someone can't make a bad name for someone else...

for example, say there was someone with the gamertag MileHighMurder and he was the biggest a$$hole on XBL and he at some point cancels his account and makes up a new one. then, you coincidentally make up the same gamertag because you like the name, but you have no idea that someone has tarnished your reputation and you in turn have to suffer the consequences of something that wasn't your fault...

that's the reason gamertags are locked once an account is canceled, so everyone gets a fresh start. and i mean really, there are countless variations of MileHighMurder that you can do...

MiLeHiGhMuRd3r

now move on...

While you're holding Bill G. hostage please demand that he allows email addresses to be unlinked from old gamertags. By the way...to all you people who hate talking to people overseass, I usually ask for a US rep if I feel the need.

I asked for a US rep today, no dice.

I doubt I will be able to get ahold of Bill Gates.

My goal tomorrow is to get Major Nelson on the phone.

Dude, don't harass Major Nelson. Sure, he is essentialy a marketing drone, but he's also a really nice guy. Harass him would be a douche move.

policy ,

While I am not Hindu , Arab , Muslim , etc. I must say that I was offended by your "punjabi hodown" comment and feel that it was totally uncalled for . I know the frustration of trying to speak with people that do not use english as their primary language but there is no need to make racist comments about them . Remember that AVS is on the World Wide Web not the Country Caucasian Web . My guess is that even an american (english speaking) MS call center rep would tell you the exact same thing . I'm sorry for my feelings but if there is one thing that boils my blood it's racism .

-- Jason

I'm just curious, what was the gamertag you want back?

Dude you have to either be trolling or you don't value your time and energy AT ALL to waste so much of both on something so trivial.

Either way have fun.

Let me guess....you weren't told "NO" very often when you were "on your mom's dole" were you? So if mom wouldn't tell you no, I guess it pisses you off that a lowly CS rep tells you no over the phone? And to make it even worse.....he's an INDIAN *gasp*!!!!

I love America, but there are times that I'm embarrassed by way things are going.

:rolleyes:

policy ,

While I am not Hindu , Arab , Muslim , etc. I must say that I was offended by your "punjabi hodown" comment and feel that it was totally uncalled for . I know the frustration of trying to speak with people that do not use english as their primary language but there is no need to make racist comments about them . Remember that AVS is on the World Wide Web not the Country Caucasian Web . My guess is that even an american (english speaking) MS call center rep would tell you the exact same thing . I'm sorry for my feelings but if there is one thing that boils my blood it's racism .

-- Jason

I lose faith in my countries people when I constantly hear dumb, ignorant sh*t on XBL. And then I get it back when I read stuff like this. Well said, Jason. I thoroughly agree.

Yeah.

If I just gave up on things, then I wouldn't be me. Also, I would be less awesome.

I will work this up from the Microsoft corporate side tomorrow. I just had a hard time finding Microsoft corporate numbers.

Im gonna turn this **** into John Q, and I'm the Denzel Washington character.

I mean, what do you guys give up when people tell you no?

If my kids dying in the hospital, Im not just going to accept that they "cant" help him because he doesn't have insurance or whatnot.

I wouldn't have just taken it for granted if I was black that there were places that wouldn't serve me.

(And yes, I just compared my migrating gamertag to my dying child and the segregation movement).

may I suggest prozac?

If I just gave up on things, then I wouldn't be me. Also, I would be less awesome.

That's not possible.

Get a grip, man. If these are the lemons life is tossing you, big whoop. Nightmare? Please. Self-inflicted stupidity is more like it.

may I suggest prozac?


Says the guy that was tricked by a goatse teenager and made a thread about getting revenge.

Dude you have to either be trolling or you don't value your time and energy AT ALL to waste so much of both on something so trivial.

Either way have fun.

well he knows on the PS3 you can just make up another name for free thats what he was tryign to say oringially that the LIVE takes too long and complicated vs PSN on the PS3 which is make up a name and go....:cool:

I love America, but there are times that I'm embarrassed by way things are going.

:rolleyes:


Amen brother.


I think he should call George W. Bush...I am sure he will take your call...plus he speaks english.

may I suggest prozac?

duuude, if whiskey is suggesting that you let it go, that's should tell you something ;)

hey whiskey, maybe this story is made up and the guy actually lost his tag for sending people a "picture"!:D

Let me guess....you weren't told "NO" very often when you were "on your mom's dole" were you? So if mom wouldn't tell you no, I guess it pisses you off that a lowly CS rep tells you no over the phone? And to make it even worse.....he's an INDIAN *gasp*!!!!

I love America, but there are times that I'm embarrassed by way things are going.

:rolleyes:

QFT!


Let go of the gamertag and have your OWN LIFE!

policy ,

While I am not Hindu , Arab , Muslim , etc. I must say that I was offended by your "punjabi hodown" comment and feel that it was totally uncalled for . I know the frustration of trying to speak with people that do not use english as their primary language but there is no need to make racist comments about them . Remember that AVS is on the World Wide Web not the Country Caucasian Web . My guess is that even an american (english speaking) MS call center rep would tell you the exact same thing . I'm sorry for my feelings but if there is one thing that boils my blood it's racism .

-- Jason

+1 Jason,

People dont realize that those type of jobs are pretty highly coveted overseas. The CS Rep is probably banging his head on his desk asking, "Doesn't this American have something better to do than repeat the same request over and over, after being told that we can't help him?"

Personally, it impresses me that English is his second (or maybe third) language, and he manages to make a living using it.
Im only fluent in one language, and my second language doesn't far exceed knowing a list of verbs and colors that I learned in Highschool....

People aren't stupid just because they dont speak our language.

well he knows on the PS3 you can just make up another name for free thats what he was tryign to say oringially that the LIVE takes too long and complicated vs PSN on the PS3 which is make up a name and go....:cool:

Yeah, that must be it :rolleyes:

Yeah, that must be it :rolleyes:

also its free.........:cool:

Well, he could always just substitute numbers or symbols for the letters; like the kids do with 4 & 3, cuz it's just so darn "clever & cute"... groan...

Member suspended for trolling and making racial slurs.

Closed