Can Anybody Answer This Question About Pogo, and EA Games?
By Darkwing
@Darkwing (21583)
February 19, 2007 4:32pm CST
Today, I received a written warning from EA Games, in my e-mail, regarding a violation by somebody using my name in Pogo! It consisted of language I wouldn't ever dream of using, and I certainly haven't spoken much with anybody in Pogo recently, for the simple fact that I only go in now, to do my challenges.
A few things about this violation warning struck me as odd. Firstly, it was typed on plain paper, no EA trademark or logo, which they seem to have present everywhere else you encounter the name. Secondly, where it showed the two parts of the discussion, it had timestamps by the names, which I have never seen in Pogo chat rooms before and thirdly, it has three links which can be clicked on, namely for a dispute form, EA's terms of service and any general questions or concerns about the rule or its enforcement in the game. None of these areas shows a trademark, either.
Now, having been blessed with a virus last week and spending most of the week offline, I managed to get going again at the weekend, and I didn't go near Pogo until Sunday, on my son's computer, just to play off my challenges. No way have I been in Pogo at all in the last week, let alone use the foul language which is posted in this letter.
What I would like to ask is, does anybody else have experience of such a letter, and if so, does it sound genuine to you. Or if not, how do you think the problem could have arisen? Do you think it might be a scam, to get me to click on the links, or do you think Pogo's security is not as hot as it should be? I checked the name of the other person in the conversation by adding her to my friend's list, and she is genuine. I'm wondering whether she, for being the first to use the foul language, might have received a letter as well, or whether she's trying to pass a virus, or perhaps somebody else has hacked her account. I'm so confused. I'm afraid to click on the links in case of another virus, and I'm afraid that if I don't, I'll be removed from Pogo Membership, having just renewed!
Help, please? I need some solid advice.
3 people like this
4 responses
@sellj75 (208)
• United States
19 Feb 07
I've never received anything like that from them, and it doesn't sound genuine to me. I would log into the account from their site and see if there is anything in your messages. I'm sure if you were in violation then it would also be listed on their site. Any links listed in the email you should be able to acces from your account. Hope that helps
2 people like this
@Darkwing (21583)
•
19 Feb 07
Hey!!! Good thinking!!! It didn't dawn on me to consult my Pogo Message Bank. They would certainly send a message in there, as all my other Pogo messages have come to that site. Thank you so much; that's a sure-fire way of finding out whether it's genuine.
Brightest Blessings. I'll come back and let you know whether it's there or not! Thank you.
1 person likes this
@Darkwing (21583)
•
19 Feb 07
Well, I checked my Pogo Message Box, and there is a note in there, headed EA Online Support, which reads, as follows, and is the same as the e-mail, but less explicit. Even so, it still doesn't look very genuine to me, the way it's set out. I cut and pasted it exactly the same as it was in my Pogo inbox. lol....
Dear moonchild031 , Your Electronic Arts Pogo account has been issued a warning for violating the Terms of Service for Electronic Arts Online. Violation: Use of inappropriate language Transmit or facilitate distribution of Content that is harmful, abusive, racially or ethnically offensive, vulgar, sexually explicit, defamatory, infringing, invasive of personal privacy or publicity rights, or in a reasonable person's view, objectionable. Hate speech is not tolerated. Chat Log:womannorth 18:08:33 I'm saying that we will talk n if ur up 2 @^&*^@# we will =^&+ Moonchild031 18:08:33 u r a @*@=+@# +!#!$ You can read the Terms of Service for Electronic Arts Online by going to the following web address. http://www.ea.com/global/legal/tos.jsp If you feel that this warning is unwarranted, or if you wish to dispute the claims of this email, please submit a dispute form by using the following link: http://support.ea.com/cgi-bin/ea.cfg/php/enduser/terminated_form.php. The Electronic Arts support team is available at http://support.ea.com should you have any general questions or concerns about the rule or its enforcement in the game, as we feel it is important to understand the rule completely before returning to the game world. Sincerely, Customer Support Electronic Arts, Inc.
I think I'm still going to go through Pogo Help. I'm still a bit dubious about this. EA always use their trade mark.
@bethed (277)
• United States
19 Feb 07
If it is from pogo it would be in your pogo mail.If this came in your regular e-mail than check out your account and see if it is there.Also you can go to the ea technical help page and they will request a copy if it is not real.Even if you did not commit the violation pogo will hold you accountable for it because it happend on your user name and password.
1 person likes this
@Darkwing (21583)
•
19 Feb 07
Yes, I found it in my Pogo Message Box as well, bethed, and have pasted this copy into the reply under Sellj75's response, above. It still doesn't look very professional to me, and I think I will go now, through the help pages of either Pogo, EA, or both.
Thank you for your response and Brightest Blessings.
@Darkwing (21583)
•
20 Feb 07
Ok you guys... I feel the need to keep you up to date with this, as EA are about to terminate my account, and I'm most upset that this happened when I did nothing at all.
I've submitted a Dispute Form through EA's official site, and they put up a little message saying that they'd received it and would reply shortly.
Basically, I disputed even having been on the computer as I had a virus and can prove through my Computer's Support Team and ISP that I wasn't online for the best part of a week. I also requested that they give the reportee my sincerest apologies that this all happened in my name, as I was most upset and embarrassed at it having been said. I would never use that sort of language in real life, let alone in a chat room, and I'm hurt by all this.
Somebody seems to have targeted me over the past couple of weeks, for whatever reason, but I'm not going to have my name blackened by some inconsiderate, foul-mouthed fool, that easily.
I'll be back to let you know how it all went, but in the meantime, I would like to pose one question... what DO these people get out of behaving this way? They steal accounts, drop viruses into your PC and not satisfied at that... they blacken your name as well. I just don't get it!
Meantime, I would like to thank you all for your help and concern for my Pogo Account.
1 person likes this
@chaygylmommy (2469)
• United States
19 Feb 07
I would definately be skeptical if you have never given your name and password to anyone else. I would contact EA Games if I were you, but ONLY thru POGO.com and not thru any of the links on the email.
1 person likes this
@Darkwing (21583)
•
19 Feb 07
Thank you Chaygylmommy. I think you're right. I'm perhaps being a little over-cautious but I know there's a lot of account stealing goes on, and I'm not about to fall for it this way. It's a very roughly typed letter, bad typeface, and on plain paper, coupled with the fact that I haven't even been online, let alone in Pogo, and I was immediately alerted.
Thank you for your help... I'll go through either Pogo, or EA help site, and refer to it that way, I think. Brightest Blessings.
2 people like this
@revdauphinee (5703)
• United States
19 Feb 07
I know myself from previous experience how hard it is to contact POGO however i would try they need to know about this It dosent sound genuine to me it sounds like a hacker !
