Wherein customers ask me for support for ILLEGAL products...

[CrazedClerkthe2nd]

First story

Me: Thank you for calling [games store], this is CC, how can I help you?
SC: Uh, yeah I just got a copy of [very popular computer game] and I having trouble installing it.
Me: Ok, what's happening.
SC: Well, it's asking me for an activation code but the one I have isn't working, when I put it in I get some kind of weird error message.
Me: More than likely it's an error with the code, you'd have to take that up with the manufacturer, but there's a possibility you have a faulty disc. Did you buy it here?
SC: Well...I don't have a disc. I just got the game off the internet and it came with a code but the code won't work.
Me: Did you pay anything for the game?
SC: Nah man...my friend hooked me up. He tried to help me with this problem but didn't get anywhere so he told me to call you he thought you might know what to do.
Me: Well sir, seeing as how you have a pirated copy of the game, there's nothing I can do.
SC: You mean you can't give me another activation code.
Me: No sir. The only way I could give you one is if you came in and PAID for the game.
SC: Damn...*click*

Story 2

SC: I had my 360 going on wireless but now it's not working anymore, I don't know what happened to it.
Me: Ok, it could be a problem with your system or your wireless router.
SC: Well my system has been running fine, I didn't change any of the settings.
Me: Ok and what about the router?
SC: Actually I don't have a wireless router, but I live in an apartment building and when I first tried the wireless adapter it picked up an available network so I just connected with that and it was working fine for months until last night.
Me: So the wireless connection you are using actually belongs to someone else?
SC: Yeah, but it was working fine. How do I get it working again?
Me: What you are doing is illegal, I can't help you with it. There's a good possibility your neighbor realized you were stealing and made the network more secure to stop it.
SC: So there's nothing I can do?
Me: You can pay for your own router and internet service but that's about it.
SC: Aight....*SC slinks away*

Story 3

SC: I need help with using my new 360.
Me: Ok what do you need to know?
SC: Well my friend modded it for me and I can't seem to get certain games to load properly.
Me: Wait, did you say modded?
SC: Yeah he took care of that for me but now I'm trying to use it and it's not working right, can you help me with this thing?
Me: Firstly sir, there are multiple ways to mod a system, without knowing exactly what your friend did, there's no way for me to help you. Secondly, we don't do anything related to modded systems anyway.
SC: I could have my friend call you and tell you what he did, would that help?
Me: No, like I said sir, we stay away from anything to do with modded systems, the companies we buy products from wouldn't be very happy with us if we did.
SC: So I'm on my own?
Me: I'm afraid so.
SC: Well ok then. *click*

On a related note I had an SC awhile back ask me: "Do you guys still mod systems? (emphasis mine). We have NEVER modded systems, I don't know what this guy was smoking.

WTF is wrong with people these days?

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

What's wrong is the economy is shitty and people aren't making as much money but they still think they should have the same things they did before.

Of course these kinds of things went on when the economy was good. But now that it's tanked I bet they're happening more often.

[mikoyan29]

I used to leech off a wireless when I first got a wireless laptop but I realized how not good that was (plus the guy moved). So I broke down and bought a router that I mostly use for my PS3. Now they have free wireless in my apartment but I imagine it's not very reliable.

[edible_hat]

My phone automatically scans for open wifi hotspots and, where available, uses them instead of the phone network for internet access. Of course I only use it where there's legal free wifi available (cafes etc).

There are 6 wifi hotspots I can see from my living room, but they're all encrypted. Which is as it should be.

[Camry178]

I had to encrypt my wifi. I got two letters from my cable company claiming that I downloaed two movies, Wolverine and Watchmen. That's when I went back and re-installed the program with encryption.

Try to get my wifi now.

[MoxisPilot]

What's wrong is the economy is shitty and people aren't making as much money but they still think they should have the same things they did before.

THIS.

Amen to you, sir.

[Darkforge]

I used to leech off a wireless when I first got a wireless laptop but I realized how not good that was (plus the guy moved). So I broke down and bought a router that I mostly use for my PS3. Now they have free wireless in my apartment but I imagine it's not very reliable.

if you have wireless, make sure to encrypt it (or at least change the default password)

I've found 48 different wireless networks in my new apartment, and every one of them that had the default network name also had the default password or had the password "admin".

I'm currently using my neighbours wireless as I helped her encrypt it in exchange for permission to use it until I get my own internet access set up (should be on monday!).

I personally see the fact that if anyone searches for wireless networks thye can see the names of each connection as a way of sending out a short message to anyone with a computer within a 100 yards.

my last connection was "stop trying to steal my internets!" though it has varied before.

[edible_hat]

my last connection was "stop trying to steal my internets!"

Nobody tried to get into "free wifi LOL "

[fireheart]

When I first got my laptop, I actually did scan and found one wireless route. I did leech off of it for a while, only for MSN. After a while though, I guess he figured out and encrypted it. We're slowly in the process of getting a wireless router....I think my mum thinks that if we do, that I'll be filming and uploading softcore porn in my room.

[AriRashkae]

When we first got our router, we quickly renamed it to "The Collective." Our neighbors a few houses down later told us that they had a friend over one day who decided to see what he could find with his laptop. Apparently, the name freaked him out and he thought it was some cult. Our friends told him that a) anyone with a network name like that is likely a geek, and b) it was most likely us.

We've been lax about encrypting since we moved, mostly because to pick up the signal outside the house, you need to be in one of the two pens filled with sheep who scramble over people looking for grain.

[dalesys]

When I first got my laptop, I actually did scan and found one wireless route. I did leech off of it for a while, only for MSN. After a while though, I guess he figured out and encrypted it. We're slowly in the process of getting a wireless router....I think my mum thinks that if we do, that I'll be filming and uploading softcore porn in my room.

Bookmarked for future reference.

[mikoyan29]

if you have wireless, make sure to encrypt it (or at least change the default password)

I've found 48 different wireless networks in my new apartment, and every one of them that had the default network name also had the default password or had the password "admin".

I'm currently using my neighbours wireless as I helped her encrypt it in exchange for permission to use it until I get my own internet access set up (should be on monday!).

I personally see the fact that if anyone searches for wireless networks thye can see the names of each connection as a way of sending out a short message to anyone with a computer within a 100 yards.

my last connection was "stop trying to steal my internets!" though it has varied before.

I have my home router set up so that only certain MAC Addresses can get on it. I didn't really feel like messing wiht passwords and what not.

[calulu]

if you have wireless, make sure to encrypt it (or at least change the default password)

I've found 48 different wireless networks in my new apartment, and every one of them that had the default network name also had the default password or had the password "admin".

I'm currently using my neighbours wireless as I helped her encrypt it in exchange for permission to use it until I get my own internet access set up (should be on monday!).

I personally see the fact that if anyone searches for wireless networks thye can see the names of each connection as a way of sending out a short message to anyone with a computer within a 100 yards.

my last connection was "stop trying to steal my internets!" though it has varied before.

Encrypt and change that password even if you're not living in an apartment. Yeah, no kidding. From my big honking neighborhood of houses that aren't very close together the day I installed my last router I picked up 16 other wifi hot spots all with the default password or the password 'admin' from my office. All those open available wifis surrounding us I could have leached off of but didn't. I have only glommed on once, the other day when Comcast was digging up my backyard to replace the twenty year old cable and I had no internet and was trying to work.

[Dreamstalker]

I used to leech off a wireless when I first got a wireless laptop but I realized how not good that was (plus the guy moved).

I did that for a week or so in my first apartment when Comcast was dragging their heels about getting a tech out...I only hopped on to check email and a few forums and never stayed on for long.

Then once my connection was up and running I find that someone is leeching off of me (not the guy that I was leeching off of). That was a fun little game; once I managed to identify them they vanished never to return.

The current router has MAC filtering enabled, but every once in awhile I'll see some random device on there (not the router, Wii or any of the computers in the house). If I'm sitting in the living room with my laptop I can pick up about a half-dozen open networks all set to default...I could probably get into their router settings if I wanted.

[lordlundar]

Try to get my wifi now.

Bad choice of words Cam. You'd be surprised at just how many people take that as a challenge.

No one here mind you, but...