I happened to notice in the last few months that the number of console bans seems to have shot up expotentially.  Is this my imagination?  Also, everyone who reports a console has seems to say that there is no reason given for these console bans usually.  Is there some reason for this as well?

They enforcement team has been cracking down on modded consoles. You can read about it on Major Nelson's blog @ majornelson.com

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Tact Nukes are too Easy

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Yeah ive definatley noticed the rise in bans.And like ZS posted ,they are really cracking down on modded consoles. Which is fair enough i guess.

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What do you mean your leaving me cus of my xbox? Cant you be a bit quieter it can hear you.

Well, that is good to get those who are modding, but what those who claim they have never even opened the console, much less did any modding.

and OJ didn't kill Nicole, let alone write a book about it... :P

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Tact Nukes are too Easy

Ends.

 RED SHIFT1 wrote:

Well, that is good to get those who are modding, but what those who claim they have never even opened the console, much less did any modding.

the enforcement team does not place a ban on a console for no reason at all. they go through extensive investigation into the matter, to be sure that they are making the right decision on suspending a console due to terms of use violation or not. console bans can be handed out for more than just modifications:

 Xbox LIVE Policies on Console Suspensions wrote:

Consoles can be suspended from Xbox LIVE for a number of reasons including, but not limited to:

• Console tampering: Physically opening the Xbox and modifying it to play illegitimate software.
• Online fraud: Attempting to social engineer users, take over Xbox LIVE accounts, or other fraudulent activities.
• Repeat egregious violations: Multiple actions taken on accounts on the console by the Enforcement team for disrupting the service or impacting users.

as for people that claim they haven't broken the terms of service, they can tell you all day that they haven't done such a thing, but the enforcement team has proof in front of them of what they've done.

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This posting is provided "as-is" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

    Whats the extensive investigation? Sending a update that you have to download looking for anything modded? What if you bought your 360 from a pawnshop or second dealer? You don't know what they did to it before you bought it. Putting a fan in your xbox or adding extra lights. Why do they care if you do that your warranty voided, so they don't have to honor it.
      Xbox is gonna lose money again because people aren't gonna buy these 2nd hand knowing they can be banned without explaination. Most of the people I know including me bought me there system 2nd hand pawn shop game dealers. Watch ps3 stock light up and microsoft will be paying people back there money from these bans watch what I tell you.

 I don't come here much so if you have some thing to say email me. fucem@hotmail.com paste and copy ,compose, send ur message.

 GageCase wrote:

    Whats the extensive investigation? Sending a update that you have to download looking for anything modded? What if you bought your 360 from a pawnshop or second dealer? You don't know what they did to it before you bought it. Putting a fan in your xbox or adding extra lights. Why do they care if you do that your warranty voided, so they don't have to honor it.

the enforcement team has a great number of tools at their disposal to detect modified consoles, amongst other things. and if you had purchased your console from a pawn shop or second-hand dealer, there is always the risk of that console having something wrong with it; for example, having been hit with a console ban.

that's why it is greatly urged to not purchase a used console, simply for that reason alone. microsoft does not lift a ban on a console, just because you purchased it used and wasn't aware of a permanent suspension on it. "buyer beware" is a powerful phrase, ya know.

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This posting is provided "as-is" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

 desynch wrote:

 GageCase wrote:

    Whats the extensive investigation? Sending a update that you have to download looking for anything modded? What if you bought your 360 from a pawnshop or second dealer? You don't know what they did to it before you bought it. Putting a fan in your xbox or adding extra lights. Why do they care if you do that your warranty voided, so they don't have to honor it.

the enforcement team has a great number of tools at their disposal to detect modified consoles, amongst other things. and if you had purchased your console from a pawn shop or second-hand dealer, there is always the risk of that console having something wrong with it; for example, having been hit with a console ban.

that's why it is greatly urged to not purchase a used console, simply for that reason alone. microsoft does not lift a ban on a console, just because you purchased it used and wasn't aware of a permanent suspension on it. "buyer beware" is a powerful phrase, ya know.

woa i didnt know that, after my first 360 red ringed i bough a used one at gamestop, knowing this would of definatly changed my purchase! 

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Every 6 weeks Rare employees and Microsoft employees get together for a knife fight to the death. True story.

   Dude are you serious? Most of the people I know brought there system used. Who could afford 3-4 hundred dollars for a system when your having trouble paying your rent. The holidays are coming soon, wh'os gonna risk buying a 360 when they don't know what the previous buyer might have done to it? So if you don't have the money for a new 360 your gonna pass on buying microsoft and go elsewhere. I don't care about the ban. It pissed me because I can't watch Netflix. I called to cancel netflix today when they told me ps3 is free and pre-order this start up disk and I did it. Looked on graigslist and got a Ps3 for $160 w/2 games. Im gonna get the Ps3 only titles  and play online and continue to play my games the way I got some of them on 360.
     Im not here to bash, but some of you people here defend this like you got stock in the microsoft. I sent my xbox back twice (RROD). Why didn't they ban me those times? If Microsoft says there losing money by pirating games, their really losing it now because they won't get $50 bucks a year on live, the percentage they were getting from your netflix account, and you still can play your games just not online. Im not mad I just got a new system.

Its gonna change a lot of people from buying this system. Just watch the backlash from these bans. Ps3 stock is gonna go up faster than before. WATCH. Selling used Gaming systems is big business. Those stores sell a lot of systems with Xbox live memberships. For someone to say microsoft doesn't want people buying them is just plain stupid and not a good business decision. Money is money which microsoft will see soon.

I still haven't gotten my microsoft email saying I am banned.

 GageCase wrote:

I still haven't gotten my microsoft email saying I am banned.

that's because microsoft does not send an email to someone due to a permanent suspension from xbox live.

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This posting is provided "as-is" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

      Dude are you part of the microsoft? How much money are you making by defending something your not even a part of? Can I post pics here so I can show you my new system PS3 and still gonna play my 360 games. Like I said before what did they accomplish? It was a lesser of 2 evils. If you do a search hackers are working on ways to block the ban now. This is cat and mouse bro. If u have 4 bootlegged games play them you still got your monies worth. Get on graigslist buy another one. They tried this with music and movies remember.

      Microsoft is even censoring what you can put in the forums about this topic. Why not just tell people what there banned for? Is it because there tools don't tell you exactly whats wrong just that the system was altered someway.  I worked at a cable company Time Warner. When we sent updates(reboots) to people cable boxes we couldn't tell either just that something was done to alter the unit.

I think MS is better off cutting out these types of customers.  In the long run the legit users far out number the pirates and anything they can do to cut those numbers down is great.  Feel free to call me a fanboy even though I am not, I just find it funny how people who are doing something that is illegal, want to come on here and look for sympathy or even say it is MS's fault.

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SBoK
FoBb
Account Security

Purchasing a used Xbox 360 was probably your first mistake. With the many RROD cases out there the warranty of a new console is hard to match. As you said before the console could have been modified and you wouldn’t know, and that’s reason enough to purchase a product with an official Microsoft seal on the package and factory sealed as well.  If you really rely on a cheap console when you are having trouble paying your rent I would honestly have to say that due to your other priorities a console should really come last… Microsoft actually makes some great products and well, for every one customer who has a personal issue with the company there are about ten of us who are completely satisfied with their products and services.  

Microsoft does indeed have a very talented team of personnel who review and take corrective actions when necessary.  Microsoft has been one of the companies who design innovative ways to find a solution to both common and complex tasks and I am sure that they have other means of detection other than “just something was done to alter the unit”.

Besides, anytime you purchase a software product (or anything that has an embedded OS – usually) there are terms of use and agreements that accompany that product, even the PS3 has one.  When a user violates that contact they are mainly at the mercy of the other party (in this case: Microsoft), and unfortunately there really isn’t anything you can do.

My suggestion: Just format your HDD and buy an arcade console, it’s only $199 and your accessories should work, from my understanding the xbox is banned and not the gamertag.    

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http://www.xboxlivelink.com
Christopher Kaelin Jr.
Software Developer

 GageCase wrote:

      Dude are you part of the microsoft? How much money are you making by defending something your not even a part of? Can I post pics here so I can show you my new system PS3 and still gonna play my 360 games. Like I said before what did they accomplish? It was a lesser of 2 evils. If you do a search hackers are working on ways to block the ban now. This is cat and mouse bro. If u have 4 bootlegged games play them you still got your monies worth. Get on graigslist buy another one. They tried this with music and movies remember.

      Microsoft is even censoring what you can put in the forums about this topic. Why not just tell people what there banned for? Is it because there tools don't tell you exactly whats wrong just that the system was altered someway.  I worked at a cable company Time Warner. When we sent updates(reboots) to people cable boxes we couldn't tell either just that something was done to alter the unit.

Because it is written here. So don't question him.

Microsoft do not detail their investigations so as not to help the modding community find ways around it.

Let me share something personal. This is not an order from my Boss but a personal insight.

For me, piracy is putting the world's economy down. Underground organizations/persons (Hackers) are that ones who's gaining on this. What do you think will they do to their profit? Use it again to pirate more stuff and use it more on illegal activities. They don't pay taxes. Governments loses money because of that. Government programs loses fundings as well. Companies loses profit. They loses fundings for their programs. Next, companies closes down and unemployed people increases.

This is whats pulling the world's economy down. We all should play our role as good citizens. We should do whats right. We are all on to this.

And for the record...I can buy pirated DVDs of TV shows ( All the episodes of each seasons ) or even movies for a dollar a piece. But I don't buy them. Why? What will happen to cable companies if most of the people can buy a copy of the TV shows and movies in it for just a dollar a piece? Without paying a months of service just to see the ending. Sad right?

That's why I don't buy them. I want those shows to run as long as they can. I want the companies who produce those good shows and movies to make more of those good stuff. Because if they don't earn anything from it. They'll stop. That goes same with game maker or developers.

Just want to share my vision to all.

Well said!

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http://www.xboxlivelink.com
Christopher Kaelin Jr.
Software Developer

This is my last post on this BS> LIke I said before I already have a PS3 I purchased on craigslist and still gonna play my boots on xbox. Pirating bringing the economy down, don't by used systems. Thats like saying don't buy used cars or games etc. If I really wanted to be back on live Id go get another 360 .Everyone has these for dirt cheap. Whatever you little kids on here have to say they will never stop this. They did nothing but lose money in the long run. You same fanboys that arent making a dime of microsoft will see. When your system rrods you'll be right here on one of these forums venting like everyone else.
     Look for my gamertage suckers peace

dude, you sound retarted as hell.

 happyharvv wrote:

dude, you sound retarted as hell.

LOL I was just thinking the same thing as I read this thread.

Dude, who cares if you have a PS3? Oooh, I have one too! Just because you are posting on xbox.com forums as a PS3 owner doesn't mean you're "getting back at Microsoft" or anything like that. Go play your PS3, quit complaining that you got banned for violating the Terms of Use, when you have even now admitted to violating the ToU.

Nobody is defending Microsoft here. They are just telling you what MS's operating procedure is, in regards to console bans.

As someone else said, if you're having to purchase a used 360 because you're having trouble affording rent, try NOT BUYING the 360 and see how that impacts your budget.

Here's another little golden nugget of information: Microsoft does not make money off of used 360 sales!!! Let that sink in for a bit...

...

...

Okay. That is why buying at retail, rather than used, is so great. You don't run the risk of purchasing a product with problems due to previous users' misuse.

They void the warranty so that they are not held accountable for any modifications you perform. They console-ban you because it was in the Terms of Use you agreed to when signing up for Xbox Live. Used game sales may be a big business, but retail game sales is always ~10x bigger.

Just deal with the ban, and go get banned on PS3, if you so choose to.

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Halo: Reach---2010 RPG of the Year... I can only hope...
Beware: M$ may spend more $$$ on lawyers than on their products.

 happyharvv wrote:

dude, you sound retarted as hell.

and you didn't spell "retarded" correctly.  It even shows up red in spell check automatically here so.... wow.

As for the guy saying the world economy is going down because people modding their console.... well, you just don't have the mental capacity to be a useful human.

Here's another little golden nugget of information: Microsoft does not make money off of used 360 sales!!! Let that sink in for a bit...

Oh dang, and here I thought the games and online were free!

 XxButch2000xX wrote:

Here's another little golden nugget of information: Microsoft does not make money off of used 360 sales!!! Let that sink in for a bit...

I was wondering who was going to finally say this...

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They're games people, just enjoy them! You could be stuck at work!

When you purchase a game or a console from Gamestop as a used product, Gamestop keeps all of that profit themselves. Microsoft only makes money off of the retail purchase, which is, among other more important reasons, why they always encourage you to purchase retail, rather than used, Xbox products.

I figured this was an easy to understand concept of economics, but I suppose there are some who don't think too hard about it. When you purchase a Xbox 360 off of eBay or Craigslist for $80 from John Doe, do you think John Doe has to give some of that $80 to Microsoft? No.

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Halo: Reach---2010 RPG of the Year... I can only hope...
Beware: M$ may spend more $$$ on lawyers than on their products.

 XxButch2000xX wrote:

When you purchase a game or a console from Gamestop as a used product, Gamestop keeps all of that profit themselves. Microsoft only makes money off of the retail purchase, which is, among other more important reasons, why they always encourage you to purchase retail, rather than used, Xbox products.

I figured this was an easy to understand concept of economics, but I suppose there are some who don't think too hard about it. When you purchase a Xbox 360 off of eBay or Craigslist for $80 from John Doe, do you think John Doe has to give some of that $80 to Microsoft? No.

You also usually purchase it "as-is" and therefore assume all liability. If it was modded, then you are out of luck.  MS doesn't care if you have a used console, only the fact that it has been tampered with.

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SBoK
FoBb
Account Security

If you buy a PS3 M$ has already gotten the money for the console they disabled. If your playing pirated games they have $0 to lose. Why not ban you? What do they get out of keeping you? $50 a year from xbl thats it.

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So your dad gets free stuff from working at UPS? Hmmm...sounds like someone is stealing on the job of delivering

Media piracy, in and of itself, really doesn't bring the global economy down all that much. That was financial piracy done by greedy banks and financial institutions.  It does hurt software companies more than it would for movies or cable. People will always love the big screen as opposed to a crap DLed version on your comp. As for cable, they can suck it. Thanks to the Xbox and Play-On more people are dropping their overpriced cable and streaming their shows. If Comacst would drop their way overpriced services and get better customer service maybe they could compete, but thats another topic altogether. Piracy and hacking, in some ways, creates jobs. You need skilled security programmers and enforcement teams to try and prevent piracy. That equals more disposable cash flow and more material goods sold, hence helping the economy. But, it does suck for the developers who loose money on good games that get pirated, but even then, the used games market does more damage than pirated games (except for the PC). Look at what Microsoft has done now that these bans are in place. Around a million systems are now all but useless. If half of those people go out and buy a new, unmodded system, that's 500,000 units sold, and just in time for the holiday season. Those numbers look great for shareholders. Plus, Microsoft just slapped Gamestop and the used console market right across the face. Who's gonna wanna go buy a used system from a used dealer now? Gamestop will get some money from the retail systems, but their profit from used is gonna drop off the charts.

As for the "everyone that got banned is a modder/hacker/dumb-a$$ that bought a used 360" idea, I'm sure that's maybe 99% true. A co-worker of mine just got his year old, unmodded Pro back from MS two weeks ago after it red ringed. Yesterday it was banned. I'm about 100% it was unmodded before because the guy isnt that smart and can't program a remote. I know it wasn't modded after because all the warranty stickers are still intact. I'm sure the teams that look for modded systems do a great job, but mistakes can and will happen. Even if 99.9% of those banned are legit, thats still thousands of systems that could have been banned by mistake.

Just a thought.