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View Full Version : MS Point scam cost Microsoft over $1 million



jkipp82
03-10-2011, 03:33 PM
http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2010/05/1600-points.jpg

That seemingly unintelligible string of numbers and letters attached to MS Point cards and Xbox Live Gold trials has an underlying code, a kind of system in place, a group of hackers found out yesterday. Using old claimed codes, this group was able to come up with an algorithm to generate new, valid code strings -- those who input the code got 160 MS Points and could refresh the site for more. Later, through a separate channel, hackers were able to exploit the algorithm to generate codes for a Halo: Reach Banshee Avatar prop.

This forum seems to be the origin point of the algorithm in question, where some users have claimed to have gathered hundreds of dollars in MS Points; current estimates put the total damage to Microsoft at over $1 million. Microsoft has since had the codes pulled, though we have to wonder if there's any other countermeasure the company could use to catch these individuals.

Honestly, we're a bit too busy staring at these awesome lightsabers we just got for our Avatar to worry about such things. Lightsabers that were, uh, totally acquired through legal, completely ethical means -- yeah, that's it.

Renegade
03-10-2011, 03:55 PM
lol...thank god i spread 10k between 6 accounts before they went down, Unfortunately the other 30k went to waste :( But thanks for the generous gesture MS :D

TLOR FETT
03-10-2011, 03:58 PM
Too bad I was so sick that even reaching for a mouse or keyboard felt like a lifetime of effort, I managed to cash in on zero codes ) :

CloudStrife7x
03-10-2011, 05:15 PM
good times, ms never learns, lol

Emerald Lance
03-10-2011, 07:13 PM
Dammit, don't you hate it when you find out about something awesome that you would love to use, only when it becomes unusable? Sad face for me.

Countryboy
03-10-2011, 07:46 PM
Hahahahaa FUCK YOU MICROSOFT

xICEMANx117
03-10-2011, 09:22 PM
Dammit, don't you hate it when you find out about something awesome that you would love to use, only when it becomes unusable? Sad face for me.

I agree ive been stuck on WOW and i havent even turned on my xbox :(

JizzaBeez
03-10-2011, 10:56 PM
Ruh Roh Shaggy! Time to spend these points real quick-like!

TLOR FETT
03-10-2011, 11:44 PM
I agree ive been stuck on WOW and i havent even turned on my xbox :(

Im trying to sell an account with two 70's and two twinks, any idea of someone interested or how much i can geT?

Mister Epic
03-11-2011, 05:18 AM
Hahahahaa FUCK YOU MICROSOFT

You mean Macrosloth? :-P

Hell, we could go on: Microshaft, Microshit, Microsuck, M$ and so on and so forth.

Also, Linux for the win! Or at least in my opinion... (Shame we can't game on it...)

jamiehan2004
06-24-2011, 06:03 PM
I hate MS Point scams - the amount of websites out there that claim you can get free microsoft points and then loads of people keep messaging you about it and if you are gullible enough to do it then all you really get is to fill out a million surveys and get nothing in return - sorry correction there you end up getting a virus on your computer or personal information stolen.

alig200
06-25-2011, 09:14 AM
$1,000,000?! Gee that'll really hurt such a rich company like Microsoft /endsarcasm

feudalnate
06-25-2011, 09:29 AM
For one this topic is 3 months old. Second, this had no impact on their revenue nor did it cost them anything.. it's data, it costs nothing to create a copy of data.

Closed.