OddballEasyEight Posted September 7, 2014 Share Posted September 7, 2014 1) People really are doing on purpose -- hence the /general (and these forums) spamming of offers to give active subs credits for clicking the link...and the person making the offer species "must be sub" and "cannot have already done this for your account". 2) The solution isn't to discontinue the Refer A Friend program, it's to run a database query and find out which "referred people" were active subs on (or within 90 days) of being "referred" and simply remove them from the program -- i.e., stop paying "referers" for them. 3) For new referrals, actually check to make sure the person being referred qualifies. I have never ever seen anyone offer credits to anyone for clicking their link. I've seen people trying to disguise their link as youtube video links or forum links or other stuff, but never actually seen anyone offer credits to click their link (neither on the forums or in general chat). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnAskham Posted September 7, 2014 Share Posted September 7, 2014 (edited) It seems stupid of Bioware to provide rewards to players already paying for subscriptions. If I were in charge of the program, rewards would be tied to referring NEW players (e.g. those establishing new accounts). I'd also have a program for enticing previous subscribers back (or F2P / preferred to subscribe), also with some sort of check such as 'must not have been an active subscriber within the last 90 days' or something. Then again, maybe Bioware thinks its a great idea to reward people already paying to play by letting them spam and click links. Edited September 7, 2014 by DawnAskham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LegoUniverseBC Posted September 7, 2014 Author Share Posted September 7, 2014 I have never ever seen anyone offer credits to anyone for clicking their link. I've seen people trying to disguise their link as youtube video links or forum links or other stuff, but never actually seen anyone offer credits to click their link (neither on the forums or in general chat). On the Shadowlands i've seen people spam that if you click on the link they will give you 100k. Obviously EA doesn't care but I just think it's kinda cheap that subs can get subs to click on the links. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OddballEasyEight Posted September 7, 2014 Share Posted September 7, 2014 It seems stupid of Bioware to provide rewards to players already paying for subscriptions. If I were in charge of the program, rewards would be tied to referring NEW players (e.g. those establishing new accounts). I'd also have a program for enticing previous subscribers back (or F2P / preferred to subscribe), also with some sort of check such as 'must not have been an active subscriber within the last 90 days' or something. Then again, maybe Bioware thinks its a great idea to reward people already paying to play by letting them spam and click links. Well, since you get 600 CC when someone signs up for a subscription, I'd assume you only get 100CC if someone already subscribed signs up (which is what you get when someone you referred keeps up their subscription). IIRC they said it had one of those checks. I have no idea and can't test it since I've already clicked on a referral link back when people disguised them as youtube links and the like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OddballEasyEight Posted September 7, 2014 Share Posted September 7, 2014 On the Shadowlands i've seen people spam that if you click on the link they will give you 100k. Obviously EA doesn't care but I just think it's kinda cheap that subs can get subs to click on the links. Well, I've never seen it on The Progenitor and I've never seen it here on the forums. But if you say so. Still seems weird that someone offers that... considering that they can't check if the person has clicked the link or not. (there's no notification after the first 5/6 in-game gifts you get and you don't get the 100CC until the next time the subscribers subscription is "updated", ie. every month on their subscription date) So how do they know if they clicked the link or not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickious Posted September 7, 2014 Share Posted September 7, 2014 (edited) Well, I've never seen it on The Progenitor and I've never seen it here on the forums. But if you say so. Still seems weird that someone offers that... considering that they can't check if the person has clicked the link or not. (there's no notification after the first 5/6 in-game gifts you get and you don't get the 100CC until the next time the subscribers subscription is "updated", ie. every month on their subscription date) So how do they know if they clicked the link or not? I'm taking a guess they give the credits after you click the referral link. I suppose either way you could get a dishonest person on either side, but if that person wants to continue scamming for more CC, they would need to keep their end of the bargain. Edited September 7, 2014 by Nickious Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callaron Posted September 7, 2014 Share Posted September 7, 2014 (edited) Well, I've never seen it on The Progenitor and I've never seen it here on the forums. But if you say so. Still seems weird that someone offers that... considering that they can't check if the person has clicked the link or not. (there's no notification after the first 5/6 in-game gifts you get and you don't get the 100CC until the next time the subscribers subscription is "updated", ie. every month on their subscription date) So how do they know if they clicked the link or not? They do it all the time on The Red Eclipse's fleet too. Just usually without the reward, and with some false advertising thrown in about you getting CC if you click their link (plus 7 days subscription and a free transfer of course). People usually call them out on it and tell others not to click it though. As for the forums, there was a guy that made like a dozen topics in the New Player forums just last weekend. Offering 300k (in very poorly written English) to everyone that clicked his lousy link. I reported several of his threads. Edited September 7, 2014 by Callaron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eartharioch Posted September 7, 2014 Share Posted September 7, 2014 (edited) Well, I've never seen it on The Progenitor and I've never seen it here on the forums. But if you say so. Still seems weird that someone offers that... considering that they can't check if the person has clicked the link or not. (there's no notification after the first 5/6 in-game gifts you get and you don't get the 100CC until the next time the subscribers subscription is "updated", ie. every month on their subscription date) So how do they know if they clicked the link or not? Somebody spammed these forums about a week ago -- new post in [pretty much] every forum. It was pretty over-the-top, and the ones I watched were deleted, so the mods obviously don't approve of it. And I've seen it in general every few days or so for a few weeks now on my server. Regardless of whether or not you you've seen it, it is happening, and the only reason it would is if it works. But again, all BW needs to do is enforce the stated policy (people subbed within the last 90 days don't count) in order to get rid of the people abusing the system. This wouldn't penalize people who advertise their referral link [properly], since people following the rules shouldn't be expecting current subscribers to click their links. As mentioned, both BW and the players benefit when the referral program actually brings in new (or returning) players. But when people who are already playing can just link themselves up and get CCs, then both BW and the players are harmed. BW loses potential direct CC sales to the people directly involved in the referral abuse scam, and BW indirectly loses potential sales when the referral scammers use their ill gotten CCs to buy stuff from the CM to resell on the GTN, as players may choose to buy these items with credits instead. Players who use purchased (or sub grant) CCs to buy stuff from the CM to sell on the GTN risk having the market undercut by people using ill gotten CCs to purchase competing goods. And finally, players who don't abuse the system may get discouraged and lose interest in playing when they see themselves as "progressing" more slowly than other people, as people exploiting the system are likely to have flashier [CM] outfits and speeders and can more easily afford the top end (180s) gear from the CM -- gear for which "regular" players have to work harder (at 150 Ultimate Comms per week, it can take over 3 months to get into 180 gear). Edited September 7, 2014 by eartharioch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth_Wicked Posted September 7, 2014 Share Posted September 7, 2014 Well, I've never seen it on The Progenitor and I've never seen it here on the forums. But if you say so. Still seems weird that someone offers that... considering that they can't check if the person has clicked the link or not. (there's no notification after the first 5/6 in-game gifts you get and you don't get the 100CC until the next time the subscribers subscription is "updated", ie. every month on their subscription date) So how do they know if they clicked the link or not? I started a new legacy on the Progenitor. While leveling on Coruscant three(!!!) different characters, I saw people constantly doing that. Again, on the Progenitor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZaruenMakai Posted September 7, 2014 Share Posted September 7, 2014 (edited) Why are people coming across as jealous in this thread..... that subscribers who refer others are getting free CC..... so they are trying to report them and "try" to get the banned which is just a case of sour grapes it seems...Why doesit matter if people get free CC for referring others? the guy postinbg the thread probably had it deleted simply for spamming off topic discussions on forums not for the referrals. probably antways... as for the links.... i dont see how its a scam for people to click on those links? It just seems like people wished they would have thoguht of it first. If i am misunderstanding than please explain to me how that link to get people to be referrred by someone if they choose to sign up and sub... is considered a scam.. Edited September 7, 2014 by ZaruenMakai Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sangrar Posted September 7, 2014 Share Posted September 7, 2014 It feels cheap that people can pretty much make free CCs and get 7 days for this. well its kinda a good promotional tool. It encourages existing subs to actively use refferal links and in the process a few F2P and Preffered people see those links and use them too, get hooked and sometimes sub to the game, I see such accounts on occasion on my refferal page that eventually sub. Its not a big enough problem clearly as cc sales continue to rise so clearly they can afford for people to earn some for free. Either way before this refferals were pretty much dead and barely good for anything, now they are getting used a lot more often and in the process some people are even joining the game so I think its a win. The only major problem was how the links could be disguised as other stuff but that has since been resolved luckily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eartharioch Posted September 8, 2014 Share Posted September 8, 2014 If i am misunderstanding than please explain to me how that link to get people to be referrred by someone if they choose to sign up and sub... is considered a scam.. Well, you replied without to the OP without quoting anything specific, so I'm going to guess that all you need to do is just read all of the other posts in this thread to get up to speed. Everything you need to know has already been explained in depth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OddballEasyEight Posted September 8, 2014 Share Posted September 8, 2014 Regardless of whether or not you you've seen it, it is happening, and the only reason it would is if it works. Look, I've seen people trying all kinds of schemes to get others to click their promotional links (not just for SW:TOR, but other games too) and alot of the times it isn't more thought out than "oh, I heard I get stuff if people click my link, so I'll spam it". Most of them don't even realize that people who are already subscribers to the game can't take part in those types of promotions. So saying that the only reason it happens is because it works with subs is flawed logic. The only reason it happens is because some people are greedy morons with no capacity for higher reasoning. Like the guys that were spamming links hidden as youtube links AFTER the yes/no confirmation box was implemented. There is no chance in hell that their little scheme worked since everyone would know what was happening after they clicked that link and got to the confirmation box. And yet people kept doing it. Because they're morons who think they're clever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OddballEasyEight Posted September 8, 2014 Share Posted September 8, 2014 I'm taking a guess they give the credits after you click the referral link. I suppose either way you could get a dishonest person on either side, but if that person wants to continue scamming for more CC, they would need to keep their end of the bargain. But there is no way for them to check that you clicked the link. You could just say "sure, I clicked the link, give me my money" and they wouldn't know if you clicked or not since there is no confirmation for them until next month when they either get 100cc or not (or 600 if you're a new subscriber). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OddballEasyEight Posted September 8, 2014 Share Posted September 8, 2014 I started a new legacy on the Progenitor. While leveling on Coruscant three(!!!) different characters, I saw people constantly doing that. Again, on the Progenitor. And I still haven't seen a single one. I've been leveling up 8 characters from 0 - 15 these last months and I haven't seen it happen once. Not on hutta, not on korriban, not on ord mantell, not on tython, not on dromund kaas, not on coruscant and not on fleet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OddballEasyEight Posted September 8, 2014 Share Posted September 8, 2014 Also, IF an active sub could use a referral link, they could only use a single one ever. That doesn't leave much room for "scamming" or "abusing". And they'd only get a lousy package of F2P unlocks that are pretty pointless (except the one that unlocks one extra inventory row). AND the person that got their referral would only get 100CC per month. It's hardly the great scam you people are painting it out to be. And that's only IF it's possible to do this as an active sub. And I would love it if someone could confirm if that's possible or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZaruenMakai Posted September 8, 2014 Share Posted September 8, 2014 (edited) Well, you replied without to the OP without quoting anything specific, so I'm going to guess that all you need to do is just read all of the other posts in this thread to get up to speed. Everything you need to know has already been explained in depth. i read all the posts.. wheres the scam? Edited September 8, 2014 by ZaruenMakai Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khevar Posted September 8, 2014 Share Posted September 8, 2014 i read all the posts.. wheres the scam? Scamming only happens on the GTN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Essence_of_Light Posted September 8, 2014 Share Posted September 8, 2014 Scamming only happens on the GTN. I see what you did there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LyraineAlei Posted September 8, 2014 Share Posted September 8, 2014 Scamming only happens on the GTN. Nonononono. We are not starting starting this up again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth_Wicked Posted September 8, 2014 Share Posted September 8, 2014 Nonononono. We are not starting starting this up again. People desire a sequel it would seem. We should accommodate them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LyraineAlei Posted September 8, 2014 Share Posted September 8, 2014 People desire a sequel it would seem. We should accommodate them. The "Can you get a refund from the GTN?" Thread is the sequel in my opinion. This is the spin off TV series. To be retconned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth_Wicked Posted September 8, 2014 Share Posted September 8, 2014 The "Can you get a refund from the GTN?" Thread is the sequel in my opinion. This is the spin off TV series. To be retconned. We need a story editor. It would seem you are interested. * considers the idea * You are hired. You are bound to start... right about... NOW! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khevar Posted September 9, 2014 Share Posted September 9, 2014 The "Can you get a refund from the GTN?" Thread is the sequel in my opinion. This is the spin off TV series. To be retconned. Hey! I've got an idea for the next episode: Endora casts a spell on Darrin, and no one can figure out what the heck is going on until Samantha finally catches on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LyraineAlei Posted September 9, 2014 Share Posted September 9, 2014 We need a story editor. It would seem you are interested. * considers the idea * You are hired. You are bound to start... right about... NOW! Sounds like a scam. *nudge nudge wink wink* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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