Why is RAF gametime for WoW so much cheaper than normal pre-paid cards?

[wak13]

So can anyone else confirm that "abusing" the RAF 12x for the free Diablo no longer works? I am planning on starting a fresh account next week and was planning on buying 12 months worth of RAF for the free Diablo.

 

[evilme73]

So can anyone else confirm that "abusing" the RAF 12x for the free Diablo no longer works? I am planning on starting a fresh account next week and was planning on buying 12 months worth of RAF for the free Diablo.

I believe you can still do it.

Some people that have PREVIOUSLY used RaF gametime that was chargebacked, will have had their accounts flagged by Blizzard's 'Risk Analysis', and are therefore not eligible for any promotions, which is why they can't do the Annual Pass.

If your account is not flagged, then you can probably still do it without issue. However, your account will probably be subsequently flagged, so at the very least you will miss out on future promotions. What other actions Blizz may decide to take, no one knows... but they certainly have the right to remove the time and lock your account until such time as you complete the contract with a proper payment method. I'm not expecting this to happen too often, but I'm very much expecting that anyone with a flagged account will not be able to cash-out their blizzard money from the D3 RMAH. This is a pretty minor problem though, as you could simply buy something from a friend with an unflagged account, and get them to cashout for you

 

[wak13]

I believe you can still do it.

Some people that have PREVIOUSLY used RaF gametime that was chargebacked, will have had their accounts flagged by Blizzard's 'Risk Analysis', and are therefore not eligible for any promotions, which is why they can't do the Annual Pass.

If your account is not flagged, then you can probably still do it without issue. However, your account will probably be subsequently flagged, so at the very least you will miss out on future promotions. What other actions Blizz may decide to take, no one knows... but they certainly have the right to remove the time and lock your account until such time as you complete the contract with a proper payment method. I'm not expecting this to happen too often, but I'm very much expecting that anyone with a flagged account will not be able to cash-out their blizzard money from the D3 RMAH. This is a pretty minor problem though, as you could simply buy something from a friend with an unflagged account, and get them to cashout for you

Thanks for the reply, makes sense. If I plan on using RAF time anyways to buy a few months, I am assuming that I will get flagged either way though right? So might as well go for the 1 year it seems lol

 

[heythere420]

So can anyone else confirm that "abusing" the RAF 12x for the free Diablo no longer works? I am planning on starting a fresh account next week and was planning on buying 12 months worth of RAF for the free Diablo.

New accounts aren't able to participate in the promotion. I beleive they have to have been made before october to participate.

 

[Dandy]

I still haven't seen any possible way this could be profitable for them, without being fraudulent (stolen cards / chargebacks).

Ok. 13? = recruit gets 2 months + standard wow. Referer gets 1month. Referer pays recruit 5? for that 1month. Out of those 13? recruit spent, he needs to earn atleast 9? more from selling this account to profit. He then calls 'his guy' and sells the account for 13?(random number,but would be halfprice) and he made 4? profit on the deal. Multiply this by thousands. And if you want, you can take it even further. his 'guy' sells it to a Account seller for 14?, and then the account seller finally sells the account to a normal wow player for 16?, 10? cheaper than blizzard in the end.(Not counting battle chest price, as I have no clue what it costs. What I mean by blizzard is 60days gametime=26?)

 

[Altoids]

Ok. 13€ = recruit gets 2 months + standard wow. Referer gets 1month. Referer pays recruit 5€ for that 1month. Out of those 13€ recruit spent, he needs to earn atleast 9€ more from selling this account to profit. He then calls 'his guy' and sells the account for 13€(random number,but would be halfprice) and he made 4€ profit on the deal. Multiply this by thousands.

Exactly what I've been saying... I don't know the Euro prices so I'll have to take your word for it but in the US, it would be similar. Seller takes RAF code from the buyer and creates a battlechest account with a cheap Wow key (about $20) and adds 1 month to it ($15) (and if I'm correct, he gets 2 months for that month due to RAF - so that account now has 3 months credit, right?). Because he signed up with the RAF link, the $4-5 he gets from the buyer is 'free' for him but the buyer gets his 1 month gametime.

So... his out of pocket is $35-4 = $31 and he now has a BC account with 3 months gametime on it. He should have no problem selling that for $35-40 since the value is approx $20 for key + $30 gametime. Better yet, do it from the chinese company itself so there is no middleman... they then use the accounts themselves. I'm think that the last guy I bought from was Chinese... but can't be sure.

BTW - for those that are asking... I signed up for the 1 year annual on 3 accounts - all 3 of them have SINCE been getting RAF gametime... all 3 are still on the Annual sub... so if you signed up for it first, that's not a problem (or at least, it hasn't been for me so far).

 

[yusefin]

how do people actually sell raf?? i mean just say i wanted to raf all the way to 80 on my account i mean i just dont understand doesn't the other person have to have all the expansions or something??

 

[l337pally]

Btw for those not eligible for the annual pass, specially if you gave fake info, you might want to call up blizz and verify if you have a birthday listed on your account. I did the 12month raf thing and was showing not eligible..Later found out I didnt have a birthday on my account and you need to be 18+ to do pass. Added a birthday through phone support and signed right up for pass.

PS I was told by 1 or 2 phone reps who didnt know what the fuk they were talking about that i just couldnt sign up for it, blah blah..Just make em add a birth date to account if there isnt one and fingers crossed you can sign up.

 

[evilme73]

Ok. 13? = recruit gets 2 months + standard wow. Referer gets 1month. Referer pays recruit 5? for that 1month. Out of those 13? recruit spent, he needs to earn atleast 9? more from selling this account to profit. He then calls 'his guy' and sells the account for 13?(random number,but would be halfprice) and he made 4? profit on the deal.

Thanks for the detailed breakdown, exactly what I was after. It makes sense, assuming you can buy a battlechest + 1 extra month for 13?. But where can you do this?

So... his out of pocket is $35-4 = $31 and he now has a BC account with 3 months gametime on it.

2 Months, not 3... which kinda ruins the rest of your numbers. Getting legit keys with current US blizz store prices (20/15), isn't viable. Dandy's numbers work... but rely on getting a cheap initial account and time (both for 13euro)... so if he can cite it, I'll happily concede that the process is viable without fraud.

 

[greaterdeath]

You need to read up on a concept called Opportunity Cost. Essentially, those pixels you spend (that will result in you being ineligible for future promotions (and likely the D3 RMAH), or at worst, getting your account locked until you pay with a proper source...) could also be spent to get you real $. So you are in effect, spending real $, by using the gold to purchase X instead of $.

All you've done is made a series of assumptions about what might happen, which has nothing to do with the vast majority of peoples' bottom line. I suppose I could sell my gold for $1/k and make $15, then buy a month of gametime...but that would be stupid.

 

[evilme73]

All you've done is made a series of assumptions about what might happen, which has nothing to do with the vast majority of peoples' bottom line.

I have made assumptions, yes... and I've been honest about those assumptions. I'm not claiming fact, I'm simply extrapolating from what little info we have about blizzards actions regarding RaF exploiting.

I suppose I could sell my gold for $1/k and make $15, then buy a month of gametime...but that would be stupid.

This would only be stupid if a better option was available (which it may well be if Dandy's numbers can be confirmed). However, if it turned out that in a few months Blizz had an extreme (unlikley, but always possible) reaction, and all these accounts were locked and d3 was removed or something... then your example wouldn't be quite so stupid.

I'm not trying to be a pain in the ass. I'm simply trying to get people to think a little before they act, so they can make a more informed decision. I'm actually hoping this can all be legit, as I'll be doing it myself if so

 

[chemical]

Btw for those not eligible for the annual pass, specially if you gave fake info, you might want to call up blizz and verify if you have a birthday listed on your account. I did the 12month raf thing and was showing not eligible..Later found out I didnt have a birthday on my account and you need to be 18+ to do pass. Added a birthday through phone support and signed right up for pass.

PS I was told by 1 or 2 phone reps who didnt know what the fuk they were talking about that i just couldnt sign up for it, blah blah..Just make em add a birth date to account if there isnt one and fingers crossed you can sign up.

what do you mean 12 month recruit a friend thing? i dont see that anywhere on blizz site



Edit: sorry i'm just completely lost lol....

 

[evilme73]

what do you mean 12 month recruit a friend thing? i dont see that anywhere on blizz site
Edit: sorry i'm just completely lost lol....

If you read the whole thread you'd understand.

The discussion cover's RaF exploiting to obtain the bonuses from the WoW Annual Pass.
When you refer someone using RaF, and they pay for a month of gametime, you get a free month.
When you sign up for the Annual Pass, and add 12 months of gametime to your account, you get a Mount, Diablo 3 and MoP Beta free.
People are combining the two, by referring LOTS of drone accounts, and adding a month to each, then either onselling the drones to gold farmers, or doing fraudulent credit card chargebacks on the drone accounts (blizz will then close the drone, but leave the free gametime obtained on the main, but flag the main account as a "Risk").

 

[greaterdeath]

I'm not trying to be a pain in the ass. I'm simply trying to get people to think a little before they act, so they can make a more informed decision. I'm actually hoping this can all be legit, as I'll be doing it myself if so

I don't mean to be a pain in the ass either, but for your information I'll be getting banned for abuse of the economy or 3rd party programs running mmmkay?

 

[evilme73]

I don't mean to be a pain in the ass either, but for your information I'll be getting banned for abuse of the economy or 3rd party programs running mmmkay?

I'm not sure what that has to do with anything.. but 'grats I guess?

Anxiously awaiting someone to provide a source for battlechest + extra month of gametime for 13euro. (for comparison, that is akin to getting a US battlechest + extra month for $17... when on blizzstore it would be almost $35)

 

[lathrodectus]

Wrong, recruited account gets standard edition and 1 month free when they purchase 1 month. Total cost is 12.99?. They then sell a month to us for like 5$ and then sell the account to someone else, as a profit.

Recruit-A-Friend Rewards FAQ - Support - Battle.net Support

For each friend or family member you refer who upgrades to a retail version of World of Warcraft and purchases 30 days of game time via a subscription or game card, you will receive a credit for 30 days of free game play.

 

[lathrodectus]

Could you provide a source or link to proof regarding that statement? I've never heard of that... or the term "RAF exploiting" anywhere on the blizzard forums/MMO-C.

Correct, as I already stated you get 1 month with the battlechest. You do NOT need to buy another month for the RAF trigger to give your account a free month. If you want the mount, then yes.

Wow Annual Pass - Australia - Forums - World of Warcraft
RAF Makes You Ineligible For WoW Annual Pass - Forums - World of Warcraft
Let me google that for you

there are more at the third link

 

[evilme73]

<quotes and links>

Thanks for your post... I had missed the post by Dandy that you quoted. So it would seem that his numbers are, unfortunately, invalid.

So now we have the facts straight:
1) The recruited account must purchase a month of gametime, for the recruiter to get their free month.
2) A recruited account must purchase a battlechest (upgrade to retail), not just gametime.

Are there any other suggestions as to how this could possibly be viable without theft/fraud being involved?

 

[l337pally]

No idea what the EU exchange rate equals out to but just a general idea of cost

Theres a battlechest on amazon for $9.99 Im sure you could find it even cheaper buying in bulk or going chinese cdkey route.
Amazon.com: World of Warcraft Battle Chest: Mac: Video Games

 

[evilme73]

No idea what the EU exchange rate equals out to but just a general idea of cost

Theres a battlechest on amazon for $9.99 Im sure you could find it even cheaper buying in bulk or going chinese cdkey route.
Amazon.com: World of Warcraft Battle Chest: Mac: Video Games

We'll be generous and say you could buy it for 7euro (its more likely 8, but just for this example), so we'll update Dandy's equation.

Ok. 20? = recruit gets 2 months + standard wow. Referer gets 1month. Referer pays recruit 5? for that 1month. Out of those 20? recruit spent, he needs to earn atleast 16? more from selling this account to profit. He then calls 'his guy' and sells the account for 16-20? and he made 1-4? profit on the deal. Multiply this by thousands.

Unfortunately, if we can buy a battlechest + 1month for 20?, it is unlikely "his guy" would be willing to buy it for anywhere close to that, otherwise they would simply chain RaF themselves.

Somewhere we need to save a few bucks that "his guy" wouldn't, to make it viable. Or... you know... we could just do chargebacks.