Board Thread:Game Discussion/@comment-6001185-20131129145646/@comment-6001185-20131202193429

This is my correspondence with Google.

Recently it has come to the surface that certain top tier players have cheated their way to the top. Mobage has since acknowledged this problem, but has done little to nothing to stop them. (They received a 1 week “ban” and are now currently back in a tier 1 standing in the current event a week later). Many others have expressed their concern over the matter and have approached you (Googleplay) and Apple about the issues and have received refunds since the time the exploit began (September’s “One Shall Fall” event). As one of the players who spent a lot of time and money during those events as shown in the purchase history, I am not only upset that I missed the first tier in general, but missed it because people cheated their way there and Mobage doesn’t seem to care. I feel like they have not provided me with the service i had agreed to by condoning exploits and letting the violaters go unpunished, and continue to let them play and possibly continue their exploits. I have also spoke to Mobage themselves and they have refused to help and ignored my pleas. Since this has come to surface, I have removed the app from all devices and am certain the proper response will be given. Below I have included several links on the topics and issues as proof to my claim. I hope this is enough to prove my case.

http://transformers-legends.wikia.com/wiki/Thread:42970 http://transformers-legends.wikia.com/wiki/Thread:43655 Link posted on November 7th - https://www.facebook.com/mobage https://www.facebook.com/groups/555131424571936/556469591104786/?notif_t=group_activity As posted by Derrick Nacson stating he received a refund for the dates in question.That was what i wanted to type originally, felt like it got the point across better than my shorten versions, and as i said i am rather upset at Mobage's decision in letting this happen while legitmate players and spenders get the short end of the stick. I will no longer be supporting this game. I have spent too much money dated since September for the customer service i recieved from them. I hope like many other players of this game i have spoke too that i will be able to get refunded the money i spent.

This is a thread between a Mobage Rep and a representative from my Transformers Legends community who has spoken out with our voice against cheaters and their inability to act against these players, its abit long winded but it just shows the dragging and deflecting Mobage continues to play against the player base.

http://transformers-legends.wikia.com/wiki/Thread:45686

They downplay the fact that legitimate players had to compete with cheaters with our resources bought with Mobacoins, i alone spent close to 700 USD during this period of cheating, had i known i was competing with cheaters i would not of spent a single dollar knowing these players are letting go scott-free and i have no compensation for my spending. Why should i be paying more to compete against guys who are spending much much less than I am and still get above of me and make me miss out on prizes i should of gotten if they were not present.

Of course i was not the only victim, there are only 100 spots for the top prize reward and alot of people missed out on multiple events because of these exploits. And yes no one got compensated.While admitting the fact that exploits and cheaters were present, they refuse to compensate or do anything against the players judging from the responses on the thread. I am not happy with Mobages response and am rather upset over this incident that has taken them months to take care of. Even through community representatives aswell as contacting them myself has proved futile and i have been ignored on many attempts with responses like "We will look into it." and its been 3 months now so i am coming forward to googleplay instead. Sorry for sounding long winded and typing so much, Trying to get my point across as it is rather upsetting as a paying customer the way I and many others have been treated.

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==================================================== Hello William, Thank you for contacting Google! I am happy to help you out today. I understand you are requesting refunds of all in-app purchases since September in the app  Transformers Legends. Due to the nature of your request and the large amount of refunds involved, I'll be consulting our team of specialists to approve your request. They will begin working to resolve your issue as soon as possible. In the meantime, if you come across any other information that you'd like to pass along, please feel free to reply to this email.

Thanks again for your patience and understanding.

Thanks, CelesteThe Google Team (Only an hour later) Hello William, I am following up on your earlier request for refunds. However, at this time, in accordance with our policies, we will not be able to issue you a refund for this purchase.

For the future, please keep in mind that there is a 15-minute refund window for all app purchases, and we're only able to issue refunds outside of this window in rare circumstances. As long as you uninstall and refund an app within 15 minutes, you will not be charged. Requests for refunds outside this window, and refund requests for in-app purchases, are subject to our refund policies, which you can find here:

support.google.com/googleplay/bin/topic.py?&topic=2450225&parent=1100168&ctx=topicAlso, if you would like to report an inappropriate app, or an app that you feel otherwise violates Google Play policies, you can do so here: support.google.com/googleplay/bin/request.py?contact_type=takedown

I hope that answers your question, but feel free to ask any other Google Play questions you have. I'd also like to let you know to expect a short anonymous survey about your support experience in the next few days; we keep trying to find ways to improve our customer support, and your feedback will definitely help.

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==================================================== I am making a forward complaint about the conduct of a certain company/game that Google Play distributes via the Play Store.I am not currently looking for an immediate refund on a recent purchase but looking for a full refund on the entire app that i have spent money on.

Namely for the reasons that i have listed above which involve exploiters/hackers within the game that Mobage has not acted on or against, which puts me a paying customer on a veryunfair playing ground that i had no knowledge of until recently. I have known a few other players from my community who have recieved full refunds from Google Play AND Apple in accordance to the same incident.Where should i be directing my queries to?What actions should i be taking to recieve a full refund from this app and against mobage?

Supporting hackers and exploits was not a service i agreed to when i signed up to play Transformers Legends, nor something i would of thought would occur in my decision to spend the money i had if it was known to me prior hand. And even in this regard any company should not be supporting hackers/exploiters at the cost of legitimate players grief and experiance. This SHOULD be the rare circumstance in which a refund can be made outside of the 15 min window, when a company violates the service i have agreed to and does not wish to help/respond/compensate the communities in correspondence to the hackers continuous exploits over MANY events. What Mobage is promoting is that they are protecting the hackers and telling the community that "Cheating/Hacking is okay, just dont get caught more than once" Im not sure where else am i suppose to be looking in terms for a full refund for this app if not this department the link you have given only takes me to a report the App (which i have already done) but speaks nothing of monetary reimbursement. Like i said i feel upset and cheated by a company Google is supporting, as well as many other players who I personally know are filing for full refunds or have already recieved them.Please re-visit my claim and look at my supported links. If i am lacking evidence i can get more, it is a large sum of money and i understand it is difficult. But many other players have recieved full refunds and have directed me to google since Mobage's support will not help me. I am not a paying customer that is regretting my purchases and trying to swindle money out of the system.My googlewallet is filled with in game purchases that i have no inclination to get a refund from because though games have been fun and provided me with a good environment to enjoy my spending.

Transformers legends has not, and prior to learning of these exploits i would of just left the money be, but inlight of such actions I feel i deserve a proper response from Transformers team but they have not given such to me and many other players. I would like to pay special attention to the mailings between our community voice + a TransformersLegends Rep.

http://transformers-legends.wikia.com/wiki/Thread:45686They openly admit that they have consistent faults within the App, which they say is impossible to foresee and fix before an event is launched. '''Why am i paying for an defective/broken app with bugs and easily accessible exploits 3 months in a row when i am paying for it? Why when Mobage has not upheld their agreement/TOS with the exploiter/hackers that i am not allowed a refund?'''This should be enough grounds for a refund, if i buy a defective product from a company that isnt working to the intentions when i bought it, i should have the right to get a refund.

I have heard of other players getting refunds from other games such as Rage of Bahamut over the same issues and have gotten them. So why is my case so different?

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==================================================== Hello William, I am sorry to hear of your grievances with the way Mobage has chosen to run their game. However, I can assure you that the previous email you received is the correct response and course of action for the issue you're experiencing. At this time, we're not able to assist you further with this issue. You will need to contact the developer directly to request a refund as we cannot provide you with a full refund of all in-app purchases made within Transformers Legends. However, if you have other questions, please feel free to contact us again.

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How is the case that I hear of plenty of people from both google and apple receiving full refunds since the start of November??

What makes my issue any different than others whp have been compensated?? Surely im not the only individual that has contacted google about this particular incident.

Infact the person who gave me the supporting links was someome who had recieced a complete refund from apple since the occurance of the exploits. And within this month

Does google not care that a company/game being distributed under the playstore is running the app poorly and in a manner that doesnt abide by the terms of service and in respect cause grief to a large number of the players of the app?

And I have already mentioned I have already contacted mobage several times and they do not wish to help me and instead deflect and give me unsatisfactory responses

================================================================= Hello William, I do understand your frustration. However, in accordance with our refund policy - which was sent to you earlier - we will not be issuing refunds. Just because you are unhappy with the game play does not justify refunding of all in-app purchases. You did have access to the items you purchased and were able to use them. I am sorry that we cannot assist you further on this matter.================================================================= I am not quite sure you understand where i am coming from. I am not justifying my refund because i am unhappy with the game. *I am justifying my refund because the game is defective and NOT working as intended. These are all legitimate justifications which is not just-because I am unhappy. These are instances where i have seen that Google has refunded full/partial purchases to customers with other games and including this one. This puts me to question as to whether you and your team have actually looked at my supporting claims and the links i have given. To say that " Just because I am unhappy" is my justification to my refund means you have not understood the issue i have addressed at all
 * I am justifying my refund because of hackers/exploiters that have been running rampant in the game, these hackers are KNOWN to Mobage, these exploits are KNOWN to Mobage but they have not done anything about it over the course of 3 months.
 * I am justifying my refund because while i had to pay for my cards and compete in the event, cheaters got them for free and prohibited me from playing the game properly
 * I am justifying my refund because they have broken the ToS/Agreement with other players which has put me in an unfair position.

I have been in correspondence with them since september and have only come to Google because Mobage has not responded to my mails in regards to the matter.

And you have still not answered me why others are entitled to refunds when i am not, I am currently compiling a list of people who have made the same claims as i have and have gotten their refunds, Apple and Google both. I can understand if i had bought a car and there was nothing wrong with it, then of course i do not have grounds for a refund on the car JUST BECAUSE i am unhappy with the car.However in this scenario i have bought a car with faulty parts, i would be entitled to a refund on the car. I have said previously that i am not just a disgruntled customer who is just trying to scam money back,  I have played and paid for many games that i am unhappy with and just ignored it because there wasnt anything wrong with the game, i just didnt like it personally. To hear the words "Just-Because" is rather insulting and shows me that you have not listened to my problem properly since the beginning.Sure i am upset, everyone in my situation is, but everyone has come forth with evidence and rational reasoning to our claims. Why is one paying customer treated different than another?

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==================================================== Hello William, Thank you for contacting Google! My name is Ben and I will be assisting you today. I understand just how hindering it can be to feel like you have been treated unfairly.I can assure you that the previous email you received from Celeste is the correct response and course of action for the issue you're experiencing. At this time, we're not able to assist you further with this issue; however, if you have other questions, please feel free to contact us again. Thanks,  BenThe Google Support Team  ================================================================= Then how is it that i hear people are getting refunds from Apple and Google over exactly the same issue?

It is getting late over here so heading to bed soon will check in on the correspondence tomorrow.=================================================================

Hello William,

Thank you for getting back to me with your concern. I can assure you that the previous email you received from Celeste is the correct response and course of action for the issue you're experiencing. At this time, we're not able to assist you further with this issue; however, if you have other questions, please feel free to contact us again. ================================================================= Well if this is how Google deals with issues with the apps, support companies that condone the action of cheaters, than I have chosen the wrong service to spend my money.I have always supported Google over Apple because i always thought your customer service exceeded Apples, as it turns out Apple players are getting full refunds while Google players have not received any, and the only "Help" we get is telling us to go to Mobage which we already have. And thats why we come here to find the doors have been closed to us here aswell. I am disappointed.I do not feel like my money and my interests are safe with Google.

I will be switching playstores and be spending my money with Apple in the future along with many other unhappy players, they have a much more conscientious effort when it comes to customer satisfaction. The details of this email will be shared amongst my fellow community of the Transformer game and i will be sure to let future people know that Google does not provide a safe environment for their customers money.