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Websites like eBay or Craigslist do have great deals, but you probably won't get the same protections as if you buy the item brand new. One Bay Area man bought a used video game console and pretty soon, it was game over.
Julio Bermudez and his sister spend an occasional afternoon rocking out with "Guitar Hero." but really, this video game is Julio's passion.
Julio sometimes stays up all night playing "Halo 3," battling it out with other players online.
He went on eBay last year and bought a used Xbox 360 just so he could play it. So why is he getting creamed? It started last November when the green power button on his console turned red.
If you have an Xbox you know that's bad.
"It's called the red ring of death to most gamers," said Julio.
The Xbox died on him. So Julio contacted Microsoft which makes the Xbox. He was told to send it in for repair.
Julio re-registered the machine in his own name and shipped it off, but that was the last time he ever saw his Xbox.
"We lost your registry and then we sent your console to the wrong person," said Julio.
Julio says Microsoft mistakenly sent his Xbox back to its original owner, a guy up in Canada.
"They didn't hold themselves responsible and that I would still have to deal with the loss," said Julio.
Julio says Microsoft would not help him get the machine back, advising him to get a lawyer. But Julio said tha was not his responsibility.
"That's when hings started to get really, really unnerving, really unsettling I started to get really upset," said Julio.
Julio was not only upset, he was also getting rusty at Halo 3. The family couldn't play Guitar Hero at Christmas time. Seven months after he sent his box for repairs there was still no resolution in sight.
"That's when I contacted 7 On Your Side because they weren't acknowledging me at all," said Julio.
We contacted Xbox customer service and it agreed to look into Julio's case and pretty soon, Julio received a replacement console in the mail.
Microsoft issued a statement saying the return of the Xbox had nothing to do with 7 On Your Side. It just took awhile to work things out and it apologized for any inconvenience.
Now Julio and his sister are back to rocking out and Julio is catching up on his gaming skills.
"I'm very happy to have my console back," said Julio. "I'm kind of ashamed to admit the very first night I got it back, I was up playing Halo 3 until the sun came up."
A good lesson here -- if you buy a used gaming console or other used machine, make sure you do re-register it in your name and check to see that the paperwork has gone through.
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