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View Full Version : WARNING ABOUT PURCHASING SECONDHAND HD TIVO's



Brucep
01-09-2009, 09:44 AM
Hi All,

Just thought I would post a warning about buying secondhand Australian HD TiVo's.

Last week I purchased a unit from the Cash Converters Webshop for $415, which I thought was a reasonable price for a secondhand unit.
Here's the link:

http://webshop.cashconverters.com.au/item/638712

Item arrived Wed 26th August, and I plugged it all in, and attempted to activate / transfer the unit to my TiVo account. After doing updates I noticed that the service status had changed from "5:Lifetime...., to 9:Closed...." a quick google search revealed service code 9 indicates "Stolen".

Once I picked myself off the floor, and stopped feeling like I was going to be sick, I sent a message to TiVo in regard to the unit......sure enough they replied within an hour or so with the following:



Hi Bruce,

We are currently investigating your issue and are seeking to resolve this as quickly as possible, and will notify you when this has been resolved.

We hope this response has been of assistance and as a valued customer we appreciate your feedback.

For any future enquires related to this issue please reply to this message leaving the reference number in the subject.

Remember you can always find out about TiVo's latest features and find help for a number of common queries at: www.tivo.com.au

Regards

TiVo Support


Hoping it was just a database glitch, or a wrong TSN somewhere I was fully expecting to hear something back from TiVo about sorting this out.

Monday, 31st August, I recieved the following email from the SA Police:



Bruce,

I have received information that you have recently purchased a TiVo from the Cash Converters Webshop. I have also been advised that the TiVo that you have was stolen from a house break in which occurred in Adelaide in November 2008.

I am conducting enquiries in relation to this matter and would appreciate it if you could please forward me all the information you have in relation to the TiVo that you purchased, where you got it from and when. Also details of your transaction from when you purchased it.

Your assistance in this matter would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

{NAME REMOVED}
Crime Management Unit, XXXXXXXXX Police Station
South Australia Police
ETC.....


So TiVo must have forwarded my account details on to the SA Police as a suspected criminal.

I rang and spoke with the officer concerned, and then sent all details, photo's etc to the SA Police, and also spoke to the manager at the Cash Converters store.

From his (Cash Converters Manager's) reaction, it would seem to be a problem which does occur from time to time.......... Police have told me to hang on to the unit until I hear back from them........Cash Converters will give me a refund when they recieve the unit back....as I paid with Paypal funded from a Visa Card I've got about as best chances of a forced refund as possible......so I'm not too worried about the money at this stage.

Hopefully in time, this whole mess will run it's course, and be sorted out........but if I can spare someone else having a similar drama, with all the stress, and sleepless nights it is worth posting here.

If TiVo had some type of online TSN verify system these sort of issues would be totally, and completely avoided.

Secondhand Tivo's will be increasing as time goes on, so be very cautious of any, even from seemingly "legit" sources

Regards,

Brucep

petestrash
03-09-2009, 09:29 AM
Thanks for the warning, at least with places like cash convertors they are required by law to sell goods with a clear title so you have no issues about getting a refund. The fact you used both paypal and Visa means that you are extra safe.

I'm glad TiVo uses the same system here as in the US, this is the first Time I have heard about a stolen TiVo being recovered this way here.

If buying a TiVo 2nd hand from other sources it is good practice to ask the seller to send you a screenshot after forcing a call to the server. Then at least you know the account was still open and active at that time.

Peter.

Brucep
04-09-2009, 08:26 AM
It is a good thing that TiVo help when these units are stolen. I know if "the boot was on the other foot" I would be grateful that TiVo helped recover my property, and potentially catch the scum that stole it. It made me wonder how many Series 1's would come up stolen, if they were cross referenced with the TiVo TSN database?

Regards,

Bruce