Nintendo Switch Account Banned After PayPal Issues a Refund

If you’re using PayPal as a payment method on Nintendo eShop that’s not the same as your country of residence, you would probably want to avoid contacting PayPal Support or use a credit card instead.

[crazyCoconuts]

A good reminder that you don't "own" those games you "purchase". You're paying to have rights to access their content on their terms. I think digital rights have a ways to go before they're customer friendly. The platform holders have us by the short hairs.

[Eidolon]

I still can access all my games since 2006. This is definitely a flaw, though, all licenses bound to one(bannable) account is a bad(and unavoidable) reality for digital content. I'm pretty sure he can get his stuff back, but will probably be a pain in the ass,
Rare case, though. Follow terms and you're good.

[ninsigma]

Personally I think a banning should just ban you from online play and let you keep access to your games and the store. Maybe if your transgression is in violation of a particular game then ban from that game only.

[Cobra951]

I haven't had any problems either, but this story shows that they control whatever is in your account, not you. They can choose to shut you out, and that is power they should not have--not after you've paid for the games.

Also PayPal are borderline crooks. So far I've managed to avoid using that service completely.

[traumadisaster]

He was scamming the system to get a cheaper game bought outside his region, then had the balls to get a refund from the bank(PayPal) rather than ninty, then lied and said he didn't ask for a refund.

Nice deterrent, no one reading this will try that bs. Consequences...its a thing.

[ZeekQuattro]

That makes sense now. I thought it was odd when he said he asked about exchange rates and PayPal instead returned his money. Lol

[Cobra951]

This individual claims never having requested a refund. The request was related to exchange rates, allegedly. Regardless, banning the account means taking away a lot more than this one game. If I buy a hat in Mexico and bring it to the US, the manufacturer won't send goons to my house to take all my hats away. If you buy something, even digitally, no one should be able to deprive you of everything you've bought from them in one fell swoop like this.

[TiredandRetired]

I will say that there are some of us who do actually purchase outside of our region for legitimate reasons... for instance, I am an American expat who has lived in EU since 2014. I'm still a resident here, not a citizen though. My Switch was bought here in Europe, but I purchase almost everything from the US store. Cheaper prices, but I still maintain my American bank account and credit cards while I live here. It's a right I maintain as a citizen living abroad. I still maintain American work clients who pay in dollars to my American accounts.

With that said, I wouldn't be stupid enough to request a Paypal refund even if I used it. (he says he didn't) But I don't use Paypal at all. You're right, something is fishy here.

[Kainbrightside]

This will happen with just about any digital service.

[neocores8055]

This happen to my father he was oversea and bought my lil bro a switch. It got PERM BAN after a refund and we called and everything to pay for what we had to pay to. get it unbann they said we had to reverse it with paypal but paypal would not do that and NINTENDO refused to help us.

[PhoenixUp]

Why do people still advocate for a digital only future when your account can be banned for superfluous reasons and you’d lose access to your entire library in the blink of an eye?

[King_Noctis]

Maybe you should read the article, or heck even read tramadisaster’s comment above first.

[Lord_Sloth]

Trying to scam the company isn't a superfluous reason.

[PhoenixUp]

I’m not even talking specifically about this instance. I’m talking about in general. I can find numerous other instances where people lost access to their accounts and thus their digital libraries.

One example off the top of my head is a guy who got his PSN account banned because he used his real name Jihad.

Some of the times they get their accounts back but the point still stands.

[NotoriousWhiz]

But on the bright side, if their house burned down, they wouldn't lose all of their games. They have a lot of other problems for sure but they'd be one console purchase away from enjoying all of their old games. Different strokes for different folks.

[PhoenixUp]

It’s why having multiple options is the best rather than being forced to deal with only one

[NotoriousWhiz]

I agree. Everyone should have the option to choose.

[Eidolon]

Sounds fixable. But that sucks.

[MrIreland]

It's exactly the same with PlayStation accounts. I should know because I work for them. You get a refund from your card issuer or bank and it results in an automatic ban on your account and console. This is another reason why you should never buy a second hand console! Only way to pay back the debt is to buy PSN money vouchers and contact PlayStation so they can put them onto your account.

[AHall88]

They ban the account AND console? The account is one thing, but banning the console seems super scummy and excessive.

[MrIreland]

I know. But they do that so the player doesn't just make a new account and not pay the debt back. So it's especially shitty when people ring to say they bought a banned console and there is nothing PlayStation will do to help. They have to get the person that sold it to them to pay their debt back. But that's highly unlikely 😞

[rye74]

serves him right, he was scamming Nintendo. What do you think would happen?

[Cobra951]

What should happen is he loses that game, or gets the opportunity to pay the rest of the higher price in his territory for it. What should never happen is losing all the other games and content he bought.

[Mainman187]

Another black eye for nint.

[Gemmol]

All companies do it

[Cobra951]

That doesn't make it right.

[Kosic]

Get a card like Revolt and just buy off the store directly through them. They do a fair exchange rate, and no middle man BS.

[SegaSaturn669]

Doesn't bother me. I hacked my switch as soon as the sx pro was released. I own every switch game ever released and paid 0.

[Kainbrightside]

Got a serious question. Do you have some type of mental disorder? Or are you slow in some sense. You write like a middle school kid who doesn't go outside or have friends. I see that often times you talk with little to no knowledge
with the air of knowing everything and many things seem to go over your head. Id suggest seeking mental health services before you progress further into whatever BPD, NPD you're afflicted with.

[SegaSaturn669]

I have autism. But I still know a ripoff when I see one. You may not like what I have to say, but in this case, nintendo dropped the ball (and sucks ass), so the modding community DonaldTrump'd the device to make it great again.

[rdgneoz3]

'User gets account banned after breaking two TOS, over something that could have been solved using a quick Google search'

Good luck getting it fixed. Saving a few bucks can cause problems at times when you do it through shady means.

[Knightofelemia]

This just shows how physical is better then digital when purchasing games

[WitcheRivia]

Sounds like The Division 2 & Fallout 76 will be heading to Nintendo Switch.

[Razuel]

Sony is the same.

[Exvalos]

Naw that's complete bs, I can see banning your online account but if you bought a game you should still be able to play that game period