We all know how anal eBay are about removing listings for dev items and even such things as PSPs with a particular firmware. It begs the question - why are they so stringent in this category? Is it after pressure from Sony etc? Whilst piracy is illegal, and technically it is illegal to modify their IP, a lot of these listings (e.g. said PSP) aren't illegal and you couldn't be arrested for it. However, take a look at this: http://shop.ebay.co.uk/?_from=R40&_trksid=m38.l1313&_nkw=bernhard+note&_sacat=See-All-Categories Operation Bernhard was a German counterfeiting operation during the Second World War designed to destabilize the British economy by flooding the marked with forged bank notes. Whilst the notes were some of the best forgeries ever printed, they abandoned the plan and instead used the notes to pay their agents. Now, why is this a problem on eBay? Well, British notes read that the Bank of England promise to pay the bearer on demand the sum of five pounds. That text is still present on current notes. That promise did not expire with the withrawal of the currency from circulation. Whilst it may not be legal tender today, if you have wartime money, you could cash it in with the Bank of England. However, they will not accept forgeries, and will confiscate any such examples presented. It is an offence to knowingly hold or attempt to distribute conterfeit currency. As old bank notes can still be redeemed, the Bernhard notes are technically illegal. So, eBay kick up a fuss when you mention that you haven't upgraded your legal mark 1 PSP, but they don't care about forged currency! Umm, which is the arrestable offence?
Are we being brought back to your childhood retro? This flooding the market with these bill seem abit old school to me, Lol! As for EBAY and there cockups that topic has been brought up a few times on AG. Nothing new to me! Did you get burned or something retro recently? :shrug:
Playing devils advocate - one is being purchased for the purposes of playing illicitly sourced games, the other is being purchased as a historical item. To be honest though, I can see why they block auctions of downgraded PSPs at the request of Sony, and don't stop sales of bits of paper that would never be considered legal tender by any shop. I think Wildcat missed the point when he considers these bills "old school" (obviously five pound notes from the 40s aren't "flooding the market", get a grip mate), but there's a totally different intention behind the sale, for both buyer and seller, regardless of legality. Should both be stopped? If it was up to me, neither would - both have legitimate interests outside of their legally dubious nature. I think we can both agree that downgraded PSPs are more likely to be used to break the law today than dodgy fivers from WWII, though.
Lol, retro, :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: Alchy, I didn't miss any point. Were you born in the 1940's Alchy? I wasn't. I'd heard about those bills just not too long ago from someone else. Isn't retro topic about a gap in ebay regs? Alchy? Assumption is the root of evil, Alchy.
