Banned Xbox Live Accounts? Microsoft clears it up
Recent buzz has circulated about certain Xbox Live accounts being banned. These certain Xbox Live accounts were rumored to be the additional accounts created by users to take advantage of content not available in their own region. So for instance, some users with a US account would make a Japanese account to take advantage of certain content only available in Japan. The news virus hit ofcourse soon after the Video Marketplace lauched and many were confused about whether or not accounts would being banned or would there be blocked content?
Here’s the official word concerning the recent change in Xbox Live security:
A recent security change to the Xbox Live service may have impacted users online purchase experience. Currently the video marketplace service and related content is only available to consumers in the United States. Although we will continue to work on providing content and rolling out the service in other markets, US Marketplace offers will be restricted to the US only. This means that the credit card associated with your account is required to match the billing address and country your account is set up in. Note that we are not banning any of these Xbox Live accounts, as they can continue to use pre-paid subscription cards and Microsoft Points cards.
Customers wanting to check the billing information on their account can do this on their console or by signing into Xbox.com with your account and then go to MY XBOX, MY PROFILE then to BILLING AND CONTACT INFORMATION.
We also realize that there may be a small number of international users that were impacted by this change that have a legitimate reason for why their billing location does not match their account location. We are working to deal with these exceptions on a case by case basis and are working on a solution for these consumers.
Bottom line…always wait for official word before you go jumping off that cliff. You may now resume your ordinary lives.
[Update] – May 17
Recent news on banned Xbox 360 consoles.
November 28th, 2006 at 9:41 pm
Yeah I heard about this earlier. Its good that the situation has been cleared up a bit.
November 28th, 2006 at 10:32 pm
Banned…..hmmmm….I like the way that sounds…it sends chills down the spines of forum frequenters…
Banned.
I think I’ll make an album or song and title it “Banned”. Then I guess I’ll upload it to youtube and post it on the forums…and then probably get banned lol.
See I can be like one of those famous musicians that sings about drugs and prison that doesn’t have experience in what he’s singing about. Oh this is gonna be awesome. ~What were we talking about again?
November 29th, 2006 at 8:59 am
You should name the band…banned.
November 29th, 2006 at 10:32 am
Banned on the run?
November 29th, 2006 at 10:42 am
LOL
American Bannedstand.
November 29th, 2006 at 3:26 pm
Kinda off topic, but ive ALWAYS wondered what game your gamerpic is from?
November 29th, 2006 at 3:33 pm
who me?
November 29th, 2006 at 10:19 pm
No, deaconblade. His gamercard
November 14th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
OMFG i cant connect 2 xbox live and all internet is fine all it says is account is banned how do i unbanned it
November 14th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
you can’t. you have to wait the ban out if there was a time attached to it. if it’s a permanent ban then enjoy gaming offline
August 20th, 2010 at 9:14 pm
omg i got banned for no reason i was just playing a game with my friends and it signs me out of xboxlive saying this account has been taken you are banned from xboxlive until…..but a while so i got Qestions:
why did i get ban for no reason?
it says someone took my account?
can you unban me because i did nothing wrong?
i was just playing a game and you ban me for that?
or people that dont like me told there friends to give me a bad rep on me who why would microsoft not notice that there doing just to luagh
August 20th, 2010 at 9:16 pm
i cant believe im banned for a long time
August 21st, 2010 at 6:14 pm
im still banned and the date is pass the date i should get my account back