I'm pretty sure I've been scammed

[judyo6815]

Hi,

My issue is a little confusing but please bear with me ..

1. On 30 January 2024 I bought a Toshiba Satellite C50-B laptop with Windows 10Pro installed and I received the laptop by mail on 2 February 2024.   All went well with the purchase, except for allot of installed Malware which I removed (I hope).  
2. Not long after purchasing the laptop I asked for my eBay account to be deleted which was approved and actioned.  The reason for the request was for personal reasons.
3. On 2 August 2024, exactly 6 months after receiving the laptop, Windows 10 Pro deactivated.  Strange.  I kept getting a message to enter a new Product Key.  I searched the registry files and command prompt and yes I found product keys but they were rejected.  Nothing worked.  Now I have a watermark on bottom right of my screen asking me to activate windows.
4. So, I decided to try and contact the seller.  To do this I had to create a new Ebay account (which is what I am using now).  Although, this user name is very similar to previous user name.
5. I have sent the seller 3 emails (for some reason only 2 are showing on my profile) asking for a new Windows 10 Pro product key …  but no response.
6. eBay's money back guarantee expired 6 months after purchase.  A few days before windows deactivated.
7. I paid with PayPal but they only cover up to 90 days after purchase.

So now I am writing to you here in the hope someone might have a magic answer. I have attached a copy of the email from eBay when I bought the laptop.  Unfortunately, the font is so large that the entire product description has been cut off … however, it does show Windows 10 Pro in the heading.  It also shows the Item number etc.  

I am a pensioner and money is tight … just like it is for most of us these days ... so buying a new copy of Windows 10Pro is not possible for me right now.

That's it.  Thanks for making it this far and I hope someone can help.

cheers

Judy

[imastawka]

Brick means if they have Windows installed, just purchase a new key for their system.

New keys (for the right system) are about $8 from memory.

Unless.................I don't know what I'm talking about - which would not be unusual.    😜

[brickworksmarket]

So from my understanding the seller has likely installed a version that is from something like a business licence and only lasts 6 months and needs renewing. 

[sugar249]

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@imastawka wrote:

New keys (for the right system) are about $8 from memory.

I just bought some keys from Bunnings,  about $6 if I recall right.

[judyo6815]

Yes I have.  I visited Microsoft support but I found it very confusing to navigate  .. plus I don't think I have a a legit copy of Windows 10 Pro which makes it even harder to find an area to speak to.  However, I have managed to lodge a service request call back.  Hopefully something good will come out of it.

[judyo6815]

No sticker under the laptop.  But I have an 2nd laptop (that doesn't work so good now) which was bought from a retail store and it doesn't have a sticker either.  

[judyo6815]

Agreed and I have searched for keys online.  BUT, there are so many if's and but's surrounding the installation of these key's that it sounds like I need to purchase the software which is pricey.

[judyo6815]

yep. agree