How to Lose Money Fast on your Xbox 360

I’ve come to discover a very interesting feature with the Xbox 360’s dashboard. When programming your Xbox 360 Universal Remote, be sure to first have your TV tuned to the video signal from the 360 and for the love of all that is good and holy LOGOUT of Xbox Live!

Unfortunately, I can confirm that as you program the remote, if there is a purchasable item in the first panel of the default “Spotlight” section of the dashboard, pressing “OK+TV” multiple times to check different TV codes will handily purchase said product.  I mistakenly decided to program my remote while still getting the video signal from my digital cable box – unaware that the whole time my programming actions were also directing the 360 dashboard to purchase GTA IV as a direct download.

To add to the pain, Microsoft’s policy on purchasing content on Xbox Live! is no refunds, all sales final.  I was on the phone with 4 different representatives today ( I must add all quite friendly and understanding ) who in the end confirmed there was nothing they could do, not even a credit to my account, for that would be against policy.

Let’s compound that pain by the discovery that I can’t even get the item that was mistakenly purchased.  I have a 20Gb HD on my 360 and in order to download the full game, I would have to wipe most of my content or buy a premium priced 120Gb HD from Microsoft. Fantastic.

I have been on Xbox Live! since 2004 and due to this unfortunate experience, I have asked them to cancel the auto-renewal on my account.  A funny coincidence to all of this was that it happened the day after I bought a Nintendo Wii.

So dear Xbox, apparently I CAN quit you.