UK firm offers 'PlayStation 3 for Christmas'

Company soliciting phone orders for £1.50 per minute, promising to call back when sought-after consoles become available...

An advert has been put up in a central London train station boldly proclaiming "PlayStation 3--Order now for Christmas" with a phone number in red underneath beginning with the prefix 0906, the equivalent of a 1-900 in the states. Above the number is a photo of the console and controller, against a background of seasonal snowflakes...and some fine print at the bottom reading, "Calls cost £1.50 per minute."

Brits desperate enough to get their hands on the next-gen console ahead of its official European release date in March will find themselves with an approximately £7.50 (around $14) phone charge for the four-and-a-half-minute call.

The recorded message starts by telling callers that the order line is owned and run by a sole proprietor company called Mastercash. Under British law, sole proprietor companies do not have to officially register their information with Companies House, whereas limited companies do. The address given for the company is in Merseyside, and GameSpot traced it to a self-catering apartment building, which describes itself as "luxury short break, holiday and corporate accommodation on the Liverpool waterfront."

The female voice on the recording goes on to inform potential customers that this phone line service will give British consumers possibly their only chance to get their hands on a PS3 for Christmas--and explains the situation to anyone who doesn't already know. "The official release date for the PS3 is November 17, 2006," the recording says. "But the official release date in the UK has for some reason been pushed back to March 2007. With the PS3 being so popular, the supplies the shops do get are expected to have been preordered and sold out on the same day."

The voice then explains that because of this, the PS3 Mastercash will be delivering will therefore be either a Japanese or an American console, but will come with a UK power supply and all other relevant cables. This aspect of the deal seems particularly dodgy, as Sony has previously made its intentions to sue any companies "grey importing" the new PS3 console very clear indeed.

The caller is then asked to leave his or her details, including a contact phone number and a mailing address so that the company can them call back, "to make you aware of the package content and options of additional games and accessories, along with all pricing info." The voice then adds that a caller's order is in no way binding, and that Mastercash reserves the right to cancel any or all orders "at any time it sees fit to do so." Naturally, all orders are also subject to availability.

0906 numbers are premium numbers in the UK and can be bought for prices beginning at £49. Companies can then choose from a variety of different tariffs, ranging from 10p (the owner gets .25p) a minute, through to the most expensive charge offered, £1.50 a minute, of which the owner will pocket £1.03 directly.

[UPDATE] A Sony spokesperson told GameSpot that it was investigating the adverts. "This is completely unofficial and has nothing to do with Sony Computer Entertainment. Our legal department are looking into it as we speak," the statement read.

117 Comments

  • koolgiy

    Posted Nov 19, 2006 8:56 pm PT

    Well seeming how it costs sony $849 to make a PS3. (Source: Forbes article)

  • pb1285n

    Posted Nov 17, 2006 4:32 pm PT

    Mike961990:

    A good reason? Are you serious or are you really that stupid.

    If you can figure out a cheaper way to build a Playstation 3 I bet Sony would love to hear it because they are already losing hundreds of dollars per system.

  • _Sam_

    Posted Nov 12, 2006 2:00 pm PT

    "[UPDATE] A Sony spokesperson told GameSpot that it was investigating the adverts. "This is completely unofficial and has nothing to do with Sony Computer Entertainment. Our legal department are looking into it as we speak," the statement read."

    Yeah, I didn't think that it was real

  • GsR_lives

    Posted Nov 10, 2006 6:11 am PT

    i hope $$$ony sues the pants of this U.K. company. *sarcasm*

  • agi34

    Posted Nov 9, 2006 11:34 am PT

    most people bashing ps3 here aren't even looking at the reason for the delay. they are trying to remove bugs from the system so that there less chance of defects. if you ran a business you would do the same. any company would. im so sick of people bashing systems if you don't like it don't buy it ignore it. people who bash are just afraid that system thet like will fail and they're only bashing it to feel more secure.

  • Mike961990

    Posted Nov 9, 2006 8:50 am PT

    sony sucks so bad they don't even deserve a capital letter.

    Not only have sony ass-raped the UK and Europe by denying us a worldwide release as previously promised, but they have also decided to charge us a disgusting amount more for the system - which if anybody can give me a legit reason for them doing so please let me know. sony, we now see that you're promises and your word mean absolutely nothing. It would seem that you are on a pretty much vertical slippery slope downhill.

  • trj156

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 5:12 pm PT

    scam

  • carcrazy426

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 3:58 pm PT

    I doubt that any importing company in the UK will be importing PS3s early. Sony took down Lik Sang for a reason, and that was to show the rest of the importing world that they don't want "grey importing" of any of their products. I don't think that any company would be bold enough to import PS3s after that showing of force.

  • thefjk

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 3:35 pm PT

    I wouldn't take that seriously!

  • glhx1rush

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 2:37 pm PT

    Damn, and I thought the scammers were bad here in the states... BTW, I was at wal-mart today as they were setting up the PS3 Kiosk, and I got to touch the display PS3! It was sooooo nice.......... I just stood there and slobbered for a few minutes.............the graphics on the HDTV display were amazing!

  • DiscGuru101

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 2:01 pm PT

    Yeah right.

  • GingeOnGinger

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 12:58 pm PT

    hmm sounds iffy.

  • Ryu_-

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 12:40 pm PT

    People stupid enough to ring that number after Lik-Sang was brutally shut down deserve to get scammed imo. I bet that company has already made thousands!

  • Tom1243

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 12:30 pm PT

    How stupid.

  • kevbhoy

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 11:46 am PT

    The reason why Sony won't allow importing to Europe is because they would be losing out on money. As with EVERYTHING in rip-off Britain the PS3 will cost significantly more in the U.K than in other places in the world.
    For example. U.K High End PS3 = £425 Imported U.S High End PS3 = $599 = Roughly £314 Total Saving Of : £111 or $211
    So say 1 million people in Britian buy the PS3, and out of this 10,000 import Sony will lose £1.11 million($2.11 million) of their precious potential income. I myself like Sony and I like their products, but they are a corporation and they will try to get as much money out of their consumers as any other globel giant (Microsoft) would.

  • Karribuhater115

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 11:34 am PT

    This sounds dodgy to me. £7.50 just for the phonecall yet they can cancel your PS3 order whenever they want. As a customer it doesn't sound like you'd have many rights if you bought a PS3 from them and come on! Seriously, the amount of PS3s released in Japan and America are going to be far below expectations, just where is this company intending to get more than 1, if that to supply to the thousands that will probably preorder this.

    I doubt they'll honour any of their orders, but imagine the profits, £1.03 per 1 minute phonecall in sole profits? Calls last about 4 minutes, multiply it by the thousands of people who will call them... such a scam.

  • Keith4RFC17

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 11:32 am PT

    changes of being the 1 getting it is few and far between

  • Zaxex

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 11:08 am PT

    The title of this story has changed twice each time sounding more legit, it sounds more like a contest .

  • freakykidd

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 10:33 am PT

    I do find the delay of the PS3 very bad - especialy since they promised a christmas worldwide release at E3. By the looks of it this comapny's gonna have the **** sued out of them, especialy after looking at what happened to Lik-Sang...

  • Drt888

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 10:24 am PT

    Im British and frankly if fellow Brits arent patient they dont deserve a ps3 same for anyone else who is impatient.

  • owen666

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 10:18 am PT

    does that mean im not getting my PS3! LOL

  • cjcr_alexandru

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 10:15 am PT

    Looks like GameSpot has made some serious investigations regarding this subject. That's good journalism. Good work!

  • Typhoon89

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 10:14 am PT

    Ugh, why can't people just be patient, it's nothing that spectacular.

  • xatman911

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 9:57 am PT

    That phone owner is making money. Imagine how many people will call that number.

  • piecake

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 9:46 am PT

    lol

  • PyroKenshin

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 9:43 am PT

    **** sony, no seriously **** sony,

    if it wasnt for them being so unfair to us brits, pushing back the release then companies like this wouldnt exist.

    what on earth is wrong with importing a console anyway? how does that affect sony? it's still a unit sold, wether its US or UK!

    sony have made some dubious decisions lately, from sueing lik-sang, to pricing their console rediculously high, because it has a bit of hardware in it that may, or may not take off (im guessing the latter, simply because hd-dvd, is called dvd, and everyone has heard of dvds... who's heard of blue-ray, that isn't into tech things?) and finally, shunning all the europeans yet again with their console launch, just as they did with the psp (i imported mine off ebay- yea- sue me. i'm sorry that i actually wanted your product.)

    because of the above reasons i'm 99% sure they are gonna come off worse than nintendo and microsoft in this console war... it may be a more powerful console, but it's no where near as innovative as the nintendo wii, and it's been released so much later, and is so much more expensive than a 360 and wii... many games for it will also be released for 360, and will only feature upgraded graphics as the only incentive to get them on the ps3...

    basically sony = lame and stupid.

  • fartys

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 8:55 am PT

    I WANIT I WANIT I WANIT !

  • SuperGogeta24

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 8:46 am PT

    silly silly children

  • Sam_Lowery

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 8:40 am PT

    They might as well just try ebay, but they better expect to pay about $1,500 for a system. oblivion is great and all but who needs it THAT badly.

  • marcfury

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 8:27 am PT

    Even if it is ligit, I think it sucks that anyone would take advantage of people who want the ps3. Look at what they charge you for the phone call....it doesn't sound like alot of money, but if you add up all the people that will call, that a chunck of money that they made already.

  • dsrarrow

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 8:27 am PT

    this is total and complete (you get the idea) isn't it?

  • Haruhi_love

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 8:09 am PT

    hehe im just gona import my own PS3 hehe !!! im going on holdiay to the states and my mate their has 2 PS3's on preorder and his dad is the manager of the shop hehe so yippe!!!

  • Supreme_Fantasy

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 8:07 am PT

    What a scam on this way! What the hell is Sony doin for this?!

  • Afro_Samurai

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 7:59 am PT

    That company has got the words bulls--- (fill in the blank) all over it.

  • nWoMSAM

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 7:17 am PT

    I'm surprised they get callers.

    No one I know wants to pay £450+ for a console.

  • kyosukeugc

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 7:12 am PT

    """""Or better yet, why not buy a Wii or a 360 for much less and have the same quality. """"
    ----

    WOW that's ignorant...

    but seriously... ummm can we say scam possibly?

  • Romanticide

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 7:08 am PT

    Scaaaaam!

  • shizwill03

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 6:49 am PT

    What the.......

    Well, for those desperate to get their hand on one.....

  • Riorio99

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 6:38 am PT

    Who really wants PS3 that badly. why not wait 3 months?
    Or better yet, why not buy a Wii or a 360 for much less and have the same quality.

  • Sc4r

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 6:36 am PT

    Not me, chrisdojo.

  • neoplazma

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 6:35 am PT

    This can't be right. i remember some time back that PS3s should be sond and imported into the EU and that Sony were doing something to prevent this.

  • eggsiboss

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 6:11 am PT

    dude this sucks eh?! but i wish id thought of it! the fact that lik sang are now shut with the help of sony means that many people will be looking for new ways to get a ps3 and also means many scammers out there looking for more ways to rip people off and capitalize on the playstation hungry masses ou there. I do feel that sony have done europe an injustice yet again, they really need to make sure they can fill the shelves at xmas, sadly they havent met european demand at xmas for the last threee years now, what with the slim and psp, now this. IMO it is sonys fault that people are gonna get ripped off again because all they want to make their children happy ( or happiest!?) at xmas.

  • Cloud737

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 5:56 am PT

    There`s no limit on how low scammers can get. Even the recorded message was made long enough to make the caller cough-up at least $7 just for the "possibility" to have a PS3 on X-Mas.
    Let`s see how well Sony keeps it`s word on hunting down grey importers.

  • chrisdojo

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 5:24 am PT

    is anyone that desparate for a ps3 in the UK?

  • kavadias1981

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 5:04 am PT

    Clever, very very clever. But I have to point out that there is a huge problem with these sorts of cons in the UK at the moment. Bet the man who thought up this idea is perched on a solid gold throne funded by other peoples misery.

    Isn't it funny though how they claim to have a UK power supply. Sony haven't made a single one yet lol! Adaptor maybe, but definately NOT a PS3 power supply.

  • Guest_1001

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 4:26 am PT

    You can see the M$ and Nintendo fanboys trying to peg something else on Sony . . . obviously they can't read . . .

    I live in England and I can wait. As far as I know, very, very few people call those phone numbers anyway.

    And BYS2, get a life. Or, preferably, a brain.

  • Mezzomorto

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 4:23 am PT

    Well the company name says it all really: "Mastercash". Master cash for the scouser (I presuming given the location of his "self catering office") who's running the scam has his Xmas budget all sorted out at least

  • Havoc19

    Posted Nov 8, 2006 3:22 am PT

    GameSpot contacted Sony for comment and a spokesperson said that the company would be looking into the ads. gamespot snitching?

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