Xbox Live Silver is free. Right? Well, Brian was under that impression. He gets that Microsoft needed a credit card on file to verify that he’s an adult, but didn’t get why it wanted to charge him money when he went to verify his billing address. He only uses prepaid cards for his Gold account, and they want him to verify the information of a credit card that he never gave them.

[I] tried to set up child accounts on Xbox Live for my 2 nieces, they are 9 and 10. during the process it states that XBL Silver is free. it also states that for Age verification there needs to be a CC# entered. But it also states that it will not charge or remain on file. This is understandable due to fraud.

After setting up the accounts on the Xbox, I go into the email account used to verify the address. if I do not, the XBL account will be deleted. when I go to verify the address there is now a charge that is both non refundable and unavoidable. if i do not verify the XBL accounts email, they (XBL) will be deleted. making Xbox Live Silver indeed not free. as Microsoft will not create an XBL account without an email, and will not verify or let the XBL account keep without a payment.

I called XBL phone support and they flat out said they will not validate the account without the charge, and the charge is required and will not be reimbursed (will not be reimbursed according to the “verify child account” page).

there is also issues where they kept wanting to verify my CC# for account verification, despite never giving Xbox my CC# (I have always paid with 1 Year Time Codes) and the only time I gave MS my CC# was when i purchased windows 8, which that purchase was specifically checked not to remember CC# during the purchase options of Windows 8 from the Microsoft Store. so apparently they are keeping Credit Card Numbers when told not to via the purchase options.

As a result of the craptastic support, I will not be renewing Xbox Live and sure as crap not buying anything Microsoft-related.

 

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