Gametek playing games with PlayStation 2 customers

Torus Tammer

FOUNTAIN VALLEY -- The Dec. 25 deadline that an Internet entertainment

game company here gave as a due date for the shipment of Sony PlayStation

2 has come and gone.

And so far customers who purchased the video game system from Gametek,

which was in the 17000 block of Newhope Street before it was shut down,

have not yet received their orders, Fountain Valley Police Department and

Palo Alto Police Department officials said.

Early last month, authorities were alerted that Gametek had accepted

between 3,500 and 4,000 PlayStation 2 systems orders online from

customers all over the country. They were charged $349.99 for a system

that Sony recommends should retail at $299.

Around the same time, federal agents arrived at the Gametek office and

conducted a search of the premises. Later that week, agents interviewed

an unnamed owner of the gaming company who said he was expecting a

shipment of PlayStation 2 systems to arrive by Christmas.

Fountain Valley Police Lt. Dan Bean said according to the Web site the

department had set up for victims in this case, it appears that no one

has received their product yet.

“According to the 13,000 hits we have had on our Web site regarding

this case, there has been nothing to indicate that any Gametek customer

has received their PlayStation 2,” he said.

The online financial institution based in Palo Alto known as Paypal,

which allows account holders to send money instantly and securely to

anyone with an e-mail address, also filed a complaint against Gametek.

Paypal had processed payments for orders of the PlayStation 2 by the

time customers complained to the Palo Alto Police Department about

nondelivery of the systems.

Palo Alto Police Det. Jeff Mock of the financial and high-tech crimes

unit and an investigator on this case, said that although all Gametek

bank accounts were frozen and financial documents seized, the

investigation is continuing.

“Right now we have about two to three weeks to wait until analysis of

Gametek’s bank documents is complete,” Mock said. “No charges have been

filed yet, but if we are able to prove misappropriation in Gametek’s

financial dealings that have to do with transactions related to

PlayStation 2, then it will show harmful intent.”