If this article is the truth, then this is some crap. Can you imagine being at college and having to function without a computer, cell phone, or credit cards?
“Investigators took laptop computers, hard drives, video game systems, credit cards, a cell phone, paperwork and other computer equipment, documents say. They were looking for records of any online transactions with WOW, the Chinese-based gold-farming website http://www.gameusd.com, eBay, PayPal and the United Services Automobile Association.”
What in the world would possess them to do this? People always gasp in horror at the stories of the KGB, but no one really talks about all the messed up things the FBI has done. Or if they do, they are labeled “conspiracy theorists” and treated with disdain. Isn’t that convenient?
Ooh, I better shut up before I get accused of not paying taxes on my mansion in Sims 3.
Nerdy But Flirty 
Well, they can’t. Not without a warrent. And you can’t have a warrent without some pretty good probable cause (which it sounds like they had.) I’m not saying that law enforcement never abuses their power or anything, but it’s not like they can (legally) just randomly walk into a home and take stuff.
I do feel bad for what are probably innocent room mates who also had their stuff taken. I understand why they needed to take it all, but if they didn’t have anything to do with it and it was really just one of the students involved, that really sucks.
I’ve seen them rough up my friends simply for looking foreign. Broke all their wine bottles and stuff. But yeah hopefully the guy is a scum bag and deserved it, but I still just hate to think of it.
Well, in their defense, it says “Fraudulent sales”, which is a crime*. And becomes a Federal problem when carried out over the internet. I’d like some more details, though, as to whether this is just an “It’s illegal to sell WoW gold” which is just a violation of Blizz’s ToS, or if they were taking money for gold and not delivering the product, which is fraud.
(*ToS violations are a crime too, I guess. I’d be more upset about FBI involvement/raids regarding those though.)
Ah, catching up on the games scene I came across (a couple) other articles about this. This one in particular from GamesPolitics had a little more info.
quote “They say that at least one person at the address they raided was involved in a “scheme to set up fraudulent bank accounts to buy and/or sell ‘virtual currency’ or ‘gold’ to be used in the game.”
It also mentions an alleged link to terrorist activity (I’d assume funding.) I’m not saying they’re guilty, but it sounds like they’re acting on more than just “You’re under arrest for GOLD FARMING! Mwahaha.”
Thanks for the further info! Still feel for them as a college student. I hate that the feds can just bump up in there and take your stuff…