Nasty Prank: Woman's Child Offered for Sale on Xbox Live

March 11, 2009

A Florida woman is understandably upset after someone posted a message on Xbox Live advertising that her two-year-old daughter was for sale - and included her home phone number. The offer included free shipping.

As reported by the Charlotte Sun, Christa Manos of Punta Gorda began receiving angry phone calls from Xbox Live users on Saturday night.:

The [first caller] was furious Manos would consider putting a price tag on her child.

At first, it sounded like a prank. But the phone kept ringing, with more and more angry voices from across the United States. Some just cursed at Manos. Others called her a bad mother. She didn't know what they were talking about.

"By the 18th or 19th call, I knew something wasn't right," Manos said.

The Charlotte County Sheriff's Office is investigating.

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Comments

Re: Nasty Prank: Woman's Child Offered for Sale on Xbox Live

Submitted by chadachada321 on Wed, 03/11/2009 - 20:18.

From a troll standpoint, this is freaking hilarious. I mean, come on, if I wanted to pull a prank, this is definitely a fantastic one.

However, I would never do something like this unprovoked, and if this happened to me I would be incredibly pissed. I'm wondering about the specifics of this though, like where it was said and such.

-If an apple a day keeps the doctor away....what happens when a doctor eats an apple?-

-Optimum est pati quod emendare non possis-It is best to endure what you cannot change-

Re: Nasty Prank: Woman's Child Offered for Sale on Xbox Live

Submitted by Kojiro on Wed, 03/11/2009 - 15:44.

The idiots on Xbox Live believed these messages? I would have thought that the members of Live, being a generally younger crowd, would be more savy to bullshit like this.

(Don't get me wrong, I said "savy," not "mature.")

Re: Nasty Prank: Woman's Child Offered for Sale on Xbox Live

Submitted by MonkeyPeaches on Wed, 03/11/2009 - 15:28.

I don't see how it could get on xbox live from craigslist since you the 360 doesn't have an internet browser.

Re: Nasty Prank: Woman's Child Offered for Sale on Xbox Live

Submitted by strathmeyer on Wed, 03/11/2009 - 12:29.

Can someone tell us how to post things on Xbox Live??? And how to read things people have posted???

Re: Nasty Prank: Woman's Child Offered for Sale on Xbox Live

Submitted by catboy_j on Wed, 03/11/2009 - 11:51.

I am amused that so many people insist xbox live isn't that bad, but it makes the news so often lol. And not for saving children.

Re: Nasty Prank: Woman's Child Offered for Sale on Xbox Live

Submitted by JC on Wed, 03/11/2009 - 05:51.

I'm amazed it took her 18 calls for her to register it as "wasn't right" ....

At most, I'd expect most people to be worried by the 3rd~5th one...

Poor woman though, especially with the way Florida is right now with Caylee Anthony case; can only imagine how quickly that can escalate.

I wish the article would clarify where the ad was, but I'm guessing craiglist with a reference to the xboxlive gamertag.

Re: Nasty Prank: Woman's Child Offered for Sale on Xbox Live

Submitted by E. Zachary Knight on Wed, 03/11/2009 - 06:17.

The article says it originated on XBox Live. Where I don't know. Had it been posted on Craigslist I am sure they would have mentioned it.

E. Zachary Knight
Oklahoma City Chapter of the ECA
http://www.theeca.com/chapters_oklahoma

E. Zachary Knight
Divine Knight Gaming
OK Game Devs
Random Tower

Re: Nasty Prank: Woman's Child Offered for Sale on Xbox Live

Submitted by JC on Wed, 03/11/2009 - 08:06.

The thing is, how was this information modified? I think it is a bit difficult to get into another's Gamertag without leaving a glaring record for MS to find the culprit or whatever. Meh, it is just very odd to see this.

Re: Nasty Prank: Woman's Child Offered for Sale on Xbox Live

Submitted by MechaTama31 on Wed, 03/11/2009 - 09:13.

Who says it was her gamertag? If somebody knows your phone number and your child's name, they can pull a prank like this using any gamertag they like. It's not like anybody else on Live is going to know that the gamertag and phone number don't match up.

Re: Nasty Prank: Woman's Child Offered for Sale on Xbox Live

Submitted by CyberSkull on Wed, 03/11/2009 - 05:34.

So where was the message posted? On a user profile or in the forums? Either case the message should be tied to a user account.

Re: Nasty Prank: Woman's Child Offered for Sale on Xbox Live

Submitted by Seanovan on Thu, 03/12/2009 - 02:38.

My guess is that it started on xbox live(voice chat) and was spread through a privately run forum for xbox fans.

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PHX Corp: http://kotaku.com/ea-sports-developer-calls-wii-u-crap-and-nintendo-wa-508481261 EA Sports Canada Moron calls Wii U 'Crap' and Nintendo 'Walking Dead'05/18/2013 - 11:42am

E. Zachary Knight: If the videos are of sufficient quality that people subscribe and watch regularly, then those let's players are providing a service that people want. That is the heart of capitalism. That is not something that should be shamed.05/17/2013 - 8:06am

E. Zachary Knight: I have no idea who either of those people are. However, I still don't see why making a business out of creating let's play videos is somehow evil or wrong.05/17/2013 - 8:04am

MaskedPixelante: It sure is if you're just doing it for the money. See Tobuscus and/or Pewdiepie for what happens when people get into it just for the money.05/17/2013 - 7:30am

E. Zachary Knight: Why is it wrong to make money doing LPs? Why should that be something that should be shamed?05/17/2013 - 6:20am

MaskedPixelante: https://twitter.com/PsychedelicSA/status/335183893214924801 Now here's an interesting, glass half full thought about the Nintendo LP thing. It outs the people who are just doing LPs to make money.05/17/2013 - 5:56am

E. Zachary Knight: I responded in writing to all this "let's play" stuff Nintendo Started. No need for my permission, I won't give it. It's not mine to give. http://divineknightgaming.com/?p=29205/16/2013 - 2:21pm

E. Zachary Knight: Lars Doucet of Levelup Labs has a Reddit going on game companies that allow monetization of Let's Play videos. http://www.reddit.com/r/Games/comments/1egayn/lets_build_a_list_of_game_studios_that_allow/05/16/2013 - 1:04pm

Sleaker: @Imautobot - yah I wouldn't use an emulator as a good first run test of how stable the console is, haha.05/16/2013 - 11:47am

E. Zachary Knight: The 50th person to jump off a bridge is just as dumb if not dumber than the 1st.05/16/2013 - 10:03am

MaskedPixelante: Yeah, let's all jump on Nintendo for doing this, even though they're hardly the first company to do this...05/16/2013 - 9:47am

E. Zachary Knight: Wow Nintendo, this is wrong. http://kotaku.com/nintendo-forcing-ads-on-some-youtube-lets-play-video-50709238305/16/2013 - 8:44am

Imautobot: @Sleaker, further gameplay has revealed that the controller button do stick under the faceplate. Also, The NES emulator (Emuya)keeps crashing on me, though I think a bad ROM is causing it.05/16/2013 - 7:10am

Papa Midnight: AE: I wonder if any other publishers will follow suit.05/15/2013 - 8:12pm

Andrew Eisen: EA is ditching Online Pass. http://venturebeat.com/2013/05/15/ea-kills-its-controversial-online-pass-program/05/15/2013 - 7:20pm

Avalongod: @Zach and quicnkold...I've read the bill and the intent of it is to fear-monger. It's not a balanced message. I don't recall the ESRB being mentioned at all. It's more "keeps your kids away from these movies/games or they'll become violent"05/15/2013 - 4:35pm

E. Zachary Knight: quiknkold, The big problem with that legislation is the amount of misinformation out there. Who is going to ensure that the information in the pamphlet is accurate?05/15/2013 - 3:25pm

quiknkold: REBeardogg : I'm on the fence about this. on one side, I want parents to be aware of the ESRB, and even Movie Ratings. On the other hand, I feel this will be used for nothing but Propaganda. The ESRB does a good job.05/15/2013 - 3:07pm

IanC: Frostbite is coming out on iOS devices. Yet the Wii U cant handle it? *coughbullshitcough*05/15/2013 - 2:31pm

BearDogg-X: http://www.politickernj.com/65515/lesniak-ruiz-bill-limit-children-s-exposure-media-violence-clears-senate - Bill requiring schools to publish pamphlets with anti-fake media "violence" propaganda clears NJ Senate05/15/2013 - 2:03pm

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