EA Sports is aware of the accusations of an alleged employee who has been selling FIFA Ultimate Team cards in exchange for large amounts of money.
EA Sports FIFA has launched an investigation to identify possible conduct of the sale of extremely rare FIFA 21 Ultimate Team cards in exchange for real money by a company employee. These items, listed on the video game market, would be used so that the alleged person in charge could earn up to 1,000 euros for each pack of TOTY icons and cards in the transfers.
What’s going on and how suspicions begin
Let’s start at the beginning. The initial investigation is carried out by Doumbia, not EA Sports, as it was this FIFA 21 content creator who initially alerted through the social network Twitter of a possible black market with the sale of Ultimate Team cards in exchange for real money. After studying the situation, the player published this thread on the afternoon of this past March 10, whose journey has been very bulky.
“Several days ago a strangely good squad with non-transferable players came to light, as is logical many people thought that there would be something strange, after that I began an investigation to try to get as far as possible on the subject,” he begins by saying.
The first thing I did was try to contact people who had done / knew about the subject, after talking with several I came to the conclusion that this has been going on for YEARS, it is not something new in FIFA 21 and that it was even, for some, normalized some way. pic.twitter.com/wSUEwY8qhp
– DOUMBIA (@Doumbia_FUT) March 10, 2021
The Doumbia investigation procedure was as follows. In the first place, he contacted knowledgeable people on this subject, with which he came to the initial conclusion that it is not something new, far from it, but that this clandestine sale has been going on for years. Apparently, without official confirmation, these operations are being carried out from EA Germany. “It was clearly not an urban legend, this was real and it was happening,” he argues.
And, finally, he identified that an Electronic Arts worker is apparently collecting money in exchange for letters “at exorbitant prices” with impunity. According to the contact with whom he started a conversation after several days, he leaked that said worker would be asking for about 1,400 euros for those FIFA Ultimate Team icon packs; which usually sells in a pack of three.
Electronic Arts Responds: They’re Investigating It
EA Sports FIFA has not turned a deaf ear to the situation. The official Twitter account of EA Sport FIFA ESP reported the situation at midnight on March 10th and is categorically against these behaviors, which they describe as “inappropriate”. The company reflects its concern about this possible situation.
pic.twitter.com/vXj5gc3U0Z
– EA SPORTS FIFA ESP (@EASPORTSEsp) March 10, 2021
“We are aware of the accusations currently circulating within our community related to FIFA 21 Ultimate Team items,” the note begins, written in Spanish and addressed to all players. “Right now a thorough investigation is underway and if we identify inappropriate behavior we will take swift action,” the company stresses. “We want to be clear: this type of behavior is unacceptable and we in no way tolerate what has allegedly happened,” they continue.
EA will update on this controversial matter with more information as soon as they have some more clarity surrounding the investigation. The identity of the individual accused of these operations, his location and whether he is truly an EA employee is currently unknown.
References | EA; Doumbia
