MEMPHIS, TN -
(WMC TV) - With the evolution of the entertainment industry's rating system, it's a cinch for parents to determine if a video game is age-appropriate for their children.
Not so for parents who are in the market to save a little money and buy a used video game console.
As you saw in our Action News 5 investigation, the Sprouse family of Hickory Hill learned that the hard way when they said their 5-year-old found a XXX film trailer on the used PSP 3000 his parents bought him for Christmas.
The previous owner who sold or traded the device to the retailer left a memory card inside it. The pornographic trailer was stored on the card, easily accessible from the device's dashboard menu.
Most video game retailers who sell used consoles have procedures in place to remove memory cards and sticks from the devices before they're tagged for resale. Retailers should also follow the devices' manufacturers' directions for wiping the devices clean of previous player profiles, pictures, videos, identities and game information.
"We just set it right back to its factory settings, so it's almost like it's new in the box when you get it," said Jess Price, store manager of PowerPlay Video Games of Cordova, TN (http://www.powerplayvideogames.com/). She said the consoles' owners manuals offer step-by-step instructions for parents to wipe the devices clean if a retailer fails to do so.
The same goes for the larger consoles, like the XBox 360 or PlayStation 3. Parents looking to sell or buy a used large console should ask retailers if they have:
1. CHECKED THE CONSOLE'S SYSTEM SETTINGS
2. CLICKED "STORAGE"
3. SELECTED "MEMORY UNIT"
4. DELETED PLAYER PROFILES, ETC.
"It's the same thing a parent should do to wipe their system of everything (before selling a used console)," said Price.
Price said these are the questions parents should ask a retailer before purchasing a used gaming console:
* What Is Your Return Policy? Does it include the return of used devices and games?
* What Is The Warranty, If Any?
* What Kind Of Memory Comes With It? Memory card? Hard drive? Both? How much memory?
* Has It Been Wiped Clean? That should include the removal of memory cards or sticks.
* Have There Been Any Illegal Modifications? Like the ability to pirate games or DVD's.
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