Why remove MVS serials?

Ive amassed a fair few MVS games now and about 1/3 of them have the serials scratched off the labels. All of them seem to be cheaper titles like AOF and for a £5 title I dont mind. If however it was an expensive ebay buy I would be well pissed off.

Why is this done?

<a href="http://www.neo-geo.com/cgi-local/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=18;t=006210" target="_blank">http://www.neo-geo.com/cgi-local/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=18;t=006210</a>

amongst other posts

<small>[ August 06, 2003, 10:35 AM: Message edited by: scooby105 ]</small>

thanks!

I also have a suspicion that it removes the "soul" of the cartridge, but my experiments have all ended in dismal failures.

But one day... One day I will succeed and you will all know what it is to fea... err, nevermind.