Complaint / Review
Circuit City
CitiAdvantage Protection Plan deceptive salesperson and managers lie about coverage, worthless when you have a problem. Ripoff

I purchased a PAN PVGS31 miniDVD Camcorder on 3/25/05, in Houston, Tx for $369.99, and I also purchased the 36 month Protection Plan Plus for $109.99, specifically for the "accidental damage coverage from day one"
coverage. The sales clerk and the manager assured me the plan had this coverage, as did the literature.
On 8/11/05 I submitted the camera for repair to the camera's zoom which had been as the report says "damaged". The problem was corrected and the camera was returned two months later on 10/05/05, no charge.
Now, one year later, the record button on the camera is stuck and will not record. I took the camera back to the same store for repair. I received, one week later, a phone call that stated the camera was "damaged" and it would cost $143.65 to repair. When I asked the manager at the store "why" there was a charge this time and not last time for "damage" he said "I did not have that coverage". I guestioned if the store even sent the camera to Atlanta for repair, and why, now, the insurance I purchased for accidental damaged no longer covers the camera I purchased. I then e-mailed Circuit City customer service with my complaint and received the following response:
"I understand your concern regarding the accidental damage coverage on your camcorder. I have checked our records and found that you had purchased the order on 03/25/05. Please note that we have started covering accidental damage from 01/14/05. Therefore, note that you plan does not cover the accidental damage. If you wish to get your camcorder repaired for a problem caused due to accidental damage, you will be charged for the repair."

Now, I am guestioning the dates. If the coverage started in "1/14/05", as I was told when I purchased the camera in "3/25/05", why do I not have the same coverage now? In 8/25/05, the Atlanta service center repaired the zoom which had been "damaged" and apparently I had coverage then.

The manager and cutomer service persons at the store repeat the same lines, word for word, and will not admit their total fraudulent policy, because most people do not contest them. I feel sure this is a company policy to rip off the customer for more dollars.

Unless Circuit City owns up and repairs my camera, my family and I will never enter their doors again!