My Toshiba laptop was purchased for me by my son, who is serving in Afghanistan as a Staff Sgt. For the U.S. Army. He bought it so that we could keep phone use is tenuous, at best. The laptop sensors went down in July, and several keys did not work. Toshiba sent a postage paid box @ 2 1/2 weeks later, and after returning the laptop to them, it was fixed appropriately. On October 27, my laptop went dead. I reported it to Toshiba immediately.in response to my complaint, the level one technician with whom I spoke, a man named, "Ian, " requested my bank account numbers. I questioned him three times about the reason he sought this information, and his standard reponse was that in case I did not return the faulty cord within thirty days, my account would be billed accordingly. I agreed, and provided my account numbers. WITHIN 15 MINUTES, MY BANK ACCOUNT WAS DEBITED $88.40 FOR THE FAULTY CORD I HAD NO CHANCE TO EVEN BOX UP AND RETURN! Despite my repeated complaints and demands for a full explanation, both have gone unaddressed and unresolved, and I am still out $88.40. Toshiba conveniently refers to this bill as a "holding" fee, in an evasive attempt to avoid responsibility for this unethical and unfair business practice. After the new cord arrived, and I allowed the computer two days to recharge, it became apparent the cord wasn't the problem when the laptop remained dead. I called Toshiba back on November 2, and was told by level one technician "Lynn" that the problem was with the mother board itself, and the computer needed returned to the "depot" for repair. I requested the proper box for mailing be sent, and she assured me it would arrive within 3 to 5 business days. It never arrived. When I called on Toshiba back on 11/9 to inquire about the status of my repair order, "Mike" informed me there was no repair order!!! He checked with the elusive "case manager, " named "Brooke, " who again assured me the box would arrive within a "couple of business days, " and she supplied me with my transit number. Then, I discovered an e-mail from Toshiba requesting I fill out an order for a repair authorization (since apparently NO REPAIR ORDER NOR AUTHORIZATION FOR SUCH HAD YET BEEN SUBMITTED!!!) To add insultto injury, Toshiba now requested my bank account numbers again to bill me for their return shipping costs! I called Toshiba again on 11/12, and spoke to "Owee", who said he would try to assist me with my problem. He then put me on hold, only to return to the phone and tell me that he had "bad news." His case manager would not remove the shipping charge that had never been discussed in each of the 14 separate calls I had made to Toshiba over the past two weeks. I requested to speak to his case manager, and when she finally picked up my call, "Vanessa" very casually and glibly asserted that I would be responsible for the shipping fees on the faulty computer that Toshiba sold my son, which was still under warranty. She was disinterested in the history of my ongoing problems. So here I sit, with a dead computer, $88.40 frozen from my account without notice or permission, and Toshiba is demanding more money from me in order for me to try and get my laptop fixed so that I can touch base with my son, who is serving this country with HIS life on the line, not to mention the other information I have on the hard drive that is very important to me. I have eight children, three of whom also serve in the military and have done tours of duty overseas serving all of us, and I have five younger ones for whom Christmas looms, and my husband is the sole breadwinner, yet Toshiba expects us to dig into our tight budget to relieve them of the $24.99 mailing fee. I have never encountered business practices that were so unlike business practices that I have ever encountered. Toshiba is not holding my laptop with a "holding fee" for ransom, yet this small cord which I found online for $15.00 has suddenly become an $88.40 ransom fee that Toshiba apparently cannot afford without my help. I see no concern whatsoever for the customer. It is genuinely ironic, perhaps even karma, that four of my children who remain at home are cyber-schooled, and in several months I will be in charge of running the vote for Pennsylvania parents to choose which computer company should receive our contract for business. Up until now, I was impressed with the speed and efficiency with which my former problem was handled. I've no idea what happened, but I hope that after nearly twenty calls and this written complaint, someone will hear me and help me. I thank you in advance for your time and consideration in this matter. Anita Kinnea
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