Beth, Bradenton Florida
To whom it concerns: 5/29
I am writing in regards to a purchase that was made at the Best Buy store in Bradenton, FL on May 28 (Monday) at 10:58 A.M.
We entered Best Buy and went to the computer area. We talked to a young man named Parker, and were asking about the laptops, how they work, which was best, etc. Because we have never had one before, and were not sure exactly how they worked. We wanted to know which would be best for what we were going to use it for.
We made a decision and decided to purchase a Compaq laptop computer. We filled out a credit form to get credit from Best Buy to get the computer, it was approved, but not for the entire amount. So, we decided to put it on the Best Buy credit and pay the rest with the credit/debit card. The total amount charged to my credit/debit card was $347.74.
Upon returning home, and after eating lunch and watching the "American idol finale", when we opened the box, we found that the computer screen was broken. My wife took it back to the store for exchange at about 04:30pm when trying to exchange the laptop she was told to come back in 45 minutes that they were going to do a check on the computer, When she returned later, she accused of consumer fraud, because not only was the computer screen broken, but it was not the correct computer in the box. We were also told later on that evening that the hard drive had been removed. Which we had know idea. So they refused to exchange it or give us our refund. My wife called me and I came to the store and immediately called for the police to make a statement and to have everything recorded as to what happened. (Deputy John Smith of the Manatee County Sheriff's Dept.)
We did not except the product so it still remains in their possession. We also refuse to pay the Best Buy credit which is in total of $451.00.
We feel that we as consumers have been defrauded by the store. We are also the victims here, we did not receive the product that we paid for, and the store refuses to cooperate with us on any level and also refuses to even contact the HP/Compaq company.
The HP company requested over the phone on 5/25 around 7:30 pm that Best Buy send the bad product back to them, and give us a replacement, and HP would credit the store for the broken computer, and the manager, Angela, refused, she just yelled at the man on the phone saying, "I dont understand, I dont understand you" and gave us back the phone. They are now saying after 14 days they will throw the computer away!
This computer is our only evidence that something is terribly wrong in this store. Whether it be that the store is trying to pull a fast one, or that someone there is protecting someone else.
My wife was told the computer was five years old, and that they have not used windows XP in the computers/laptops for at least that long, but, Windows Vista only came out this year, so, they could not tell just by the markings where the serial number it, how old the computer is, we feel they may have been the actual ones to remove the hard drive, maybe protecting someone else.
Also, they say the hard drive was removed, but also say they know how old the computer was, we dont know if they may have removed it, they told me they were doing a diognostic check on the computer, how could they do that if it was broken? Please, Please help us with this, My wife has a clean record with the police, not even a speeding ticket, I also have no marks against me, and to be accused of fraud is just terrible.
We are the ones who contacted the police, we are the ones trying desperately to get anyone to please help us. We just need someone to listen. If we were trying to defraud the company, the last thing I would do is call the police!
On May 29 we were able to contact 1888BestBuy, we then got a case number, and thought that this would be helpful, in the afternoon yesterday we again went into the store to try to reason with them and let them know that we did get a case number, and that we were victims in this whole thing also. I informed Angela that just over the past weekend, on Friday and Sunday, that we had spent over $200.00, in the Best Buy stores, and that we are good customers, I also asked how she could believe we would do such a thing and keep showing our face in the store and calling the police to find out what was going to happen.
Angela, the manager at Best Buy was very rude, she did not care about anything I had to say, she just told me we could take our computer home. I then told her, that was not our computer, that was the computer that was in the box when we got home, and that we would not take it on the advise of a lawyer, she then told me we had 14 days to pick up the computer, and then they would throw it away, we called the Best Buy number to let them know what she said.
We also again called the police to let them know what she said because that is the only evidence for us to show we did nothing wrong! It was NOT our computer and we are the victims in all of this also. The 1 866 Best Buy people then were going to call her on our behalf, and try to find out what was going on. I felt like this was our first sign of hope that someone was finally going to try to help us. But when we got the call back, the woman told me, they were siding with the store, and that they were not going to look into it anymore. That was a terrible thing for me.
I cannot believe that when you are fighting so hard, telling the truth, and constantly doing anything you can do to get something like this resolved, that it turns out so terrible. I was crushed over this. We are now waiting to hear from the detective on this matter, I am told that will take a few days. We feel that the store now is trying to hide something because they are fighting this so hard. We do not know what they did to the laptop when I left it there for 45 minutes on 5/28. It may well have had the hard drive in it, they may have taken it out. We have no proof of this because they took it behind a curtain thing, but, it seems funny, that they are fighting against us so hard. They are not even trying to be helpful or courteous.
I am going to call the corp. Office of Best Buy today 5/30/07 and get a copy of the report that they have telling what Angela told the phone rep, and why they decided on not helping us. We are the victims in this mess. We are also getting no help from the Best Buy Corp. Office, they are siding with the store in this matter, and will not even listen to us
We have contacted thier master card company, which is now telling us that we are responsible for the credit, and they will not overturn the charges.
I am now also told that the Consumer Protection Agency is looking into this because this store has already been accused of selling old, used equipment, etc.
Beth
Bradenton, Florida
U.S.A.
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