Best Buy
Ran a credit check and shared DL info with third parties, refused return of $20.00 merchandise with receipt

On 9/6 I bought a stick of RAM for a computer at Best Buy in Georgetown, TX for $20.99 and I used my Mastercard to pay for the purchase. At the time of purchase I asked the sales representative if there were 2 sticks in the package, since the package didn't indicate and she said "yes". I was also assured, by both the sales rep on the floor and the cashier that I could return it within 30 days if it was not correct.

So I get home and find out that there is only one stick of RAM in the package, and I needed 2. So the merchandise was misrepresented to me and I wasted one gallon of gas making this purchase.

When I returned to the store on 9/13 to return the item, the cashier demanded to see my Driver's license. I asked her why and she very rudely stated, because it says so on your receipt! I did not require a driver's license to purchase the item, and I had my receipt and the same credit card in my possession that I used to make the purchase. She typed in my driver's license number and then asked me for my date of birth. I gave her a false date of birth and she quickly got exasperated with me and demanded to see my driver's license again. At this point it was obvious to me that she was using my driver's license number against some third party database, because I had never shopped or returned at any Best Buy previously.

She refused to accept the return because I wanted to know what she was doing with my driver's license information and she couldn't tell me. That's another gallon of gas wasted.

Upon returning home, I called the Best Buy toll free number and spoke to a representative named "Don" and asked him what my driver's license information was being used for on a $20.99 return item. He said to check Telecheck. (Telechek IS a consumer credit reporting agency, according to the FTC.) Why does Best Buy need to investigate my banking activity or credit reports for a $20.00 return WITH the receipt and WITH the same card used to make the purchase? I had not written a check. I was not entering into a consumer credit relationship with them, nor was this third party disclosure of my information divulged to me NOR did I give my consent to have my privacy violated in this manner.

This practice also seems to be in direct violation of the Texas Business and Commerce Code, Title11. Personal identity information, subtitle a. Identifying information, chapter 501. PROTECTION OF DRIVER'S LICENSE AND SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS, Subchapter C., OTHER RESTRICTIONS TO PROTECT DRIVER'S LICENSE AND SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS, Section 501.101

Whereby, Best Buy has stolen $20.99 plus the cost of 2 gallons of gas from me for misrepresenting their merchandise, and then demanding me to comply with their third party violation of my privacy, even though they completely and utterly FAILED to disclose their policy to me PRIOR to the sale. If I had known they were going to be thieves and private data miners, I never would have bought anything from them in the first place.

Company: Best Buy
Country: USA
State: Texas
City: Georgetown
Address: 1015 W University Ave

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