Attention: Best Buy Customer Complaint Department. To Whom It May Concern, My husband purchased a computer for me as a Christmas gift this past December 2011. He bought the computer at Best Buy in Trumbull, Ct. (USA). He was told, by a representative, that he could easily install all programs needed rather than pay $100 to have the computer protected software and other programs installed by the company. This representative did not work for Best Buy, he was supplying the shelves with computer software/accessories.
My husband purchased the computer (roughly in the amount of $500) and the Titanium antivirus software. I was given these gifts at Christmas and didn’t unpack and begin installation of the Titanium until a week later. After I installed the antivirus program, I noticed that the computer did not have Microsoft software installed on it. My husband and I know very little about computers and in the past when we have purchased a computer we opted to have Best Buy set the computer up with all the needed software. This purchase, however, my husband chose not to do that and thought the program installation for the Titanium antivirus would be easy enough to install. At the time of purchase, he believed that Microsoft software was already installed. He thought all computers came with it. I installed the Titanium antivirus software immediately.
I returned to Best Buy to buy the $150 Microsoft Office Home and Student program for my new computer and opted to deal with Microsoft directly to install the program. I returned home and installed the Microsoft Office Home and Student 2010 onto my computer. Installation was completed and I turned off my computer. I returned to my computer the following day and none of the Microsoft installations appeared on my computer. I called Microsoft and explained the issue to the representative. I was told he would be able to help me but first he needed to complete a scan on my computer. I gave him my permission and he proceeded with the scan.
During the scan, the representative, Kamal, said that my (two week old) computer had been infected by 248 Trojan viruses. In fact, he said out loud, “Christ, you have 248 Trojan viruses, this is a bad thing.” I then asked how this could have happened. He then asked if I had been to any unprotected sites such as Facebook or on-line shopping. I informed that I had, but the computer was brand new and only up and running for about a week. He then informed me that Titanium antivirus software does not protect me against Trojans viruses and that was the reason so many infected my computer. I asked if this was something he could fix. He told me that when these Trojan viruses reach a total of 500 my (two week old) computer would crash.
He said he would do everything he could to remove these 248 viruses and get the computer cleaned up but he couldn’t guarantee anything. I told him to proceed. He then told me after a few moments that he needed to transfer my call to a higher level technician to see if he could resolve the problem. The transfer of technicians was completed and, after a few minutes, the new representative informed me that he could fix the problem. However, there would be a $299 charge for this which would include cleaning up these 248 viruses, the installation of MacAfee Virus protection, he would reinstall the Microsoft Office Home and Student (the original purpose for this call to Microsoft Technical Department) , and I would have three years of free technical support from Microsoft. This news was alarming to me. The technician had me believing that my computer was going to crash and become useless. I allowed the technician to charge my visa $299 and install the programs.
Soon after I returned to Best Buy with my computer and had a long talk with the supervisor on duty. I have learned the following: Titanium antivirus is a good protection against viruses, including Trojan viruses. MacAfee is a Microsoft product. It only takes one Trojan virus to crash a computer. It is almost impossible for a new computer, a week old, to become infected with 248 Trojan viruses. I needed to call to Microsoft, and make a customer complaint about the manner of technical support that was given to me. The technician’s intention was not to help me with technical support but was to make a sale when he somehow made 248 Trojan viruses appear and to then scare me into believing my computer would crash if I didn’t purchase services and products from Microsoft.
I want to speak to a technician that is aware that I want everything uninstalled that the technician installed on my computer on 1/6/2011.Technical support, not sales!!
I will then return to Best Buy, have Microsoft Office Home and Student installed ($20) and for an additional $100 my computer will be protected and running properly. In addition, if any further problems occur, I can bring my computer to the GEEK SQUAD at Best Buy and it will be addressed at no additional cost. I calculate $120 for the same services, protection and Microsoft Office Home and Student. This reflects a huge price difference from the pressure sale from your technician of $299. That’s huge!
I am very surprised and dissatisfied at the misleading of your technical staff. I never would have thought that Microsoft was capable of this behavior toward customers, especially in the technical department. I will try very hard never to have to call Microsoft technical again in fear of being misled and possibly lured into a substantial unnecessary purchase.
I expect a full refund of charges by Microsoft in the amount of $299. I regret to say that I am no longer an advocate of Microsoft support and will look elsewhere at every opportunity to fix whatever the problem is with my computer.
Thank you in advance for addressing this problem.
Debra Greenwood
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