UPDATE: Dan gets sweet sweet resolution.

Dan’s XBox stopped playing DVDs consistently so he decided to take his unit back to Best Buy. After opening the box to test the unit, Dan says the Customer Service rep took the XBOX out of his sight, then came back and told him it had been tampered with and Best Buy would not accept the return. Sound familiar? We’ve heard this story before.

To add insult to monetary damage, the Geek Squad guy suggested to Dan that “maybe his friends” opened his XBOX. Dan writes:

The Geek Squad worker then proceeded to tell me that my friends may have opened it up. I’m married with 3 kids under the age of 4. I don’t have friends coming over PLAYING my XBox, much less opening it up. They told me that they simply wouldn’t take it back, and that it was Microsoft’s problem to deal with. A quick call to Microsoft told me that the warranty had been activated in November, which would indicate to them that this system was on their shelf for a suspiciously long time. However, Microsoft would not help me.

After speaking with the Best Buy manager (who told him that it would be “no big deal” for Best Buy to take the system back, except that they simply wouldn’t) Dan is stuck with a broken XBOX that neither Microsoft or Best Buy will touch. Dan says:

To sum it up, either Best Buy sold me a used XBox, or they tampered with it when I tried to return it. It’s breaking down, and I can’t have Microsoft repair it because the seal has been tampered with. I can’t return it to Best Buy. I’m out $300 and all anyone can tell me is that I’m out of luck.

We think Dan should kick this one up to corporate. Something’s rotten at the Ames, IA Best Buy.

Read Dan’s full email inside.

Today I have experienced firsthand some shady goings on at Best Buy. March 30, I purchased an Xbox 360 core system from Best Buy. It had been occasionally rejecting discs, so I tried to take it back today to return it. The customer service agent took everything out of the box, and actually hooked it up and started up “Fight Night.” Then the fun began.

Before I could really realize what was happening, she took the XBox around a counter to where I wasn’t able to see it. A few minutes later, she came back with a dead serious look on her face. “This system has been tampered with. We can’t take it back.” I had no idea what she was talking about. Their Geek Squad inspection worker came to show me where the tamper sticker looked bad. I told them that I had no idea how it got like that.

The Geek Squad worker then proceeded to tell me that my friends may have opened it up. I’m married with 3 kids under the age of 4. I don’t have friends coming over PLAYING my XBox, much less opening it up. They told me that they simply wouldn’t take it back, and that it was Microsoft’s problem to deal with. A quick call to Microsoft told me that the warranty had been activated in November, which would indicate to them that this system was on their shelf for a suspiciously long time. However, Microsoft would not help me.

I then spoke to a manager at Best Buy. I made it clear to him that either the Geek Squad worker had tampered with this unit himself, or they sold me a used unit as new. He then explained that there was NO POSSIBLE WAY to remove the little clear sticker on the outside of the XBox case without it being very obvious to them that that had happened. He will do nothing for me. He was kind enough to tell me that it would be no big deal for Best Buy to take the XBox back, give me my money back, and send the XBox back to Microsoft for trashing. However, he said, he just wasn’t going to do that.

To sum it up, either Best Buy sold me a used XBox, or they tampered with it when I tried to return it. It’s breaking down, and I can’t have Microsoft repair it because the seal has been tampered with. I can’t return it to Best Buy. I’m out $300 and all anyone can tell me is that I’m out of luck.

This all happened at the Ames, IA Best Buy. I have names of both the Geek Squad worker, and the manager who I spoke to if anyone is interested.

Thanks for listening.

Dan

(Photo:Tengaport)

PREVIOUSLY: No Exchange: Best Buy Manager Tries To Void XBOX Warranty

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