Happy New Year, Canada! Here’s a special treat for our neighbors to the north:

Future Shop, a division of Best Buy Canada and wholly owned subsidiary of the Best Buy we United Statesians know and love, has shipped reader Eric a box of wood cleverly disguised as a router-like-object for the XBOX.

Eric writes:

Hi There,

I thought you might be interested in hearing about my experience with Future Shop (Canadian technology store– it’s owned by Best Buy). I recently ordered a Linksys Wireless-G Game Adapter for my Xbox. When it arrived at my house however I got nothing but two blocks of wood inside the box.

Since then it’s been a nightmare trying to get this problem solved. I’ve called their customer support line no less then 3 times and been told twice that my complaint has been submitted and I will receive an e-mail to print out and attach to the box so that it can be shipped back and replaced. This has not happened yet and the only response I get is that it’s been submitted, and the e-mail should arrive within 24 hours. The first time I was told this was last Thursday (the 27th of December) and after calling again yesterday was told that it would be sent within another 24 hours, which has not happened yet, unsurprisingly.

I’ve taken the box to two separate Future Shop stores, at both of them the manager was great, they offered to exchange it for the same product but it turned out they did not have it, it has been discontinued (probably the reason for the sale in the first place). I still want this product rather then a refund and so held on to it. The situation is not going anywhere and I write to the Consumerist out of frustration– I don’t know what else to do to resolve this problem.

Thanks,

Eric

Eric, since your purchased the item on the internet, we’re going to go ahead and assume that you’ve used a credit card. Call your credit card company and tell them you’ve been the victim of fraud and would like to initiate a chargeback against a company for sending you a box of wood disguised as a Linksys Wireless-G Game Adapter. Tell them you’re happy to provide them with photographs, receipts, affidavits, police reports, blood samples, whatever.

Your credit card company should be happy to reverse the charges. Good luck!

(Photo:Eric Roberts)

Want more consumer news? Visit our parent organization, Consumer Reports, for the latest on scams, recalls, and other consumer issues.