Best Buy Loses Laptop: Owner Sues... for $54 Million

[DSF Guest 8]

Geek Squad strikes again!

Like many people, Campbell bought an extended warranty for her laptop when she bought it from Best Buy, and she took advantage of that when the power button broke off after a year. Best Buy accepted the machine for repair and said it would be ready in two to six weeks. But six weeks passed and the computer wasn't ready. After three months of ruthlessly hounding the company, Best Buy finally admitted it couldn't find the machine.

Ultimately, Best Buy offered to pay her $900 for losing the machine... as a gift card. She countered that it had originally cost over $1,100, not to mention all her data that was now gone for good. She demanded $2,100, and Best Buy simply ignored her.

At this point, Campbell was made aware that all her personal data on the machine could lead to a major identity theft issue, though Best Buy never filed their legally required notice that she was at risk. That was the last straw, and she filed suit for $54 million, representing herself. Best Buy has since upped its offer to a total of $4,100 if she withdraws the case. She says she doesn't expect to win, but wants to go to court anyway to force Best Buy to explain how her laptop was lost.

I have to agree that $54 million seems wildly optimistic, but it's amazing to hear how smug Best Buy has been throughout this process. Lowball, "go-away" offers that don't even value property properly, much less the value of the data inside it, are frankly embarrassing, and good for Campbell for making an issue out of it... even if she doesn't ultimately prevail.

[Choppie]

Amen, about time these companies are made to pay for the problems they cause. Best buy is a joke with repairs anyway.

[goonarms]

This makes me believe that all major corporations are a fucking joke. Just take a look at wal-mart some time... huge fucking screw job

[Jules Winfield]

I'll tell you what. Best Buy puts stickers on all of their computer hardware that the consumer should have a trained professional install that hardware. i.e. Geek Squad. I bought a 160GB hard-drive for my laptop and put it in and reinstalled my OS in about two hours. I'm not a hugely competent hardware computer builder but I can follow directions. Places like Best Buy thrive on convincing their customers they are too stupid to work on their PC's...Screw'em.

[fsubigballa]

Content, Pictures  and Download links visible to registered users only. 

REGISTER NOW to access all areas that are invisible to non-members.

Yeah, working on the pc isn't hard, all about the scare tactics

[DSF Guest 10]

Good for her. At least she can show Best Buy that she's serious.
I'm rooting for her.