Best Buy & Geek Squad Policies

[Pirotecnico]

My mom purchased a laptop about a year ago with a two year extended warranty. Starting about 6 months ago the computer would over heat and shut off. She has gone countless times to geek squad to use her warranty to get it fixed. They tell her she needs to pay 150 to run an antivirus check before they can send it to get looked at. However, I work in IT and constantly run virus scan to keep her computers virus free. Even when we clean out her computer before going to Best Buy, they still insist on having that done before taking a look at it. We even had a friend who is an employee of Best Buy clean it out so that we would be sure it would be cleaned when we returned to Best Buy to get it looked at. And even then they wanted to charge her to clean it. This is a rip off, she paid good money for the protection plan, only to be coerced into trying to pay money for unnecessary services.  I've working in IT for over 8 years, and it is quite clear that the issue is that the computer is over heating, not a virus or spyware. This feels like a big scam on the side of best buy. I am not sure what needs to be done to get this fix, she has already been there like 6 times, and I currently live out of state to go with her. If this computer is not fixed when I do go back home, I will personally go to the Geek Squad, and they will not be able to take advantage of me like they are trying to take advantage of my mother. Any suggestions on how to expedite this issue would be helpful.

[QuantumThunder]

It sounds like they are being cowboys in that store. If you have black tie protection on a laptop and it is overheating and shutting down the proper procedure is to check you in and send the laptop out to service.

[Dorothy-BBY Community Supervisor]

Hello Pirotecnico  -

I have asked Aaron, from our Community Connector team, to reach out to you and try to offer assistance in your repair situation.  I appreciate your patience!

[Rtracee]

I am so sorry to hear about your experience, but I can say that is the GEEK SQUAD way.. I have gotten the black tie protection on all my computers.. yes the suckered me into buying that , for which its always something they are trying to nickle and dime extra money out of you when its time to fix the computer.. I will be posting my expience with busy buy now.

[Pirotecnico]

That would be helpful.  If you let me know I need to do that would be great. Just sucks that I had to come here to get help!

[Aaron-GS Community Connector]

Hey Pirotecnico,

I’m not quite sure why your mother’s local store would recommend software services if her computer is overheating, but I can certainly imagine her (and your) frustration if she has found this to be the case.  Like QuantumThunder mentioned, the proper procedure would be to send the unit to one of our off-site service centers for diagnostics and repairs under her service plan coverage.

If your mother has not already done so, I would strongly encourage you to have her contact our Consumer Relations department at 1-888-BEST-BUY (1-888-237-8289) for further assistance.  Alternatively, she may wish send us an e-mail with her service plan information and the location of her nearest store by clicking on the “Send Us Feedback” link at the top of the page.  Either way, we’d be glad help her find a resolution to this issue.