Trouble with Dell Support

texranger

Gunarysarge wrote: »

A refund from a company like Dell can take upto or around 14days to hit your account.

they have 30 days to refund you

Gunarysarge wrote: »

I would put this down to a lesson well learned. If you have important files on your computer, you should back-up at least once a week. An external hardrive is perfect for this. Keep your anti-virus up to date and perform system scans frequently. Most Viruses infect machines because the user has opened something they should not have. If you are about to click on a file and you dont know what it is, as least scan it first.

Hope it all works out for you.

i have to agree with this, if you get emails with links from banks/paypal/ebay or anyone never open them always go to the companys site .

scroll over the link and in the bottom left hand corner of your computer it will show you the actual url of the link and 9/10 it will be a .ru URL

Trinitrotoluene

Gunarysarge wrote: »

As much as it pains me to say this, Dell have done all they could for you and have even offered you a part refund. Dell support sucks as far as I am concerned but in your case they have been fair. A refund from a company like Dell can take upto or around 14days to hit your account.

I would put this down to a lesson well learned. If you have important files on your computer, you should back-up at least once a week. An external hardrive is perfect for this. Keep your anti-virus up to date and perform system scans frequently. Most Viruses infect machines because the user has opened something they should not have. If you are about to click on a file and you dont know what it is, as least scan it first.

Hope it all works out for you.

IT Engineer here, and I agree with this.

closed

price for virus removal is £59, no fix no fee.

call, ask for refund.

http://www1.euro.dell.com/content/topics/global.aspx/dps/pc_troubleshooting?c=uk&cs=ukdhs1&l=en&s=dhs

get a better virus scanner, avast and malwarebytes are both free

backup your data.

it is possible to remove virus infections remotely.

spike7451

Also install a Sandboxy programme on your computer,then if you download a file,save it to the sandbox & scan it before opening it,that way if the is a virus,it's contained in the sandbox & wont infect your computer.

Dell support is !!!!.I called them when I got a blue screen & then my Laptop wouldn't start.They went banging on about the motherboard was shagged,then it was a chipset.So I took the SATA HD out of my old laptop & bunged it in the Dell & hey presto,it works!
Turns out after Googling the problem,it was a well known fault with the Fujitsu HD that they use.Thankfully I had 99% of my files backed up to a external HD.

zuliano

They have offered to refund £59. But refuse to refund £100 which they say is for a year technical support. This is very unfair because I have a right to change my mind and cancel the contract. I was in great stress the day I phoned their free support helpling. Altough I use the computer quite a bit, it is for my own research, but I am not technical savvy in any way. I was told that day that the infection on my computer was extremely bad and I could lose all my files so I was in bits. When Dell took over, they had promised me that they would correct it, but they had only been working on it---ie., from a distance/India--when the computer went bluescreen. I had forgotten to jot down their number and it took them ten minutes to call me. Then they asked if I had another computer, and had wondows CDs to install. I said I didn't so they were helpless. That is when I asked for a refund, and they refused.
I had to get another firm in then to help me which sost me 80 odd pounds. They told me that Dell support had already misled me saying they could fix this problem from a distance. So would YOU--after this--want to have a £100 contract qwith them. I just want my money back.

Yesterday I received a form from VISA asking for info about this. But I can still do with extra advice how to handle this. As I say, they have offered to refund 59 quid but want to cling on to my 100 pounds. It is not fair. Two days ago I asked them to please explain why I cannot have a FULL refund and they have ignored my post.

bod1467

There's usually a cooling off period for any contract - I think you have 7 days to inform them in writing (email is fine) of your wish to cancel. (This is under Distance Selling Regulations which includes both internet and phone purchases). The tricky part is that the cooling off period only applies prior to the service commencing - Dell may argue that the service started immediately.

Hopefully others more conversant with this part of the regulations will pick this up.

zuliano

Laz123 wrote: »

You have to understand that Dell support operates from a call centre in India. The 'techs' read from a script depending on the problem. They are not technical experts. They can work remotely but in this case they did try and fix the problem but it was so infected no one knew of the extent. But as they didn't and couldn't fix the problem you are entitled to a refund.

My advise is to put everything in writing, explain what happened and that you expect a refund in a certain given period of time and that if that doesn't happen you will be taking them to the small claims court (which is easy and can be instigated online). Send the letter by special delivery so there is proof of delivery.

Let me tell you what has happened. Well starting that day, I was SO stressed. I am not technical savvy, and had been told by some other people who are that the 'ramnit' infection I had was VERY SERIOUS and I could lose all my stuff. Constantly in my face (you couldn't get rid of it, and I was told it was part of the virus) on the monitor was a supposed AVG window howing files infected proliferating. At one count it was over 5000!! I was in pieces. I have spent so much time and effort with research kept in files, and the thought of losing it all to infection had me demented. I already HAD contacted a local firm who were offering to help for £50 and they DID warn me that Dell would not be able to fix this problem from a distance, and it needed hands on. But the following morning--trusting Dell, I contacted their frr phone number and the technician took over the mouse, and as he looked at all the infected files, and then all the windows files that had been turned off I heard him saying over and over "Oh my God, Oh my God" and telling me that the computer can be hacked by anyone at this time, and iot could also shut down, and then was the push to give them my money for full year techical support £100 and then the technical help all in incl. VAT coming to £160. I foolishly gave my detials and then no sooner had he began the whole computer went blue-screen. When he eventually phoned they were dependent on me having another computer and windows software so they could carry on the repair. When I said I didn't they were helpless and when I asked for a refund they refused! I was VERY upset.

Eventually the other firm came, and were great and fixed it and installed a very recommended security program and that cost me about £85

So really the problem is this: IF these people who work for Dell Support are offering me £59 refund, WHY will they not refund me the money ,,,an online friend who lives in America and often will help me with technical problems said "I can't believe they are giving you such a hard time about canceling the service contract."

So WHY are they. Obviously I am not happy at all about the 'support' I got that day, so why are they claiming they can not refund the money for the years contract if I have now changed my mind, and especially under these circumstances?
I sent them a message over a day ago which they haven't responded to, and I have had to resend it this morning--asking to give me full detials WHY they cannot refund ALL my money?

What would you do if you were me about this please?

zuliano

bod1467 wrote: »

There's usually a cooling off period for any contract - I think you have 7 days to inform them in writing (email is fine) of your wish to cancel. (This is under Distance Selling Regulations which includes both internet and phone purchases). The tricky part is that the cooling off period only applies prior to the service commencing - Dell may argue that the service started immediately.

Hopefully others more conversant with this part of the regulations will pick this up.

because of my stress about this, and lacking any techniocal know how the time period has been from 15th--for ages I didn't know if I had email capacity. So a lot of my stress has also to do with very limited technical ability, and I feel I have been expploited by this also. WHY if I choose to cancel a contract can I not do that?? IF their argument that the £100 contract started that day, so how come they are willing to pay bacl £59? What was THAT for? Obviously they didn't fix the problem, so of course they should refund that. But now my problem is this: I haven't received any technical help. I dont want to receive any, and I want my money back. So what are my rights here please?

Elle7

For a start, forget what other people have said. Your friend in America is subject to different US laws, and for Dell and the new computer firm to slag each other off is unprofessional but not surprising, they are competing for your business. Ignore what both of them said.

You paid Dell £59 to attempt to remove the virus. They tried and failed, so you are entitled to this back. This is what they are refunding.
You also paid Dell £100 for cover, as your computer was out of warranty, and therefore to look at it you needed to pay for 'extra' protection. This began immediately, when they looked at your computer. So they will probably not be willing to refund this, because it is very similar to you buying a new phone, using it to make telephone calls and then trying to send it back - the general rule is that once the service has begun, no refund is available.

The fact that it has been over 7 days means your chances of refund are even slimmer - this is not about technical know-how, it is standard consumer rights. If you don't want to service (and usually, you haven't started using it) you can cancel within 7 days by writing.

The best solution I feel would be to write to Dell and explain the circumstances, and ask them to give you a 'daily' rate for the service. Then ask for a refund of the £100, minus the daily rate for the days you have had the service. However, they don't need to agree to this - you'll need to read the T&Cs of the contract to see what they will allow, although they may not allow you to cancel at all.

After that, look at the computer and improve your own knowledge so you won't find it so easy to get a virus next time. There is advice on software to install on the above posts, or you could ask in the Techie board - its worth knowing how to fix simple problems like this yourself, before it gets to blue-screen errors, or asking on a free website such as this forum first, where they help people with similar problems and knowledge all the time.

You don't have many consumer rights here, and your service is that they will offer technical support whenever you need it - there is a large chance that you won't need it for the whole year, but it doesn't matter. You are paying for it 'just in case', like breakdown cover on your car. So the service has began, and your ability to get your money back will rely on Dell's goodwill.

bod1467

Question - have Dell sent you anything in writing (email is OK) about the service plan, including your rights to cancel? I believe that a supplier needs to provide contract information in a durable means (being stated on a website does NOT count) for that contract to be enforceable. If they haven't sent any information then could it be argued that the contract has not yet commenced?