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Report: #419072

Report: Dell Computer Co.

Reported By: (Bakersfield California)

Dell Computer Co. Sold a computer to someone who can't TURN it on. Austin Texas

... Responsibility

1Author 8Consumer 1Employee

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Dell Computer Co.

Del.com
Austin Texas
U.S.A.
Phone: 800-283-2210
Web Address:

Category: Computer Dealers

Submitted: Monday, February 02, 2009

Last posting: Friday, March 06, 2009

In June of 2008 my mother, who is 80 now, saw and add in our local Bakersfield Ca newspaper. She called Dell's 800 number and although she could ask NO questions or even answer theirs. The great company took the order, built a Inspiron 530, and sent it to her. I come out of the box and there it sits. She doesn't know who to even turn it on. Had I been here in Bakersfield this would not have happened.

Now every month she pays $33.00 and dust the computer. I have called and called and spoken to INDIA and the Philipines. No one can help me and I can even get the account number. I did however get the ADDRESS to send a note to DELL. They but really be n HARD times when little OLD ladies are talked to about building a compute. I know most of her answers were..I DON'T KNOW. I have NO IDEA what that is. What is the color...COME on Dell. YOU need a good lawsuit to make your year.

I have NOTHING on this computer and since I have moved back to Bakersfield and my mother is NOW living with me...I have tried to RETURN this piece of crap back to them. I'll bet IF I stop paying for this hunk of junk...they get in touch with ME. That day is coming. HOW dare you Dell computers build and sell this thing to a person WHO could not even tell you what they wanted. MORE like you said you NEED and HAVR to have this and she said...I guess...I don't know.

I'm not 80 and trying to help my mom out. I want her to live the rest of her life without crap like DELL COMPUTERS scaming her. h yea, did I tell you this computer has never been turned on....she didn't understand that when you took it out of the box and pluged it in...what other things were needed to make it function. But it is past their return policy...Does anyone know IF I can turn this around for her...get it back to Dell and get her money back? HELP I guess...what a RIP OFF Dell Computers is!!!

Betty
Bakersfield, California
U.S.A.

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REBUTTALS & REPLIES:

1Author 8Consumer 1Employee

Consumer Comment

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Dell computers

Charlie - Johnson City (U.S.A.)

SUBMITTED: Monday, February 02, 2009 POSTED: Monday, February 02, 2009

I am really curious as to how Dell got her credit information if your Mother couldn't answer their questions. I am NOT defending Dell at all. Can your Mother be trusted to make the right decisions with her money? If not, Why does she have access to it?

Consumer Comment

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What is your mother's responsibility?

Flynrider - Phoeix (U.S.A.)

SUBMITTED: Monday, February 02, 2009 POSTED: Monday, February 02, 2009

Dell did not come to your mother's door and con her into buying a computer. Your mother called them up in response to an ad and ordered a computer. I don't think Dell or any other computer company requires a customer to pass a computer literacy test before allowing them to buy. My mother (79 yrs. old) didn't know anything about computers when she ordered her first one.

If you think that your mother cannot be responsible for her financial decisions, that's something you need to take up with her. It's not a retailer's responsibility.

Consumer Comment

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Dell not responsible for a valid sale.

Wilson - Walnut Creek (U.S.A.)

SUBMITTED: Monday, February 02, 2009 POSTED: Monday, February 02, 2009

If your 80-year-old mother mistakenly ordered the computer and she did not want it due to Alzheimers or dementia, you should not not have opened the box and you should have called Dell to get an RMA (Return Merchandise Authorization) to return the computer for a refund. You may have to pay for return shipping but at least you may not have been stuck with the computer. If the computer is still unused, you can try to sell the compputer on craigslist.org.

It is not the the job of the Dell sales reps to confirm that you are mentally competent when you are ordering their computers. The sales reps should not have to ask for the age of the customers to determine mental compentency.

Consumer Suggestion

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is this a joke....?

Sylver8248 - Murfreesboro (U.S.A.)

SUBMITTED: Tuesday, February 03, 2009 POSTED: Tuesday, February 03, 2009

I don't really know what to say. I agree with a previous poster...Dell didn't come to the door and FORCE her to purchase the computer. She called the phone number, and Dell took her order.

Consumer Comment

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GOTTA BE A JOKE BECAUSE NOBODY I KNOW WOULD SELL SOMEBODY SOMETHING LIKE THIS

Joe - Austin (U.S.A.)

SUBMITTED: Wednesday, February 04, 2009 POSTED: Wednesday, February 04, 2009

GIVE IT A BREAK

NOBODY IS GOING TO BUILD A COMPUTER FOR A LADY WHO CAN'T TELL THEM WHAT SHE WANTS ON IT...BECAUSE HOW ARE THEY GOING TO KNOW THE TECHNICAL SPECS?

THEY WILL FIGURE OUT SOMETHING IS WRONG OR THEY WILL THINK IT IS A HOAX OR A CRANK CALL AND HANG UP.

NOT EVEN DELL FINANCE WOULD DO THIS!

Ex-Employee

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joe works for dell

Anonymous - Nashvillet (U.S.A.)

SUBMITTED: Saturday, February 21, 2009 POSTED: Saturday, February 21, 2009

after reading your commit, i know you work for Dell.
Yes Dell would sell a computer to a 1year old if they could say yes
and had a credit card!

Consumer Suggestion

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It's not Dell's issue

Anonymous - Downers Grove (U.S.A.)

SUBMITTED: Sunday, February 22, 2009 POSTED: Sunday, February 22, 2009

I have to agree with the other responses. This isn't Dell's problem.

Your mom saw an ad (maybe in the Sunday Parade section of the paper?) called and ordered.

They shipped it to her.

There's really no computer knowledge required to purchase one of their advertised packages; you just have to tell them the code from the ad and they ship it to you.

If your mother isn't competent to make decisions related to her finances you should deal with that.

You probably could have returned it in 2008 RIGHT AFTER SHE BOUGHT IT. Why would Dell allow you to return a 6 to 8 month-old computer now???

Consumer Comment

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WHEN ELDERLY PARENTS CAN NO LONGER LIVE ALONE!

Joe - Austin (U.S.A.)

SUBMITTED: Sunday, February 22, 2009 POSTED: Sunday, February 22, 2009

THERE COMES A TIME WHEN ELDERLY PEOPLE ARE NO LONGER ABLE TO MAKE RESPONSIBLE FINANCIAL DECISIONS AND BUYING A NEW COMPUTER FROM DELL WHEN YOU CAN BUY USED IS NOT RESPONSIBLE.

YOU MIGHT WANT TO TEACH HER HOW TO USE THIS COMPUTER. BE SURE YOU TELL HER NOT TO PUT HER FINANCIAL AND PERSONAL INFORMATION ON IT AND EXPLAIN TO HER THAT SHE CANNOT BELIEVE ANY BUSINESS OR SHOPPING DEAL SHE SEES HERE ON THE INTERNET.

BUT THERE ARE SO MANY WAYS SHE COULD GET SCAMMED ONLINE, I AM NOT SURE THIS IS A GOOD IDEA EITHER.

HAS SHE BEEN CONNED FOR MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTIONS OR BEEN SCAMMED BY OTHERS RECENTLY?

YOU MIGHT GET A LAWYER AND GET OUT THAT WAY BY SAYING SHE WAS CONNED INTO SIGNING AN UNCONSCIONABLE CONTRACT THAT SHE DID NOT UNDERSTAND. AND MAYBE SHE HAS AN ONSET OF DEMENTIA?

MAYBE SHE NEEDS TO BE PUT IN A MORE STRUCTURED, SUPERVISED ENVIRONMENT?

GOOD LUCK.

Consumer Comment

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Responsibility

Mathue - Pleasanton (U.S.A.)

SUBMITTED: Friday, March 06, 2009 POSTED: Friday, March 06, 2009

Betty,

I'm quite confused about "She called Dell's 800 number and although she could ask NO questions or even answer theirs."

How exactly did Dell get her billing data if she can't give them the data, are you saying Dell somehow illegally accessed her data (I'm not sure how that could be)?

As painful as it is that she ordered it, it does indeed sound like _she_ did and at this point it's really not Dells fault or responsibility. After-all, SHE made the call to Dell, not Dell to her. If she made the order by error of judgement, either because of dementia or other causes it's really not Dells responsibility to investigate, id est, send a person to her residence and interview her for whether she's competent.

"Betty wrote: YOU need a good lawsuit to make your year"

Just pay off the computer and sell it to get it out of your way if it's not wanted. This isn't lawsuit fodder and there is _no_ valid reason you should be angry at Dell and no rip-off occured. If your mother is 80 than you're an adult, take it like an adult and accept what has happened and cut out all the drama.

And a side note: Always, always proofread your comments if you're going to post something like this. The typos, omitted words/letters and THE CAPS DROPPED ALL OVER does your rant no service whatsoever.

Sorry if that was harsh, but seriously, this isn't the computer makers problem.