Best Buy Phone Insurance Scam Still Alive and Well in Wichita, Kansas

Against my better judgement, I recently allowed salesmen at Best Buy to convince me that I should purchase their cell phone insurance plan over my carrier's insurance plan when I was in upgrading my family's cellphones.

Two weeks after upgrading, my phone began having issues. Since this was within the 30 day period, I was reluctantly given a replacement (only because they HAVE to) and you better believe they fought it... asking probing questions trying to find ANY way to twist my responses as to make the malfunction appear to be the direct result of something I did and therefore my fault.

On a side note, if at all possible, back up your data before exchanging a cellphone at Best Buy. They have a unit that allows them to transfer data from one phone to another but it does not work. At least that is what I would like to believe.. rather than that they are just so COMPLETELY incompetent that they cannot even use the unit correctly. I suppose I should not discount that as a likely possibility as well.

The new phone worked flawlessly for another two or three weeks and then it began having issues... not the same as the first phone but issues nonetheless. This time when I went and brought it to their attention, I was told that I had to let them take my phone and send it in for service. That was read flag number one. I was then told that if I wanted use of a phone in the meantime I had to either provide my own by using one I already had (such as the old phone I had upgraded from) or purchasing ANOTHER phone! Red flag number two! They also offered me use of a "loaner" phone... which again I would have to pay $150 to use! Red flag number three!

I have NEVER heard of having to go without a phone or pay for a temporary replacement if it is being repaired or replaced... until now. If the phone has to be sent in for service, they should provide a replacement at no cost. If they don't do that... what is the insurance for? Apparently, it is Best Buy's belief that insurance is for one thing only... ripping off the customer.

Long story short... if you depend on Best Buy for cellphone insurance, not only will you likely pay twice as much as you would for insurance through your carrier, but you will get NOTHING from it but $10-$12 a month PER LINE leached from your bank account. My carrier offers fantastic insurance that has NEVER left me without a phone and has NEVER cost me extra money out of my pocket and it costs HALF as much as Best Buy's supposed superior insurance.

I have cancelled the Best Buy Cellphone Insurance Scam and put my carrier's insurance back on my plan. I have also notified all friends, family, colleagues and coworkers of this scam and will continue to make anyone I encounter who is planning on doing business with Best Buy aware of it as well.