Lost laptop = 54 Million?

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**I’m rooting for her :k:

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

Don’t dismiss Raelyn Campbell as a crackpot. Not yet. Listen to her story, and then decide if she’s doing the right thing by asking Best Buy to compensate her to the tune of $54 million for a laptop that went missing when she took it in to Best Buy for repair under the store’s own extended warranty.

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.

http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/null/72016

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Re: Lost laptop = 54 Million?

I think its good that she used the law suit to leverage a better offer from them, but now it seems she should stop at the $4,100 offer they countered with.

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Re: Lost laptop = 54 Million?

I don't think its about the money....but rather she wants them to admit that they've done wrong and acted unprofessionally......

BRIDAL PICS.
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Re: Lost laptop = 54 Million?

If she loses the lawsuit Best Buy will sue her to cover their own legal fees.

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Re: Lost laptop = 54 Million?

It's all about the right perspective. There was a story a time ago where a customer gave their computer for data recovery to the Geek Squad in one of the Best Buy national chains. In return, the people working at that department hacked into all her files, made copies of her private photos, credit card information and all that there is. It was a pretty big story when it came out. Some folks unknowingly give away their personal belongings in the hands of total strangers expecting honesty and deliverance. Geek Squad has never impressed me one bit. It's all about having the right perspective from a place. Places like Best Buy compete hard but delivers less. Lesser-known places are more suited and dedicated to providing quality customer support.

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Re: Lost laptop = 54 Million?

my comp messes up im just throwing it away :snooty:

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Re: Lost laptop = 54 Million?

Best buy has crappy customer service. I hope she wins the lawsuit :)

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Re: Lost laptop = 54 Million?

I wonder what kind of laptop it was. Probably a Dell.

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Re: Lost laptop = 54 Million?

There is no way she can lose the law suit. Most likely they will settle for a sizable though undisclosed amount. Or Best Buy will lose, but damages will less than $54m. $4,100 that BB has offered right now will be peanuts compared to what BB will actually end up paying for this, plus all the hugely negative publicity for BB and Geek Squad, in the meantime.

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Re: Lost laptop = 54 Million?

Agreed. The possibility of identity theft is no joke these days, and on the basis of that, she will probably cash out big time.

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Re: Lost laptop = 54 Million?

Good luck to her. Though I think 54 Million might be wishful thinking but I do hope they pay her a lot more than $4100. I thought that if they lost something like that, they would just give you a new one. I've had stuff repaired under Future Shop's extended warranty, and they specifically told me that they would give me a new one if it took them longer than 8 weeks if I remember correctly.

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Re: Lost laptop = 54 Million?

Usually when any PC technician individual or company takes in a machine for repair, they make the client sign a agreement that the technician / company is not liable or responsible for any of the data in the machine, even if the data is lost due to the technician / company's own mistake.

I have seen this agreement (in one form or another) countless times and make people sign a similar agreement (of a lesser legal degree) when i take in people's computers to repair em. It is the clients' responsibility to keep backups of their data.

Identity theft though.. now thats a diff case. She might have some leverage in that context.