Dell Fraud Problems

Consumer Complaints & Reviews

Linda of Albert Lea, MN on Jan. 9, 2006

I ordered a computer several months ago for $395 and was asked if I wanted an extended warranty. I said no since I don't buy extended warranties. I asked them to put the cost on my Visa card and gave them my card number. When I received the statement from Dell, it had not been put on my Visa card but instead had been charged to Dell's Financial Service Plan. Soon I got a bill from Dell's Financial Service for $718! I was told there would be two rebates: one for $50 and the other for $60. These were mail-in rebates which I did not receive, and I never did get them. They had also added over $300 for the extended warranty that I declined to take.

Every time I call them, I get the runaround from them. One person talks to you and then either transfers you to another person, and this went on and on for two hours! I finally talked to someone about the warranty I didn't ask for and he said this could not be taken off my bill! I am very upset with all this. I did pay a little over $600 to them when they began to threaten me, and I don't know what to do. They keep sending my invoices and are adding interest and late fees to my bill all the time. I saved all the bills and notices they have sent me. There was not even an invoice in my computer when I received it from the company.

Mike of Spanish Fork, UT on Dec. 30, 2005

I purchased two Dell computers for Christmas. When the computers arrived, they were the wrong computers. I sent them back and Dell refunded all but $216.00. When I asked why I did not receive a full refund, the sales representative said Dell used $216 as a "Re-Stock" fee.

Why should I have to pay a Re-Stock fee if the error was Dell's?

Ron of Buckeye, AZ on Dec. 18, 2005

I ordered a Dell computer for my business. I used my company's phone number and address and my wife's credit card. The order was placed over the phone, not on-line. This is the first and only time I used this combination of address and credit card.

I received the computer and soon after (approximately 2 weeks after the order was placed) I received a call, on my company phone line, wanting permission to ship articles to a different address than our billing address. I inquired as to what was purchased, they were hesitant to name what it was other than it was shoes. (It was towards Christmas and they did not want to give away any secrets).

I contacted my wife and she called the shoe company. She discovered that someone had obtained her credit card information and was trying to purchase over $375 worth of shoes.

Since the company called my business phone and referenced my wife's credit card, I knew exactly where the "leak" was from. I immediately called Dell thinking they would be glad to know they either had someone that hacked into their computer system and retrieved personal information or someone was stealing the information from the inside.

I was transferred many times. After asking to talk to a manager, I was placed on hold for more than 15 minutes and finally got in touch with a "manager/supervisor". This person told me that if my bank held an investigation and it turned out to come from Dell, they would investigate it.

I explained in great detail how I knew it came from Dell but they didn't want to hear it. I even offered the name and phone number of the person that took my call but they never requested it. They were determined that they did not have a problem. They told me that they would know if their system had been hacked so I told them then they must have employees that were dishonest and were using the information. They were not interested so, I politely told them as a business company, I would never buy anything from Dell Computers again because they do not believe their customers and are not interested in finding any problem within their ranks.

Damages: We had to cancel credit cards and issue fraud alerts to all the major credit reporting agencies, and get replacement cards issued.

William of Burns, OR on Dec. 7, 2004

I ordered a Canon digital camera from Dell, and charged to my debit card. They sent me two, and charged me for two charges on my debit card. Overdrew my account. I called and was given a "reference number" for returning the second camera to Dell, I shipped it the same day via UPS with the reference number written all over the package, and shipped it to the Carrollton, Texas address that was on my master packing slip for returns.
Dell refused receipt! The package was eventually "lost". I have called Dell customer service three times, about a month apart, asking what was going on. Once, I could not understand the individual, but all three told me to contact them via their e-mail addresses, which I did, and nothing has happened. I have not heard anything back from any of the three I contacted by e-mail.
I applied to UPS for a loss claim, and yesterday received a check from them for only a small portion of what I had spent for the camera and the costs of shipping. I had also, previously, ordered an expensive desktop computer system. I love both the computer and the camera, but was tempted to, and strongly motivated to, tell Dell to come and get the whole thing. I am really upset at them.

The price of the camera was $899.10, plus the cost of shipping was $13.59. I received a check yesterday for $106.09, which came from UPS to the shipping agent here in Burns. I was also penalized for overdraft of my debit account.

Meredith of Pensacola, FL on Aug. 17, 2004

I ordered one computer from Dell, but they sent two plus three printers. I shipped six boxes back. Now, one is lost in transit. I have tried to reach Dell customer service by calling, via email and today with a letter. The order numbers they sent me over the internet didn't match the ones on the box that came so I really don't know what is happening. The box that is missing just so happens to be the thousand dollar processor! They have more than double billed me for something that I didn't order. I have tried for two weeks to clear this up.

Karla of Pembroke Pines, FL on June 24, 2004

I ordered a Sony DSC P92 camera from Dell on March 8, 2004. I received the camera and along with the camera was an invoice for $280.58. I paid the invoice immediately. DELL IMMEDIATELY CASHED MY CHECK ON MARCH 31, 2004. In addition to sending me an invoice, Dell also added the same invoice amount to my Dell Preferred Account. So, I was billed twice.
I have been calling Dell's Customer Care Department since April to try and have this removed from my Preferred Account to no avail. No one seems to understand that I was billed twice for an item which has already been paid for. I have been transferred to so many different areas in Dell and no one wants to help or will claim responsibility, or they just act plain stupid. I keep getting told that I was not calling the correct area, and to please call another number that they would give. No one wants to give his or her name either. Some of the representatives act as if I was stupid and have the nerve to read my invoice to me when I already had a copy in my hand.
One of Dell's representatives even asked me What did I expect, a free camera? If you were to look at my account now, you would see notes, I am sure, of the numerous times I have called. In the meantime, I am being billed at an interest rate of 16.99% on $280.58 for an item that is already paid for. Dell is collecting this interest rate. The only representative that took an interest, after I explained how many times I had called and she listened in to one of the conversations, was Swapna ***. She has tried to help me, to no avail either.

She has called the Payment Research Center and spoken to Alex who was very unhelpful and a little rude to both myself and Ms. ***. She called me two days later to follow-up, and then called Payment Research with myself on the line and spoke to Nancy who again was of no help. I faxed them a copy of my cancelled check and bank statement like they requested six times and they still refuse to even investigate, and no one will follow-up. They advised Ms. *** as well as myself that I should just call customer service and whoever answers the phone will help.

So, my feeling is that it appears that my money has been stolen, and DELL'S staff is well-trained in not helping customers with issues such as this, in the hopes that they will stop calling and Dell will collect this money twice.