Help, advise needed!

wasapi · 6th December 2017, 12:11 PM

So, about 5 months ago I bought a new, cheap Dell laptop for $200. It has been nothing but trouble, which has caused me to phone Dell tech support several times. Then, a few days ago I got a virus, and once again I called.

I was told that the virus could be taken care of, new protection would be installed, and the on going problem of it being so slow would also be fixed. I gave them my credit card info to buy the protection.

The virus was gone and the computer working, but it was still running frustratingly slow.

This morning I received notice from my bank that I was overdrawn. It turns out Dell tech charged me $400, though I am still under warranty.

How should I handle this? I wrote Dell, and am getting ready to call my bank. Can anyone advise me?

Thanks so much.
Julia

William Parcher · 6th December 2017, 12:22 PM

Dell charged you $400 for virus removal and protection?

William Parcher · 6th December 2017, 12:31 PM

I am concerned that you may not have actually been talking to a genuine Dell tech representative. It sounds like it could have been a scam or fraud.

Can you explain your certainty that the person(s) helping you was legitimate?

Dr. Keith · 6th December 2017, 12:34 PM

Originally Posted by William Parcher

I am concerned that you may not have actually been talking to a genuine Dell tech representative. It sounds like it could have been a scam or fraud.

Can you explain your certainty that the person(s) helping you was legitimate?

I think this is what happened. Check with your bank and contest the charges. Even charges to a debit card can be contested. You have the same protections that you would have with a credit card.

The Norseman · 6th December 2017, 12:37 PM

Yeah, $400 is way wrong. If you were not aware that they were charging you $400, I'd contest it with your bank ASAP and then try and figure out who exactly you were talking with.

Did you contact them or how did the contact occur?

William Parcher · 6th December 2017, 01:45 PM

Now she can't respond because ransomware.

wasapi · 6th December 2017, 02:54 PM

Thanks everyone. My bank just filed a claim, and they said they would try to have the money reversed and put back into my account. I feel stupid. After spending a total of 6 hours on the phone with tech support, the computer still runs as poorly as ever.

I don't know what type of reputation Dell has overall, and I don't know if the one I bought is just a lemon. I do know that I have had nothing but trouble with it almost from the beginning.

Mongrel · 6th December 2017, 02:58 PM

The $400 sounds like "dealership" prices, although they should have confirmed the amount first.

As for the speed issue, what's the spec of the PC? Despite the marketing not all i5s (for instance) are the same, there's a whole range that goes from "not fast but doesn't use a lot of power" to "Full on gamer". This page gives you an idea of what to look for

William Parcher · 6th December 2017, 03:04 PM

$400÷6=$66 per hour. That might be a legitimate rate for computer consultation. But that's way too long to get you done. If the techie is working on commission or bonuses they might string along a novice user for their own personal profit.

Anyway, your computer already came with antivirus so you had protection.

Dr. Keith · 6th December 2017, 03:05 PM

Originally Posted by wasapi

Thanks everyone. My bank just filed a claim, and they said they would try to have the money reversed and put back into my account. I feel stupid.

Don't. They are good at what they do.

Quote:

After spending a total of 6 hours on the phone with tech support, the computer still runs as poorly as ever.

I don't know what type of reputation Dell has overall, and I don't know if the one I bought is just a lemon. I do know that I have had nothing but trouble with it almost from the beginning.

Dell is typically well regarded as a mass brand. In that price range it looks like you are getting a celeron processor and 2 (maybe 4) gigs of RAM. Enough to surf the web, I guess. The difference may be in whether you are trying to use Windows 10 on that hardware or Chrome, they seem to offer both. I would think Windows 10 could be a a bit much for such a simple system, but I don't really know. Chrome gets a bad rap, but may be a better option for a simplified system.

p0lka · 6th December 2017, 03:22 PM

When you pay someone to remove a virus, all they do is google how to remove the virus and then charge you money for something you could have done yourself for free.

portlandatheist · 6th December 2017, 05:04 PM

If you have malware, you should really nuke and pave the operating system and not rely on any software package that claims to remove them(it works for much malware, but no guarantee). It is possible to remove and verify and ensure its removal using complex tools and analysis but that requires real effort and expertise.
Reinstalling the OS from scratch on a somewhat regular basis is a good practice anyway.

paulhutch · 7th December 2017, 04:20 AM

Originally Posted by Dr. Keith

I think this is what happened. Check with your bank and contest the charges. Even charges to a debit card can be contested. You have the same protections that you would have with a credit card.

There are two very important differences:
http://money.cnn.com/2013/12/20/pf/e...rds/index.html

Quote:

Under federal law, your personal liability for fraudulent charges on a credit card can't exceed $50. But if a fraudster uses your debit card, you could be liable for $500 or more, depending on how quickly you report it.

Quote:

Plus, if someone uses your credit card, the charge is often credited back to your account immediately after it's reported, Ulzheimer said.
Yet, if a crook uses your debit card, not only can they drain your bank account, but it can take up to two weeks for the bank to investigate the fraud and reimburse your account.

LTC8K6 · 7th December 2017, 04:58 AM

Originally Posted by wasapi

Thanks everyone. My bank just filed a claim, and they said they would try to have the money reversed and put back into my account. I feel stupid. After spending a total of 6 hours on the phone with tech support, the computer still runs as poorly as ever.

I don't know what type of reputation Dell has overall, and I don't know if the one I bought is just a lemon. I do know that I have had nothing but trouble with it almost from the beginning.

What model Dell is this? For $200.00 new, it can't be much of a laptop, but even a chromebook will surf the internet just fine.

What is running slow, exactly?

Is it the computer that is slow, or the internet that is slow?

Loss Leader · 7th December 2017, 06:07 AM

Did you look up Dell's number and call, or did you get a warning on your computer screen asking you to call a certain number?

Darat · 7th December 2017, 06:48 AM

These are sub $200 laptops from Dell:

http://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/cty/p...97239035629860

Intel® Celeron® Processor N3060
Windows 10 Home 64-bit English
2GB, 1600MHz, DDR3L
32GB eMMC

That is going to run like a dog, and I don't mean a greyhound - more like a Basset Hound.

Trebuchet · 7th December 2017, 07:57 AM

They're still making Celerons? I've always mentally added "de" in front of the name.

Captain_Swoop · 7th December 2017, 08:10 AM

I wouldn't think virus removal was covered by a warranty. They probably charged for it.

Dr. Keith · 7th December 2017, 02:55 PM

Originally Posted by paulhutch

There are two very important differences:
http://money.cnn.com/2013/12/20/pf/e...rds/index.html

Very true, and good catch.

My frustration is that there are so many people who think they have no protections with debit cards. Report fraud of any type as quickly as possible and your bank will be of great help. If not, find a new bank.

Dr. Keith · 7th December 2017, 02:56 PM

Originally Posted by Trebuchet

They're still making Celerons? I've always mentally added "de" in front of the name.

I think they are OK for running chrome, but an actual OS would seem a bit of an ask.

Skeptical Greg · 7th December 2017, 04:29 PM

As others have mentioned, a $200 laptop is going to run slow no matter what you do..

wasapi · 7th December 2017, 04:35 PM

Originally Posted by Darat

These are sub $200 laptops from Dell:

http://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/cty/p...97239035629860

Intel® Celeron® Processor N3060
Windows 10 Home 64-bit English
2GB, 1600MHz, DDR3L
32GB eMMC

That is going to run like a dog, and I don't mean a greyhound - more like a Basset Hound.

Yes, you nailed it! However, the "Basset Hound" is generous. I would have to suggest a senior, blind, 3 legged Basset Hound.

wasapi · 7th December 2017, 04:49 PM

Originally Posted by William Parcher

I am concerned that you may not have actually been talking to a genuine Dell tech representative. It sounds like it could have been a scam or fraud.

Can you explain your certainty that the person(s) helping you was legitimate?

Yes. I have used the same number to call that came in a booklet with the computer. I have called them several times. The first time I called their tech support was only a couple of weeks after purchase. I have had to call them about once every 3 weeks with one problem after another since then.

Solitaire · 11th December 2017, 12:42 PM

Originally Posted by wasapi

Yes, you nailed it! However, the "Basset Hound" is generous.
I would have to suggest a senior, blind, 3 legged Basset Hound.

Maybe get a 32GB Jump drive and install Puppy Linux on it.

John Jones · 11th December 2017, 08:58 PM

Originally Posted by wasapi

So, about 5 months ago I bought a new, cheap Dell laptop for $200. It has been nothing but trouble, which has caused me to phone Dell tech support several times. Then, a few days ago I got a virus, and once again I called.

I was told that the virus could be taken care of, new protection would be installed, and the on going problem of it being so slow would also be fixed. I gave them my credit card info to buy the protection.

The virus was gone and the computer working, but it was still running frustratingly slow.

This morning I received notice from my bank that I was overdrawn. It turns out Dell tech charged me $400, though I am still under warranty.

How should I handle this? I wrote Dell, and am getting ready to call my bank. Can anyone advise me?

Thanks so much.
Julia

That sounds like a scam I nearly got caught-in a few years ago. The scam artists don't want you complaining to the credit cards company, because the CC company will stop taking charges from the. Long Story Short: Contact your credit card company.

6th December 2017, 12:11 PM	#1
wasapi Philosopher Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 5,257	Help, advise needed! So, about 5 months ago I bought a new, cheap Dell laptop for $200. It has been nothing but trouble, which has caused me to phone Dell tech support several times. Then, a few days ago I got a virus, and once again I called. I was told that the virus could be taken care of, new protection would be installed, and the on going problem of it being so slow would also be fixed. I gave them my credit card info to buy the protection. The virus was gone and the computer working, but it was still running frustratingly slow. This morning I received notice from my bank that I was overdrawn. It turns out Dell tech charged me $400, though I am still under warranty. How should I handle this? I wrote Dell, and am getting ready to call my bank. Can anyone advise me? Thanks so much. Julia
wasapi Philosopher Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 5,257	__________________ Julia

6th December 2017, 12:22 PM	#2
William Parcher Show me the monkey! Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 20,781	Dell charged you $400 for virus removal and protection?
	__________________ Bigfoot believers and Bigfoot skeptics are both plumb crazy. Each spends more than one minute per year thinking about Bigfoot.

6th December 2017, 12:31 PM	#3
William Parcher Show me the monkey! Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 20,781	I am concerned that you may not have actually been talking to a genuine Dell tech representative. It sounds like it could have been a scam or fraud. Can you explain your certainty that the person(s) helping you was legitimate?
	__________________ Bigfoot believers and Bigfoot skeptics are both plumb crazy. Each spends more than one minute per year thinking about Bigfoot.

6th December 2017, 12:34 PM	#4
Dr. Keith Not a doctor. Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 17,024	Originally Posted by William Parcher I am concerned that you may not have actually been talking to a genuine Dell tech representative. It sounds like it could have been a scam or fraud. Can you explain your certainty that the person(s) helping you was legitimate? I think this is what happened. Check with your bank and contest the charges. Even charges to a debit card can be contested. You have the same protections that you would have with a credit card.
	__________________ I once proposed a fun ban. Suffering is not a punishment not a fruit of sin, it is a gift of God. He allows us to share in His suffering and to make up for the sins of the world. -Mother Teresa

6th December 2017, 01:45 PM	#6
William Parcher Show me the monkey! Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 20,781	Now she can't respond because ransomware.
	__________________ Bigfoot believers and Bigfoot skeptics are both plumb crazy. Each spends more than one minute per year thinking about Bigfoot.

6th December 2017, 12:37 PM	#5
The Norseman Meandering fecklessly Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 7,974	Yeah, $400 is way wrong. If you were not aware that they were charging you $400, I'd contest it with your bank ASAP and then try and figure out who exactly you were talking with. Did you contact them or how did the contact occur?

6th December 2017, 02:54 PM	#7
wasapi Philosopher Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 5,257	Thanks everyone. My bank just filed a claim, and they said they would try to have the money reversed and put back into my account. I feel stupid. After spending a total of 6 hours on the phone with tech support, the computer still runs as poorly as ever. I don't know what type of reputation Dell has overall, and I don't know if the one I bought is just a lemon. I do know that I have had nothing but trouble with it almost from the beginning.
wasapi Philosopher Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 5,257	__________________ Julia

6th December 2017, 02:58 PM	#8
Mongrel Begging for Scraps Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: 20 minutes in the future Posts: 1,832	The $400 sounds like "dealership" prices, although they should have confirmed the amount first. As for the speed issue, what's the spec of the PC? Despite the marketing not all i5s (for instance) are the same, there's a whole range that goes from "not fast but doesn't use a lot of power" to "Full on gamer". This page gives you an idea of what to look for
	__________________ “Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge: it is those who know little, and not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science.” - Charles Darwin ...like so many contemporary philosophers he especially enjoyed giving helpful advice to people who were happier than he was. - Tom Lehrer

6th December 2017, 03:04 PM	#9
William Parcher Show me the monkey! Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 20,781	$400÷6=$66 per hour. That might be a legitimate rate for computer consultation. But that's way too long to get you done. If the techie is working on commission or bonuses they might string along a novice user for their own personal profit. Anyway, your computer already came with antivirus so you had protection.
	__________________ Bigfoot believers and Bigfoot skeptics are both plumb crazy. Each spends more than one minute per year thinking about Bigfoot.

6th December 2017, 03:05 PM	#10
Dr. Keith Not a doctor. Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 17,024	Originally Posted by wasapi Thanks everyone. My bank just filed a claim, and they said they would try to have the money reversed and put back into my account. I feel stupid. Don't. They are good at what they do. Quote: After spending a total of 6 hours on the phone with tech support, the computer still runs as poorly as ever. I don't know what type of reputation Dell has overall, and I don't know if the one I bought is just a lemon. I do know that I have had nothing but trouble with it almost from the beginning. Dell is typically well regarded as a mass brand. In that price range it looks like you are getting a celeron processor and 2 (maybe 4) gigs of RAM. Enough to surf the web, I guess. The difference may be in whether you are trying to use Windows 10 on that hardware or Chrome, they seem to offer both. I would think Windows 10 could be a a bit much for such a simple system, but I don't really know. Chrome gets a bad rap, but may be a better option for a simplified system.
	__________________ I once proposed a fun ban. Suffering is not a punishment not a fruit of sin, it is a gift of God. He allows us to share in His suffering and to make up for the sins of the world. -Mother Teresa

6th December 2017, 03:22 PM	#11
p0lka Muse Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 946	When you pay someone to remove a virus, all they do is google how to remove the virus and then charge you money for something you could have done yourself for free.
p0lka Muse Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 946

6th December 2017, 05:04 PM	#12
portlandatheist Master Poster Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 2,880	If you have malware, you should really nuke and pave the operating system and not rely on any software package that claims to remove them(it works for much malware, but no guarantee). It is possible to remove and verify and ensure its removal using complex tools and analysis but that requires real effort and expertise. Reinstalling the OS from scratch on a somewhat regular basis is a good practice anyway.

7th December 2017, 04:20 AM	#13
paulhutch Master Poster Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Blackstone River Valley, MA Posts: 2,254	Originally Posted by Dr. Keith I think this is what happened. Check with your bank and contest the charges. Even charges to a debit card can be contested. You have the same protections that you would have with a credit card. There are two very important differences: http://money.cnn.com/2013/12/20/pf/e...rds/index.html Quote: Under federal law, your personal liability for fraudulent charges on a credit card can't exceed $50. But if a fraudster uses your debit card, you could be liable for $500 or more, depending on how quickly you report it. Quote: Plus, if someone uses your credit card, the charge is often credited back to your account immediately after it's reported, Ulzheimer said. Yet, if a crook uses your debit card, not only can they drain your bank account, but it can take up to two weeks for the bank to investigate the fraud and reimburse your account.

7th December 2017, 04:58 AM	#14
LTC8K6 Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Directly under a deadly chemtrail Posts: 20,384	Originally Posted by wasapi Thanks everyone. My bank just filed a claim, and they said they would try to have the money reversed and put back into my account. I feel stupid. After spending a total of 6 hours on the phone with tech support, the computer still runs as poorly as ever. I don't know what type of reputation Dell has overall, and I don't know if the one I bought is just a lemon. I do know that I have had nothing but trouble with it almost from the beginning. What model Dell is this? For $200.00 new, it can't be much of a laptop, but even a chromebook will surf the internet just fine. What is running slow, exactly? Is it the computer that is slow, or the internet that is slow?
	__________________ What a fool believes, no wise man has the power to reason away. What seems to be, is always better than nothing. 2 prints, same midtarsal crock..., I mean break?

7th December 2017, 06:07 AM	#15
Loss Leader I would save the receptionist. Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Florida Posts: 25,800	Did you look up Dell's number and call, or did you get a warning on your computer screen asking you to call a certain number?
	__________________ I have the honor to be Your Obdt. S^t L. Leader

7th December 2017, 06:48 AM	#16
Darat Lackey Administrator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: South East, UK Posts: 83,550	These are sub $200 laptops from Dell: http://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/cty/p...97239035629860 Intel® Celeron® Processor N3060 Windows 10 Home 64-bit English 2GB, 1600MHz, DDR3L 32GB eMMC That is going to run like a dog, and I don't mean a greyhound - more like a Basset Hound.
	__________________ I wish I knew how to quit you

7th December 2017, 07:57 AM	#17
Trebuchet Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: The Great Northwet Posts: 18,545	They're still making Celerons? I've always mentally added "de" in front of the name.
	__________________ Cum catapultae proscribeantur tum soli proscripti catapultas habeant.

7th December 2017, 08:10 AM	#18
Captain_Swoop Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 17,549	I wouldn't think virus removal was covered by a warranty. They probably charged for it.

7th December 2017, 02:55 PM	#19
Dr. Keith Not a doctor. Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 17,024	Originally Posted by paulhutch There are two very important differences: http://money.cnn.com/2013/12/20/pf/e...rds/index.html Very true, and good catch. My frustration is that there are so many people who think they have no protections with debit cards. Report fraud of any type as quickly as possible and your bank will be of great help. If not, find a new bank.
	__________________ I once proposed a fun ban. Suffering is not a punishment not a fruit of sin, it is a gift of God. He allows us to share in His suffering and to make up for the sins of the world. -Mother Teresa

7th December 2017, 02:56 PM	#20
Dr. Keith Not a doctor. Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 17,024	Originally Posted by Trebuchet They're still making Celerons? I've always mentally added "de" in front of the name. I think they are OK for running chrome, but an actual OS would seem a bit of an ask.
	__________________ I once proposed a fun ban. Suffering is not a punishment not a fruit of sin, it is a gift of God. He allows us to share in His suffering and to make up for the sins of the world. -Mother Teresa

7th December 2017, 04:29 PM	#21
Skeptical Greg Agave Wine Connoisseur Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Just past ' Resume Speed ' . Posts: 15,197	As others have mentioned, a $200 laptop is going to run slow no matter what you do..
	__________________ " The main problem I have with the idea of heaven, is the thought of spending eternity with most of the people who claim to be going there. "

7th December 2017, 04:35 PM	#22
wasapi Philosopher Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 5,257	Originally Posted by Darat These are sub $200 laptops from Dell: http://www.dell.com/en-us/shop/cty/p...97239035629860 Intel® Celeron® Processor N3060 Windows 10 Home 64-bit English 2GB, 1600MHz, DDR3L 32GB eMMC That is going to run like a dog, and I don't mean a greyhound - more like a Basset Hound. Yes, you nailed it! However, the "Basset Hound" is generous. I would have to suggest a senior, blind, 3 legged Basset Hound.
wasapi Philosopher Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 5,257	__________________ Julia

7th December 2017, 04:49 PM	#23
wasapi Philosopher Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 5,257	Originally Posted by William Parcher I am concerned that you may not have actually been talking to a genuine Dell tech representative. It sounds like it could have been a scam or fraud. Can you explain your certainty that the person(s) helping you was legitimate? Yes. I have used the same number to call that came in a booklet with the computer. I have called them several times. The first time I called their tech support was only a couple of weeks after purchase. I have had to call them about once every 3 weeks with one problem after another since then.
wasapi Philosopher Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 5,257	__________________ Julia

11th December 2017, 12:42 PM	#24
Solitaire Neoclinus blanchardi Join Date: Jul 2001 Posts: 2,195	Originally Posted by wasapi Yes, you nailed it! However, the "Basset Hound" is generous. I would have to suggest a senior, blind, 3 legged Basset Hound. Maybe get a 32GB Jump drive and install Puppy Linux on it.
	__________________ Be very careful what you put in your head, because you will never get it out again. — Phineas Gage

11th December 2017, 08:58 PM	#25
John Jones Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Iowa USA Posts: 12,131	Originally Posted by wasapi So, about 5 months ago I bought a new, cheap Dell laptop for $200. It has been nothing but trouble, which has caused me to phone Dell tech support several times. Then, a few days ago I got a virus, and once again I called. I was told that the virus could be taken care of, new protection would be installed, and the on going problem of it being so slow would also be fixed. I gave them my credit card info to buy the protection. The virus was gone and the computer working, but it was still running frustratingly slow. This morning I received notice from my bank that I was overdrawn. It turns out Dell tech charged me $400, though I am still under warranty. How should I handle this? I wrote Dell, and am getting ready to call my bank. Can anyone advise me? Thanks so much. Julia That sounds like a scam I nearly got caught-in a few years ago. The scam artists don't want you complaining to the credit cards company, because the CC company will stop taking charges from the. Long Story Short: Contact your credit card company.
	__________________ "Sufficiently advanced malice is indistinguishable from incompetence. = godless Dave