Recently I purchased a Nexus 7 tablet, a truly wonderful device. At home I have TW cable internets and according to Virgin they have 4G INSIDE. So I thought I would purchase a WiFi hotspot from them, that way I can be mobile with my internets and my tablet can be used anywhere. Sounded good on paper. Well, I made the purchase online and received the device. True enough, it worked well except no 4G INSIDE. I pondered the situation and after some thought, since it did not do what it was advertised to do, I decided to take advantage of their 30 day money back guarantee. This is where the nightmare begins.
I called Virgin and a voice, best termed as 'not of this country' greeted me. I explained the situation and wanted to get an RMA to return the device. This after jumping through all of the 'hoops' to get a real person. After 4 tries, as we kept getting cut off, I was finally able to explain to the 4th person what it was I wanted to do. Now, I don't know about you...but the only reason why you should EVER be put on hold is if you don't know what you are doing. If this is the standard, none at Virgin does. I was told I would receive my RMA in an email. Hours later, no email. I called back again. This time, I decided to talk to someone in 'Tech Support'. This person appeared to know what he was doing. He explained the reason why I did not get an email was because the request was rejected because they did not include the original order number. He asked me for it. I said, 'don't you have it?'. To expedite matters, as I already had it handy, I gave it to him. An hour later I had my RMA and the next day, I shipped off the device to the address provided. I was told that my credit card would be credited with 24-72 hours. The device was delivered on Friday and on Tuesday next, no credit. So I called again. Asked to speak to a supervisor, I was told, they had not received it. So as requested I divulged the tracking number. Sure enough, it was delivered. Duh. Well, I was then told that I would be receiving my refund within 24-72 hours. The next Tuesday, no refund. I call again. This time I am transferred to a 'Specialist' after I was told that I should not be calling back because it takes 4-10 business days to issue a check. Yes, I went a little ballistic.
The specialist calmed me down a bit and issued a trouble ticket and asked for my number, he would call me back with in 24-72 hours to see if I got my refund. Well, he called on Thursday and I told him that I had not yet received it. He said I should call my bank in Alabama and make sure. I told him I was already online with the bank and it was not there. After he gave up arguing with me, he said he would upgrade the trouble ticket and call me back the next day. He called me back, no refund yet. He resent the ticket. Saturday he calls me and tells me I am not going to get a refund!!! At first he said that the serial number I sent back was not the one they sent me. You can imagine what I said next. I read off the invoice the serial number they sent. Then he said I could not get a refund because the device was in use. I said to him, how can it be in use if I sent it back and you have it in Indiana! You admit you have it. I told him, the problem is not with me, but them. Something very wrong with Virgin. What can't these people think I asked myself. I looked up my Virgin account and he was right, data has been used AFTER I sent it back. I told him that the only ways there could be data used is 1) Someone knows my password and took it home from the warehouse or 2) Someone in Indiana backdoored the device and reset it back to default and they have it turned on. In any case, I do not have it, you do. Then I suggested, if the criteria for denying my refund is that it's in use, then the solution is simple, disable the account! He said, 'Oh, that would work'.
Today is the Monday after that Saturday conversation and still no refund. I am waiting for his call, maybe tomorrow. Whatever the case, this rant is going to be posted as a warning to all.
