How to Lose a Customer by Dell

Dell Receipt

Throughout the years, I have had three or four Dell desktop computers and have never had a problem with their technology. Last year I bought my daughter a laptop from Dell. 

A couple of days ago I ordered a new laptop worth $1258 dollars. I placed the order online and used my credit card to pay for the purchase. As part of the credit card processing activity, my bank sent me an SMS message with a code that I had to enter online before the payment would be authorised.

The payment was authorised which meant that Dell had my money. I received an official Dell email telling me that they had received my order and a confirmation would follow soon.

The next day I received an email from Dell that had all the hallmarks of attempted fraud. Although it quoted my correct name, order number etc, it was poorly formatted and looked amateurish. My first thought was that fraudsters had intercepted my order or otherwise obtained details of my purchase.

The email asked me to provide an alternative email address and verify my residential address. This seemed strange since I had already provided those details. 

I replied to the email stating that I had already provided the details and had no intention of providing them again as I deemed it unnecessary when Dell had already been paid.

I received another email asking for the same details and advising me that I could cancel my credit card order and send money via a bank transfer. This made me even more suspicious.

The author of the email advised me that they required verification because I was using a "free email address".

To my knowledge half the world uses free email addresses. They had my money, my phone number, my residential address and my email address. What more could they want?

Because I expected this was an attempt to defraud me or Dell, I cancelled my order and ensured the $1258 was refunded.

If it was an attempt at fraud by a third party, then obviously it's no fault of Dell's, however, if it wasn't a fraud attempt, it demonstrates what would be best called a piss poor business practice.

The concept of a customer for life doesn't enter my thoughts now that I think of Dell. They've lost me forever.

Robin