How can my friend prove he didn't swap item purchased from Circuit City?

[WAZ]

My friend bought a $200 Flat-Screen APEX TV for his brother as a late Christmas present. He then decided to get him an Xbox instead, so the TV sat there, unopened in the box, for a few weeks. He then returned it a couple days ago, got his money back, and everything was fine.

Then he got a phone message from Circuit City saying he needed to call them back ASAP, as there was a problem with the TV he had returned. So he called them back, assuming maybe the TV was found broken or something. But they told him that the box had been fully opened from the bottom, and that the TV inside wasn't the same TV that matched the box... it was a lower model APEX brand TV (a $100 version), not the flat-screen version.

So my friend told them that he never touched it, that it sat there unused for weeks. But CC doesn't believe him. They want him to "come in" to talk to them and figure the whole thing out. They're basically accusing him of swapping the two TV's, since the box was apparently opened on the bottom.

Has anyone else had something like this happen to them? What can he do to prove he didn't do it? Can CC make him pay for the TV, or what are they trying to do?

Any advice would be great... we're trying to figure out what he should do to avoid getting in trouble, while allowing CC to believe him. Something tells me CC won't take the hit, though, and will try to make him pay for it...

Anyway, thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[Jmmsbnd007]

I really don't think they can do anything without proof.

 

[amexblue]

do not worry
they can do nothing

 

[Pyxis]

They can't do anything. No way they can prove it. Especially since they didn't say anything when it was returned.

 

[d33pt]

There is nothing they can do after the fact. If in fact they had inspected it right there when he brought it in, they could've just refused the return, BUT now that they have accepted it and credited him back (hopefully cash), the transaction is complete. I wouldn't even bother coming in

 

[boyRacer]

could they do that? i mean that stuff should've been found before the return was accepted... dunno...

i bought a logitech momo that retailed for $200 back then... it was open box... stupid me didn't check if it really is what's inside... turns out it was a $40 Logitech wheel in there instead... to make matters worse i lost my receipt. Went back to BestBuy and they gave me this funny look... but refunded me anyway. hope it works out for you guys.

 

[MainFramed]

Originally posted by: Pyxis
They can't do anything. No way they can prove it. Especially since they didn't say anything when it was returned.

 

[amdskip]

Don't worry about it, don't bother going back in.

 

[katka]

Has anyone else had something like this happen to them? What can he do to prove he didn't do it? Can CC make him pay for the TV, or what are they trying to do?

Maybe an employee did it. Years ago I had an employee steal something from my return and pretend to notice it missing. The problem was that at the time I did not even not what the H3LL it was. I hope they reviewed the tape and fired his butt. He was not there shortly after the incident.

If your friend didn't do it tell him not to worry about it if he truly did not do it. They may call the cops and check for fingerprints though. Forensics have gotten really good at revealing the truth. They can get fingerprints from the TV and the tape and maybe even the box. Because of this I hope that he is telling the truth.

 

[Kevin]

Have them prove that one of their employees didn't make the switch. When they can't, walk out...

 

[WAZ]

All this is pretty much what he said -- how can they do this, let alone prove it? Why should he go back in at all?

But we realized CC obviously has his name and phone number. And stuff like this:

They may call the cops and check for fingerprints though. Forensics have gotten really good at revealing the truth. They can get fingerprints from the TV and the tape and maybe even the box. Because of this I hope that he is telling the truth.

... has him worried. All over a stupid TV.

What I wrote here is what he's told me, and I believe him because I should, because he's my friend. But I suppose I "officially" don't know what to believe. What if he really did do it, and is just trying to get away with it (with everyone)? I don't want to see him get caught because they have his name and number (and I assume address), and if they can do this fingerprinting stuff if CC chooses to bring the cops in.

Man, now I'm getting worried for him. I do believe him, I think... but what if he's lying, to me as well? Crap...

 

[d33pt]

if he's lying to you as well, then he made his own bed so let him sleep in it. otherwise he has nothing to be worried about. cc cannot do anything to him

 

[bmacd]

one phone call to corporate will get the guys from store level off your back...but be forewarned, you might want to start using another name for their computers.

-=bmacd=-

 

[bentwookie]

yeah they pretty much gave up any standing after accepting it..when you return the item they are supposed to check it out...manually open the item's box...I think they are screwed.

 

[WAZ]

Originally posted by: d33pt
if he's lying to you as well, then he made his own bed so let him sleep in it.

Well, yeah, but he is my friend, so I still don't want to see him get busted even if he is lying. He's a fricking moron if he did do it, but I'd rather not see him be escorted off to jail because CC decides to bring the cops in.

Regardless, I want to believe him, and I'll have to take his word over that of some guy from Circuit City.

 

[Dragnov]

I had a similar but much cheaper experience.

I bought Mario Sunshine at my local Circuit City. But then I bought a bundle from Toys R' Us which had Mario Sunshine already in it. But I was away from home (at school) but I was told I can return items at any Circuit City. So I was like, cool I'm in luck. I head over to another Circuit City and return the game (unopened of course) but they were giving me a hassle.

He accused me of switching products because he said that no Circuit City had that type of sticker price.

I was like "uuhhhh, yeah.. I bought it at a different Circuit City". So he started making accusitions and was telling me all about how they have pricematching and this other bullshit. He then took it to the back and was making phone calls. Few minutes later he comes out and repeats the same bs over but says he'll take it back.

 

[Corn]

The cops will dust the TV for prints and match against your friends prints. Problem solved.

 

[rahvin]

Originally posted by: Corn
The cops will dust the TV for prints and match against your friends prints. Problem solved.

And how are they going to match them? To have them on file he has to have been arrested previously and without his consent or the order of a judge they won't get a copy of his prints to compare it with.

 

[Gonad the Barbarian]

They will not do anything. They can't do anything. Doesn't matter if he's lying or not, unless he walks into the store and admits to doing it. They won't get the cops involved over $100 and risk the bad publicity. If your friend didn't do it he'd be doing CC a favor telling them they better keep a closer eye on their employees. But if it were me I'd just forget it and if they hassled me any more get my lawyer to send them a nice letter.

I need to add, DO NOT GO BACK TO THAT STORE regarding this. Especially if they call him and are expecting him at a certain time. After what happened to that guy over the GF4 pricematch I wouldn't put anything past these retards working at these places. But as long as he stays away from thier 'turf' he'll be fine. Anothing that happens out of the store is going to take corporate backing, and like I said before, nothing will come of it.

 

[dxkj]

Long story short, CC = F!@#ed

Nothing they can do, or will do. More than likely it was an employee who switched boxes of TV's and then purchased the "200" dollar one in the "100" dollar box later that day before you happened to get it, or something like that.

I would say ignore it, if they call you, say you will be in when you get the chance and keep that up till they leave you a lone =)

 

[katka]

And how are they going to match them? To have them on file he has to have been arrested previously and without his consent or the order of a judge they won't get a copy of his prints to compare it with.

Not necessarily. If you were in the military they have your prints already on file. Also, if they take him in for questioning they can get prints from anything he touches, they can even get them from trash once it is throw out and on the curb. I agree that for 100 bucks they probably would not, but if they test the item and find non-employee fingerprints and decide to make an example of him then they could easily and inexpensively perform forensics tests on the item.

Factory workers will likely be excluded because I am pretty sure that the plant where the item was made is automated.:Q

And don't forget that he returned the item. So his fingerprints ARE on the outside of the box already, if they find them inside AFTER he said that he did not open it there could be trouble.

 

[VBboy]

I am with Circuit City on this one. What if he returned a box full of peanuts and they accepted it? Would it be wrong for them to question him once they discovered the peanuts?

He should go speak with the manager. If your friend can talk well and looks professional, they will certainly help him out. But if he goes in being a 15-year old wearing torn pants, they will call the cops

Good luck!

 

[imported_Mike]

ill give you my 2 cents since i work at cc...couple of things:

it is the csr's job to make sure all returned items match box and receipt, they cannot make your friend pay for the tv, worst case your friend is stuck with a tv that he paid $200 for and is only worth a $100. seriously, we had people buying western digital hard drives, opening them and returning them, so it is a problem, but the the csr should have checked....unless the box was unopened. eh, this does not look good. sorry to hear about it.


this assuming your friend is truthful...

 

[AnyMal]

Originally posted by: VBboy
I am with Circuit City on this one. What if he returned a box full of peanuts and they accepted it? Would it be wrong for them to question him once they discovered the peanuts?

He should go speak with the manager. If your friend can talk well and looks professional, they will certainly help him out. But if he goes in being a 15-year old wearing torn pants, they will call the cops

Good luck!

That is precisely why it is CSR's job to make sure that returned item matches the description on receipt. They failed to do that for whatever reason, thus accepting the liability in this case. Is it possible that this guy is lying and he indeed switched TV's? Possible! Is it possible that he tells the complete truth? Possible! However, it does not matter in this case whether he tells the truth or lying. CC failed to verfiy merchandise in front of him before issuing a refund, and that is nobody's but their own fault.

 

[T2T III]

It sounds like the CSR maybe just made the call to save his/her ass. If they didn't properly check out the item, then it's their loss. About a year ago, I purchased a DVD player from Best Buy. I never opened up the box, but returned the item within the return period. The CSR got out a knife and opened the box to ensure the contents inside the box matched the labels. I was floored that they opened up a fully sealed box like this. Then again, they've probably been burned so many times, it's now a common practice to open the item. Also, Best Buy appears to handle returns differently. BB has their techs inspect the contents of the box to ensure the returned item is the correct item. Circuit City tends to just take the box and put it aside while they provide you with either a credit or cash back. It seems that Circuit City should be more diligent when people return items. Calling a person hours later after the return is just plain silly.