Bloke overcharged $1,632 for Windows Vista

I too had Debit card & purchased Vista SP1 on disc for ~$10 with about $16 remaining in account. Microsoft claims account hadn't enough Monies, & in fact it now has several bucks left, NO Microsoft sales line, just new numbers, its online debit so no actual paper statements are made.

Apparently Microsoft can just debit your card without even putting in any sales, just moving all numbers to lower number. happened last week.

Physician Thomas Stewart Von Drashek M.D.

the company that doesn't keep its empty promises.

Resistance is futile...

I can't see why he can't just make the bank do a charge back.

I had a order never show up, and I told the bank to do a charge back on my Visa debit card (Not credit card) and I got my money back

I have had the exact same thing happen to me. It seems like helpful and polite telephone "service" is a thing of the past. Whether its calling your bank, your cell phone company, or an online mmo like world of warcraft. I have had bad experiences with all of these and several others. Its like the person you are talking to on the other end can't do squat and doesnt give a shit. 

Likewise I think this guy will get his money back, it usually just takes time. Too much time.

I found the solution. It is a free download, and he can download it multiple times without loosing the ability to pay his mortgage and eat:

http://kubuntu.org/download.php

I used it as a service pack to clean up the Vista problems I was having on my HP laptop. Works great, and neither it or any of the software I installed using it cost me a cent! 

Bill can use this, and ask for all his money back from the other Bill (who likes to *bill* too much).

Er... what are all of the other $1.00 Microsoft charges on there as well?

They're actually charging him MORE than the $233.15 or whatever is stated?

Surely that's not right...

Morons deserve this kinda of treatment

An IT manager not knowing what his buying? IT manager trusting an online shop with his debit information? 

What school did he go to?

I can't wait to hear the stories this guy runs into trying to setup linux.

From the article it appears what you all are calling "charges" were actually only pre-authorizations on his card. There is a difference.

did anyone just realise that (read above comments) this is the first time stewart von drashek has made english sense! i thought i would celebrate that. means he isnt a bot anyways..

I would send them a bill, Charge them 1632 and then start tacking on finance charges every 2 weeks. Compound interest and the lot.
http://www.snark.com/e-mail/

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116213

Microsoft Windows Vista 32-Bit Ultimate for System Builders Single Pack DVD - OEM

$169.99...free shipping.

Why would anyone be so lazy as to buy from the built-in BS sales pitch the call "upgrade"?

I doubt the bloke could even figure out which side of the cd has linux on it. Seems like an empty threat considering he bought Vista... the wrong one at that... spastically kept hitting the send button to get charged that much...

Do a chargeback, no brainer... and why is this even news?

"I wish I could help you, but I don't want to" - Phoebe (Friends).

Well of course they can't and they don't. If you were crammed into a cubicle with a set time to handle calls with and required permission to take a Wii, all that for the pitiful hourly rate they pay you, you would quickly abandon all attempts of actually trying to go against the system and actually help people.
Once upon a time, companies understood that customers were to be respected and favored because they could become loyal and bring repeat business.
But MS is a monopoly, it knows that it'll get repeat business anyway, whether you like it or not. As for other companies, customer service is always considered an expense, the beancounters do not understand that talking politely and actually solving issues is going to make your customers happy and they WILL remember that.

What is the most surprising is that, in this capitalistic world of ours, no one has yet latched onto the fact that the first PC store to honestly respect its customers online, in store and on the phone, give them honest advice and not try to rip them off with a $50 USB extender, is probably going to take over the market in no time.

I am so fed up with useless, clueless "helpdesk" people that I would gladly sign a lifetime contract with anyone who will actually listen to my problem and try to solve it, instead of stepping through the same bloody checklist only to arrive to the conclusion I already reached.
Bonus points if the solution does not involve reformatting the disk.

I placed an online order with apple and exactly the same thing happened - "failed" order submitted multple times, then three copies turned up in the post a week later.

A Quick email, produced swift reply refunding the cash, an apology, and telling me to keep the extra copies...

Mistakes happen. How they get handled makes the difference.

that microsoft stink of death

I work for a e-commerce company that shall remain un-named for the time being. 

I get people all the time who, when faced with a transaction not competeing on the first pass, click the back button to try again...multiple times. these same people are amazed when they are charged multiple times for the same product.

My advice is as follows:
1. Only do business with a e-comerce site that either has good online coms (e.g. amazon) or a phone number.
2. If it fails first time round, DO NOT TRY AGAIN. Contact the site and find out if the money has been debited first before trying again.
4. the IT manager guy should be using his Technet subscription to get Vista Ultimate free.
3. Froogle is your friend.

A similar thing happened to myself when purchasing a software upgrade over iTunes. I somehow managed to get charged 5 times for the one piece of code, however a quick message to the fruity folk and I was fully refunded, no issue, no worry.

Service goes hand in hand with the product, if both are good, I'll happily return there again for further business. Take note M$!