Best Buy Store Purchase

[mike375]

So I purchased $400 in steam wallet gift cards for my "boss" and found out 5 minutes after the purchase that I was scammed. Lesson learned. I tried to return to store less than 5 minutes after purchase (cards are not scatched off) but was told that they are not returnable. This seems like now I've been double scammed, this time by Best Buy policy. I would even take an exchange of a best buy gift card since at least I could use them, I have no use for a Steam Wallet card. I've talked to the store manager and she says she does not have authority to accept return. In a business there are always exceptions and I think this should be one. Please advise what can be done here.

Mike {removed per forum guidelines}

Cary, IL 

{removed per forum guidelines}

[jdogg836]

With gift cards that are activated like Steam, iTunes, etc, these are not returnable as they cannot be deactivated. Best Buy (or any retailer who sells FastCards) are paid a small commission and the rest of the funds immediately go to the service the card is for. Because of this, there is no override in store that can be performed to reverse this action once sold. I wish I had better news, but it does appear the store was providing information consistent with our return/exchange promise.

[Wesley-BBY Social Media Specialist]

Hello, mike375.

Thanks for registering to join our Best Buy Community Forums! We wish it were for happier circumstances, but we are grateful that you shared this experience with us.

I fully understand your situation, as I was also engaged in a similar scenario during last year’s holiday season while working for a non-profit organization. My “boss” asked me to make a purchase of a number of gift cards, but I was unable to. Only to learn later that someone had infiltrated that company’s firewall, and hacked into the email of the executive director.
 

That being said, the information that forum user jdogg836 mentioned is correct, and is based on our Best Buy policy for Returns and Exchanges.
 

Final sale and nonreturnable items

All Final Sale merchandise cannot be returned. Other nonreturnable purchases include custom orders, digital content, prepaid cards (including third-party gift cards), gift packaging, memberships, completed services, opened consumable items including batteries, cleaning agents, oils, fuel, ink and 3D printer filament, and items returned that are damaged, unsanitary, missing major contents or not in a like-new condition.

While we are governed by this policy, it may be helpful to once again contact the store and provide details of why this transaction took place, as the store should have a process that is followed when there is fraud involved. It may also be wise for you to contact your local law enforcement office. In that way you are able to provide the store you visited to make your purchase with the report, for a more favorable resolution.  

We understand this is not the desired outcome you were anticipating, but look forward to hearing from you on the results.

Regards,