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Best Buy Employee Said to Have ‘Outed’ Straight Customer in Facebook Status Update

Posted: May 3, 2012
Best Buy Employee Said to Have ‘Outed’ Straight Customer in Facebook Status Update

best buy outs customer

The treasure trove of possibly incriminating data and sensitive information held on our obsolete or broken devices is an issue that probably doesn’t trouble technology owners nearly as much as it should, but the story of a Best Buy customer’s embarrassing Facebook debacle may give some pause the next time they’re asked to hand over a device with access to accounts or services.

As HuffPo points out, pretty much everyone knows that if you leave your phone on the table at a party when you go to the bathroom, there’s a likelihood friends will abscond with it and post something stupid to your Facebook wall or Twitter feed. (Depending on how fast you pee.) But Colorado Best Buy customer Rich Dewberry thought he’d been more judicious than your average kegger attendee, leaving his cell phone at a local Best Buy for repairs and finally abandoning it when it was just cheaper to replace.

Dewberry acquired a new phone in the process, but what happened as well while his old handset was still active is somewhat disturbing. According to Dewberry, a Best Buy employee “outed” the Colorado resident on his Facebook page, posting ”I am gay, Im [sic] coming out” to Dewberry’s Facebook wall. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. 

Dewberry says it wasn’t long until calls started pouring in from family and friends who’d seen the engayment notice on Facebook and were stunned at the announcement. Dewberry is straight, and he says that he had to tell people he hadn’t talked to in a significant amount of time that he is, in fact, still batting for the same team:

“The phone just started ringing constantly after that, from ex-spouse to friends… I feel I’ve been humiliated, you know, I mean, my reputation has been tarnished.”

In response to the story hitting the news, Best Buy issued a very weak statement that really doesn’t make me feel any better about my data’s safety at the retailer:

“Each year, every employee of Best Buy is asked to review and sign our Code of Ethics, which includes details on how they are expected to handle customer information.”

Dewberry says he’s considering legal action against Best Buy after his Facebook outing.



Comments


15 Archived Responses to “ Best Buy Employee Said to Have ‘Outed’ Straight Customer in Facebook Status Update ”

  1. Lisa Porter
    May 3, 2012

    I am not one for frivolous suits and think people just do things in just good fun, but this is something that could destroy this mans relationships, friendships, and career. The person who did this should be held liable, meaning he does not have a job and Best Buy should compensate this man for his humiliation. No, there is nothing wrong with being gay, but even if he was, which he wasn't , it should be up to him to "out" himself. I for one would want to be the one to "out" myself if I decided to live a gay lifestyle, not have a Best Buy employee or anyone else do it for me.

  2. Michael Musicman Garceau
    May 3, 2012

    I'd sue 'em, that's for sure..

  3. Anne Velasquez
    May 3, 2012

    Sue!!! fuck that!

  4. Paula Qualls Gurley
    May 3, 2012

    Would he sue one of his friends for doing this? The person who did this should be fired and held liable. Best Buy needs to step up and responsible for their employee. I would hope they could come to a reasonable and fair agreement on this. The whole "sue the pants off them because I can" would only encourage disgruntled employees to hurt customers just to make their employers pay.

  5. Jen Kamstra
    May 3, 2012

    Why is the world so Sue happy?? It sucks yes but really?? I change my friends Facebook when left open to whatever I want. They laugh.

  6. Susan Zucchero
    May 3, 2012

    Best Buy just filed Ch. 11–he should sue the offender personally-i'm pretty sure they won't do it again then.

  7. LaQuann Akinyole Singletary
    May 3, 2012

    I would sue just because this broken system would allow me to. I have no sympathy for big corporations.

  8. Ann Drake
    May 3, 2012

    I think he should sue Best Buy!

  9. Trisha Huenke
    May 3, 2012

    Jen Kamstra Changing a friend's facebook or status or anything can be funny… it's happened to me and I've done it before. However, this wasn't a harmless prank by a friend. It was an invasion of privacy and malicious.

  10. Jen Kamstra
    May 3, 2012

    Then Sue the person not the company. The company had really nothing to do with it. Yes the person should be fired but to Sue the company is just wrong. People Sue over the dumbest things.

  11. David Sentell
    May 3, 2012

    Decided?

  12. Rachel Elizabeth Mortensen
    May 3, 2012

    Maybe not sue, but the employee that did the hacking should loose his job and have to do something humiliating in public, maybe he would be less likely to tamper with someone elses life.

  13. Nancy King
    May 4, 2012

    Best Buy has the worst customer service ever and if a customer goes in to talk to a manager they will listen to the employee first and ignore every thing a customer says. They deserve to be sued and go out of business, just my opinion.

  14. Debbie Parks
    May 4, 2012

    WOW THAT IS WRONG JUST WRONG

  15. Sheilla Safari Akwara
    May 20, 2012

    Sue the company. Why not…he works there and represents best buy. If he sue's the person, then what does he get? 100 dollars?..come on! This isn't right and i think something like this could have possibly happened to me- am investigating.