Entitled Parents

EK gets steam ban, EM blames computer we sold them

We sold a new gaming computer to this Entitled Kid(EK) a few weeks ago. Custom built, based on what he wanted to use it for. 3 or so weeks prior to this the Entitled Mom (EM) came into the shop complaining that the computer was useless and 'broken' because it wouldn't play this specific game (It was Ghost recon online, it was during the early period of the release and was riddled with bugs - I managed to fix it then.)

This brings me to this day. 3 weeks after the initial fix. Our shop had fluctuating foot traffic, some days we have no customers some days we have too many. it was the start of the new month, everyone had their salaries paid in. This means our shop was VERY busy, we barely had enough reps to deal with customers (we only had 3 people working on any given day).

I was busy talking to a customer at the tech desk with a laptop that had a lot of issues. from mails not working to USB ports not working to even blue screens of death. In walks EM.. no EK no PC. I thought EM may have just been shopping around for new games or a keyboard or something for EK. EM walks up to the tech desk, to which i just quickly greeted with a "Hi [EM], ill be with you in a minute". EM stood there, arms crossed tapping her foot as if I was inconveniencing her by talking to a customer.

About 5 minutes after I booked in the laptop, printed the necessary work orders, EM looked at me with this "FINALLY!" look. EM then proceeded to ask me "Uhm, ive been waiting for forever. Are you going to come pick up this computer from my car or not?!". I just looked on with a confused face. EM then told me she phoned the shop, my work colleague answered, and she said that she was on her way to drop of EKs computer, AGAIN. She had apparently been parked waiting, outside our shop, in the disabled parking spot for 15 minutes. To anyone that doesnt know, we have a disabled parking right by our front door. Previous post

We we're so busy that my colleague afterwards had to apologize because we didnt have the time to look outside for a car to pickup a computer and he got too busy to inform me EM was on her way. (Customers did this often, but I do have a few more stories about stuff like this).

So on to the computer, i went outside to fetch the machine. EM annoyed again asking why the game doesn't work. After a few minutes, and an EM 'trying' to explain what her son told her, I said I can figure it out and have a look at it. She then knew to ask what the labor cost would be due to the previous event. Knowing how stingy she is I told her no more than $20. she seemed fine with this "IF" it was the games fault again this time. (THIS time? please lady. the computer is working fine, i have the SAME issues with the game at home)

After printing out papers she left. This is where the 'fun' begins... We couldn't access the account for some reason. I just remember having difficulty opening steam. At this point I just thought he forgot his details and we did the whole 'steam password reset' theme. After an hour of no results I write an email to steam support asking for help with the account.

The next day steam wrote back with something along the lines of: "This steam account has violated the terms of service and is therefore banned" - it was a lengthy email detailing why the account got banned and that it cannot be retrieved. i was shocked at this email. EK tried to add cracked steam games to the steam library, There were no actual bought games in his library and I saw the icons on the desktop for a few games that cost well over $20, and bought aim hacking software for Ghost Recon online. Knowing now why the game "Wasn't working" I called EM to ask her and EK to come to the shop so I can explain to her why the game isnt working. This didn't seem like something I could say over the phone.

I don't know exactly why his steam account itself was banned. Usually a VAC ban only affects the game you cheated in, but I think he may have even tried to crack steam to get games for free. I don't have a lot of experience with steam bans so forgive me for being a bit hazy on the details, this was around 5 years ago after all.

A while later they both entered the store (as this was a Sunday, it was a lot quieter). I had printed out the response I got from steam - I told her that EK had been using illegal software, that he also bought with HER credit card without permission, and that steam has banned his account. I handed her the printed out mail so she could confirm that I wasn't lying or making any excuses. The look in EK's face was PRICELESS. At this point he knew he ROYALLY fucked up. He screwed da pooch. His face went white. EM turned over to him to ask what this was all about and he just nodded and said 'sorry'. She was LIVID - asking how he could just use her card without her permission. how could he buy illegal software.. how he could lie to her face about all of it. At this point EK was bawling his eyes out.

This is where I started getting some respect for EM - she didn't even complain about the labor price. She in turn asked us to keep the PC in the shop for the whole week so EK could learn a lesson and clear it of all the illegal software. She was even fine with paying for the extra labor hours. (at the end we did a full new windows install as the cracks and hacks had tons of viruses included - so we spent a lot more time working on the computer)

Unfortunately in the next story EM went back to being her entitled bitchy self again. Refusing to pay $35 for 2 days of full labor for 2 tablets, her home computer and EK's gaming rig.