Vista Upgrade... Update

Got an email today:
Dear Valued Microsoft Windows Vista Customers:

The website on which you placed an order for an upgrade to Windows Vista for your Microsoft Product experienced a technical problem whereby your estimated tax due was overstated. Your credit card has not been charged. The corrected amount, plus any applicable local taxes, will be charged to your credit card when ModusLink ships Microsoft Windows Vista to you.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact the fulfillment center directly at MSTUPVISTANA@ModusLink.com.

We apologize for any potential confusion and look forward to fulfilling your order.

Sincerely yours,
The Upgrade Redemption Center

No amount was given.... I'll have to check my bill.

Microsoft Vista "Free" Upgrade Scam -- Shipping and Handling $76!!!

So I bought a new laptop a while back for work (a nice LG S1) which came with the free upgrade for Vista when it came out. Well, it has come out now and I quickly applied online to get it. After completing the incredibly overly complex system (there have been many in the blogosphere complaining about this so I won't bother) to apply for the upgrade I finally managed to get to the shipping info and cost. I assumed it would be about $12.00 (cdn) which I had seen advertised in various places. To my horror I found that it was, in fact, $76!

So, who's getting the $76 bucks? MS or LG? I'm actually not too sure.

So, it's now obvious that I'm not that bright. Thinking it was a glitch of some kind, I went ahead and ordered it. It wasn't a glitch. My bulb grows dimmer.

(Click the picture for the high resolution version).

Obviously MS or LG has figured out that many more users are as dumb as I am and will be milking them for exorbitant S&H prices. This is straight out of the back of comic book type scamming.

By the way. After going through this process I was still not done! I had to fax/scan my original receipt and the MS confirmation number (was on the form above...at the top). I fear that many folks are going to think they are done and not do that last step.

I must go kick myself some more now.