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First of all, I am in the process of tracking down my login info for my original fm account. So I am not a total newb.

Second, yes... I made a huge mistake by buying from Alienware.

Third, just in case you are interested:
My Complaint: Alienware Computers, Inc. (company headquarters Ft. Lauderdale, FL) is violating my right to privacy

Facts:
1) I purchased an Aurora m9700 laptop computer from Alienware on 8/15/06 for approximately $3,300 on my credit card (this was a big purchase)
2) On 10/15/06 my wife and I purchased a new home in the same city
3) In November 2006 my new system crashed. I spent about 7 hours on the phone with Alienware’s technical support group but they were unable to resolve the matter over the phone. In addition to the crashed system, I had a dead pixel in the center of my LCD screen. Alienware agreed to replace the LCD screen and fix the “crash” and send me a FedEx shipping label for me to use to return the system. I informed technical support that I had moved since purchasing my system and they said that I must speak with someone in customer service to in order to change my address. Technical support transferred me to customer support.
4)Customer support informed me that they needed to ask me some personal questions before they could change my address. At this point I thought they might ask for my old address, customer number, order number, invoice number or maybe even my credit card information. However, they asked me for my social security number and my date of birth. With identity theft at the level it is these days, I am EXTREMELY uncomfortable giving anyone my social security number, so I refused. The customer service rep asked me if I would consider giving them the last four digits of my social security number. I reluctantly agreed, thinking that this would be the end of their questions. This was not the case. The customer service rep proceeded to ask even more personal questions, such as where I owned property! Keep in mind that I only purchased a computer from them, AND I was sending THEM my computer. I felt totally violated!!! I discontinued the “verification process”. The customer service rep said that he would not be able to update my address. The interesting thing is that Dell, Alienware’s parent company, allows a customer to update their address on the Dell website with only a customer ID, the old address and the new address.
5) I called technical support again and asked them to send the FedEx shipping label. The label was sent to me via email and included my old address.
6) I mail the system to Alienware’s repair center in Texas (really Dell’s repair center) and included a letter stating that the FedEx return label included the wrong return address and supplied them with the correct return address.
7) I called Alienware customer support and informed them that my computer had been shipped to them and the return label contained the incorrect return address. Customer support attempted to get me to agree to the battery of personal questions. I refused. Customer support said that they would not change my address. I reiterated the fact that I did not live at the address they had on file and agree to provide them (as before) with my customer number, invoice number, credit card information, name associated with the order or any other piece of information that was associated with the initial purchase. They refused to change my address.
8) This evening (December 11th) I received notification from FedEx that my computer was on the way back to my old address. Given the original time estimate for repair I don’t think that they even repaired my system. We will see. Nevertheless, I do not know who lives in my old house and don’t know if I will ever see my system again.
My Objective: Alienware computers are considered by many of the PC magazines to be top notch gaming computers. However, there are a plethora of excellent companies out there selling great products. I just want to let people know that Alienware’s policies are, in my opinion, invasive and unreasonable. I will never buy from Alienware or again.