There are some rules tech support really shouldn’t bend, no matter how frustrated the customer gets.

One technician ran into that when a woman came in asking for help getting past the password on an old computer.

He told her he could bypass it, but only if she could prove the device actually belonged to her.

She insisted it was hers, then came back the next day with a pawn shop receipt that didn’t even say what she had purchased.

When the technician still refused to bypass the password, she got angry and threatened to call corporate.

Keep reading for the full story.

Customer asks us to bypass password for device they cant prove is theirs

Customer: Comes in saying their password isn’t working anymore after a restore, and they need help getting in.

Me: Tells customer we can bypass the password, but we need proof of ownership.

Customer: But you just saw me type in my password. It’s my computer!

Me: Yes, ma’am, I did, but that’s not proof of ownership. I need an invoice showing that the computer was sold to you.

Apparently, she bought the device from a pawn shop.

Customer: Well, I got it from a pawn shop two years ago.

Me: Then I need an invoice showing that they sold this computer to you.

Customer: Isn’t there something you can do?

Me: I can reset the device, but that wipes everything on it.

At this point, he didn’t believe a word she was saying.

Customer: But you just said you can bypass the password! I need this for my business! I do graphic design.

Me: Yes, I can, with proof of ownership.

Me (internally, not vocally): You ain’t doing no graphic design on that 15-year-old Vista-built computer.

Customer: Alright, fine. I’ll go get proof of ownership. This is bad customer service, but I’ll go get it.

Then, she comes back.

**Next day**

Customer: Brings in laptop again, and says, “Okay, so I’m here to get my computer reset.”

Me: Okay, so that runs $50, and…

Customer: But I just want to try my password a few more times.

She insisted she had proof of ownership.

Me: Okay, let me know when you’re ready.

Customer: And you can’t bypass the password?

Me: Not without proof of ownership.

Customer: But I have my proof of ownership.

He asked for it again.

Me: Okay, may I see it?

Customer: Yeah, but why were you going to reset it instead of bypass it?

Me: Because I didn’t have proof of ownership.

Customer: But I have it!

Supposedly, she had the paperwork in her purse.

Me: Okay, may I see it?

Customer: Yeah, I have it in my purse here.

Me: Okay. *Waits.*

*Customer stares at me.*

He asked for proof again.

Me: May I see the proof of ownership?

Customer: *Reluctantly but forcefully pulls out receipt from pawn shop.*

Me: *Sees receipt only has date, transaction number, amount, and the name of the cashier, but nothing in regard to what was sold or if it was a product or a service.*

Me: This is not proof of ownership. ಠ_ಠ

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Suddenly, she didn’t want help.

Customer: Yes, it is! It’s right there! You can see it! You can call them!

Me: Ma’am, okay, I can cal—

Customer: You know what? Never mind, I’m just gonna call corporate.

I’m fairly certain this computer did not belong to the customer, nor were they doing graphic design on a computer built during the Vista era, running Windows 7.

Oh my! Wonder what she was up to?

Let’s check out what the folks over at Reddit think may have been going on.

That part of the story was a little confusing.

This reader loves calls like that.

At least the receipt would say what they bought.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about an employee who found a way around his company’s denial of company time to study for his Commercial Driver’s License.

That is lucky for him.

This was definitely suspicious.

But to be fair, most people probably wouldn’t still have a receipt for a computer they bought from a pawn shop two years ago.

Still, that doesn’t mean the technician should ignore the policy and bypass the password anyway.

Next time, he should find some other way to help her prove ownership.