Repair Shops Hack Laptops, PCs; Watch Out

[athreex]

This is sad.

[citation][nom]neon neophyte[/nom]happens in every instance where trust is required. car repairs, large appliances... anything where they *can* screw you, they *do* screw you.just like having a good mechanic who is trustworthy is KEY, so is having a quality IT person. in my family, thats me. ^^[/citation]


You are right. A reliable (but with plenty of expertise on their fields) person is just what it takes to get the job done. BTW what you are ..the machanic or the IT .


[citation][nom]ahslan[/nom]The computer repair industry is exactly the same as the auto repair industry...they abuse the ignorant...[/citation]

It is similar in a lot of other fields where trustworthy is a must.

[citation][nom]computabug[/nom]It's not scary at all, it's 'survival of the fittest'. If those people are too stupid to diagnose their own PC's, then they're not worthy of using them. If they're gonna get techies fixing it for them, I don't feel sorry for the customer if they get their data stolen and exploited.But it is illegal, the the customers did pay for the service, so (unless they made no promises not to steal data) the customers deserve a trustworthy techie for their money, from a legal perspective.Personally, I say "too bad for you, ya idiots".[/citation]

Ok your comment brings something interesting on the table:

1) You are a damn genious and you have have knowledge of every machine in the world.

2) No one has ever fooled you with a work done on your equipment (cars, appliances, etc).

Your comment made me laugh, I assure you (trying to look badass ...but it falls more on the ignorant-o-meter side).

People are ignorant because they are not thoroughly advised that computers...as also cars, requires maintenance. when you buy a computer, they just buy it and expect them to work as is, it is bad behavior...but what you can do to prevent such things... INSTRUCT PEOPLE about good practices. I've been repairing computers as a hobby for a couple of years, and when i finish the task I call and tell them important details:

Your computer problem and how it was solved
I show the person details about what i've done.
Lastly, I help them and instruct them about computer maintenance. A couple of advises and guess what? They LEARN from bad experiences, they learn from losing their data, people learn from their mistakes.

Computabug....people has their lives (wifes, debts, children, work) and most of them don't have time to look for this info by themselves. That's why tech repair exists. Your comment is funny though, cuz it looks like you're a proud member of Mom's basement club and you have plenty of time to fix everything.

 

[Hanin33]

[citation][nom]brendano257[/nom]See, that would be great, but integrity=not making money on the side from poor/illegal activity, which means higher prices and less business. In other words, it's hard to out do the fakers because most of these people don't know they've gotten screwed. They just think their laptop is sooo screwed already. I had a friend bring me a computer he had taken to Staples. All he wanted was for Windows to be re-installed. Staples apparently couldn't figure out how to put the disk in the drive and boot from it.[/citation]

let's also not forget that ppl are very cheap. hardly anyone wants to pay for quality work anymore. i got out of the repair biz because no one believed it cost as much as it did to fix their crappy toys. and since computers are at the prices they are, it's easier and cheaper for them to just buy a new one. i dunno wot caused it, poor service or the disposible culture we live in in the USA... but it's made things very bad all around...

 

[fulle]

@Henin33

Just a reminder that this article was from the UK, and regarding PC repair shops in London... so, its not really something related to "American culture". But, rather the global trend. We have had similar reports of things like this going on in the USA though. One with Geek Squad techs stealing pictures comes to mind. This report just goes on to expand that, to show that its not just the big chain shops, but smaller ones as well, and it doesn't matter if you're in Austin Texas or London. If you're taking your computer to someone you don't know, apparently there's a pretty good chance they'll try to steal from you (in one way or another).

 

[pirateboy]

I have installed a cam in my wife because I don't trust her gynaecologist

 

[ravenware]

[citation][nom]rexoverbey[/nom]IMO that is not an easy thing to diagnose. For one windows wasn't loading up, loose RAM woudln't be my first thought/choice. RAM is usually held in place fairly well by motherboards. Usually my experience with Windows not loading/booting is bad updates, software installation, or drivers not installed properly. Unless there was some kind of BSOD with a memory error or BIOS beep codes stating the error, it would be a difficult to narrow down. Of-course I wouldn't have charged for such an easy fix either.[/citation]
LMAO!

What a newb.

 

[mickey21]

Seriously, I run a tech shop and have for years and this doesnt surprise me, but it isnt because I run a tech shop. It's because too many times there are bad techs employed who dont know the meaning of ethics and havent been in the business long enough to know better...

We are constantly brought work from other "tech shops" that did do well by the customer and we are still here because of that. Some of these places come and go because they dont do business well and ethically. I applaud them for trying to find some of these people out. Wish they would sort out some of the shops nearby as well. The RAM being disconnected if Windows wouldnt boot would be the first thing I would check on a laptop. Mostly because it too is the easiest one to check with the majority of them closed behind an easily opened door flap with one or two small screws... Simple...

As for paying a professional to do good work, it is unavoidable as someone already said. You cant know everything... And you have to trust somebody sometime....

 

[viometrix]

rexoverbey

 

[dingumf]

this should teach you idiots to build your computer OR AT LEAST TAKE OUT THE HARD DRIVE BEFORE BRINGING TO THE SHOP. JESUS CHRIST YOU PEOPLE OUT THERE ARE STUPID

 

[Guest]

The customers are to blame too. All over our store it is posted that there is a minimum fee of $34 for performing diagnostics on a machine. The customer also signs a form with this in big bold type.

But when you call and tell a customer it was just a looses stick of ram that took you 2 minutes to fix they throw a shit fit that you are going to charge them. So instead you make ups some bull shit like rams was loose and curropted systems files and you repaired the damage system files. Then every one is happy

 

[viometrix]

i agree with kardon... i used to work for a shop in ft lauderdale and saw the exact same issue over and over again....had a client come in, told him of a charge if i hooked it up...i also told him it sounded like loose ram etc from what he told me, he said he checked everything...i hooked it up and then realized he hat the power set from 120 to 240... when i made him pay he called the cops.... you know they sided with the business with the sign in the window...i swear most people have a masters degree in stupidity

 

[megamanx00]

I've always fixed my own computers so I never worry about stuff like that. When I fix other peoples computers though I'm not surprised when I find simple things that "certified professionals" miss, or just plain lie about. Then you have the people who have all their personal information all over the desktop *sigh*, so it doesn't surprise me that some techs out there would take advantage of that.

 

[megamanx00]

[citation][nom]dingumf[/nom]this should teach you idiots to build your computer OR AT LEAST TAKE OUT THE HARD DRIVE BEFORE BRINGING TO THE SHOP. JESUS CHRIST YOU PEOPLE OUT THERE ARE STUPID[/citation]

Yeah..... lets diagnose that driver problem without a hard drive, right. I wonder if you're one of those techs

 

[viometrix]

[citation][nom]dingumf[/nom]this should teach you idiots to build your computer OR AT LEAST TAKE OUT THE HARD DRIVE BEFORE BRINGING TO THE SHOP. JESUS CHRIST YOU PEOPLE OUT THERE ARE STUPID[/citation]


but umm what if the hard drive is the issue? and frankly if most people knew what it looked like or how to remove it...this article wouldnt be here...so was that an arogant comment, or just a stupid one? i am an honest tech, even in a reformatt when i back peoples data up to my own server i never look at their info, i do a virus scan on the way in only to protect my own data etc. but in this day and age people need to be aware that not all techs are honest, and the fact that a computer is now like your wallet and safe all rolled into one... keep your sensitive data on a removeable drive or external backup that doesnt need to go into the shop.

 

[anamaniac]

[citation][nom]computabug[/nom]It's not scary at all, it's 'survival of the fittest'. If those people are too stupid to diagnose their own PC's, then they're not worthy of using them. If they're gonna get techies fixing it for them, I don't feel sorry for the customer if they get their data stolen and exploited.But it is illegal, the the customers did pay for the service, so (unless they made no promises not to steal data) the customers deserve a trustworthy techie for their money, from a legal perspective.Personally, I say "too bad for you, ya idiots".[/citation]

It`s the same with your car and the plumbing in your house asshole. We don`t live long enoug to learn everything, so we learn what we want to. Tell me if you can fix broken water pipes without assiatnce or a chipped crankshaft... If not, you don`t deserve running water or a car...

 

[amnotanoobie]

[citation][nom]grieve[/nom] How exactly did this "tracking" software run to track the tech if the tech couldnt fix the ram issue?""The undercover investigation was carried out by installing surveillance software onto a new laptop. The software records every event taking place on the laptop, silently logging keystrokes and capturing desktop images without the end-user's awareness. The laptop's built-in camera recorded the identity of whoever gained access.""^| that software can't run unless that ram issue is resolved.[/citation]

I think the news crew wanted to see what else the technician would do after they fixed the laptop. If they did nothing or transferred the hard drive to another laptop it would record nothing, and they could assume that the shop was honest.

 

[gregor]

[citation][nom]computabug[/nom]It's not scary at all, it's 'survival of the fittest'. If those people are too stupid to diagnose their own PC's, then they're not worthy of using them. If they're gonna get techies fixing it for them, I don't feel sorry for the customer if they get their data stolen and exploited.But it is illegal, the the customers did pay for the service, so (unless they made no promises not to steal data) the customers deserve a trustworthy techie for their money, from a legal perspective.Personally, I say "too bad for you, ya idiots".[/citation]
So you're saying that if you need anything repaired by someone else, then you deserve to be ripped off?
One of the most retarded comments I've seen for a long time.

 

[bill gates is your daddy]

ummm...instead of booting up the machine and going through the harddrive looking for some sweet pr0n of some guy's wife...just take the harddrive out and dock it and go through it that way. The surveillance software will not be running and you can look and copy all you want.

jeez....amatuers

 

[decepticon]

[citation][nom]computabug[/nom]It's not scary at all, it's 'survival of the fittest'. If those people are too stupid to diagnose their own PC's, then they're not worthy of using them. If they're gonna get techies fixing it for them, I don't feel sorry for the customer if they get their data stolen and exploited.But it is illegal, the the customers did pay for the service, so (unless they made no promises not to steal data) the customers deserve a trustworthy techie for their money, from a legal perspective.Personally, I say "too bad for you, ya idiots".[/citation]

Wow. Too bad for you ya idiots? I certainly hope you are not a PC repair tech. I take pride in my work that I do on the side for local customers in my area. It's repair shops like this that give the smaller shops (like me) a bad name. "If those people are too stupid to diagnose their own PC's, then they're not worthy of using them." Well sir, that is what these repair shops are for. And to say that they are too stupid is a moronic statement. So an elderly couple who do not have the time or patience to learn as much about their PC as say a nerd like me is deemed stupid? No, they are deemed the 'typical consumer'. By your standards anyone who is not capable of repairing their $5000 LCD/Plasma tv are idiots and don't deserve them. You sir are an ass.

 

[decepticon]

Most of these comments that say "oh you could have done it like this to steal the data or pron or whatever" is probably a bunch on cretins who thrive on the misery of others.

 

[gpj]

[citation][nom]caskachan[/nom]wow, well yeah if peopel dont know how to fix something, then they take it to a reapir shop and expect for them to be trustworty, i run a repair shop, and i have never taken any kind of abuse into any of my customers, and i have been swamped with work, also i have been brought a lot of computers/laptops that the "other guys" cant repair or properly diagnosebtw i never finished high school ;s, i have a semi luxury car and i provide for my familyi guess beeing "good" has its rewards[/citation]

Ouch, good thing you don't need to know how to spell to fix computers or you'd be driving a mid-80's Dodge minivan that burns more oil than gas.