A recent investigation in the UK used laptops armed with cameras to see what technicians were doing with their computers when they were in the shop. What they found was surprising, at least to me.
Cameras caught the technicians scavenging through customer files, stealing passwords and even trying to get bank information and of course overcharging for basic repairs.
They loosened a memory chip so the computer would not boot. This is a simple fix, and if that is all, I could not even imagine charging for that simple fix. That is just good customer service.
In one case the memory was fixed in place, then they told the customer that there was a motherboard issue(which there was not), and it would cost a hundred pounds to fix. Whatever that is in US $, that is not cheap for a memory stick that needed to be reseated.
Some technicians (and I use that term loosely) copied the customers private photos to a memory stick of his. Then another tech (same computer) logs on and snoops to find Face book and Hotmail account info, he then copies them to his memory stick. He then found bank account info, and tried to log on.
This video made me sick to watch. As I have mentioned before, I hate it when others in the computer repair industry tarnish the industry and make us all look bad. It reminds me when I was a cop. There are lots of great cops out there, and the few bad ones stick out and everyone sees them. Unfortunately, the bad ones are a tiny amount out of the whole population in both professions.
I share this with you not to scare you, but to keep you aware of what is going on out there and what can happen when you expose your private information to a complete stranger.
Here is a link to the video - a must see!
I take pride in my business that I do not do any of these nefarious things that are so unethical I just cannot imagine anyone doing them to a customer's computer. I have a few tips when picking out a computer repair person:
1. Referrals - This is probably one of the best sources to find out who will fix your computer properly, and be professional and treat your private information as that, PRIVATE.
2. Chamber of Commerce Members - People who participate in the Chamber and other community events are people who are usually trustworthy and good business people. You can also check with the Better Business Bureau or online to see if anyone has reviewed the business
3. How long? - How many years have they been working on computers or had a repair shop?
4. Are they Insured or Bonded? - Check to see if they are. It costs money to have this kind of insurance, but is shows the business cares about his customers
5. Don't go on the cheapest price - Many ads I see on Craigslist advertise things like $45 max for fixing anything on your computer. I have fixed several computers that have gone to these type of people who think they know how to repair stuff.
6. The Friend or Relative - Be careful of the relative or friend who "knows a lot about computers." - These folks are well meaning, and some can do a great job. But they can mess things up worse and then I end up working on it anyway. Also, once they fix it, what happens when they don't have time to fix the fix they did not really fix?
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