Consumerist launched a three month investigation into Geek Squad on claims the technicians would browse computers for sensitive files and then copy them over to their personal drives. They loaded up a computer with porn, rigged the computer to capture video of itself, and then caught a Geek Squad technician stealing the porn off the hard drive. Geek Squad responded that it was an isolated incident, although insiders say the practice is extremely common.
| What else might they be looking at or “stealing” from your computer(s)? |
I think people trust the Geek Squad too much. For some reason IMO it seems people perceive geeks as friendly intellectuals, like Einstein. The world isn’t that friendly anymore, i’m afraid. Being on your guard and distrustful may be uncomfortable for some, especially the older generation, but it is absolutely necessary in today’s “society”.
At least that guy wasn’t copying REALLY important stuff. Still a little odd, and quite funny.
Mac OS X, encrypted disk image FTW. Not that I would ever take my machine to Geek Squad, but even if I did, they would never find my pr0n.
BIG SHOCK!!
come on have you seen these people? one out of maybe 20 really know what they are doing. its cookie cutter tech support and it sucks.
anything that best buy has is not well supported.
I applied to geek squad thinking i would work weekends and make some extra cash. I was told that there was not a space for me. I was a little irked by that and i kept asking as to why. I have a A+ and Net + along with some vender certs and i have been in the IT business for 4 years so i would think i would be prefect. I am still waiting on a answer from them.
Well…what’s the story anyway?
Was it homemede Pron made by the people themselves, or was it just stuff from the net?
If so, what’s the deal?
This must be a generational thing.
I’m older and I ran my own computer consulting and repair service. I went out of my way to avoid finding porn on people’s computers because it would have embarrassed me and it would have been an intrusion into the privacy of my clients.
Every once in awhile, something would pop up while I was working at their houses, showing them what I was doing and what I was finding (i.e. trojan horses, etc.). It was an excruciatingly painful experience for both of us.
By the way, we always simply ignored it and continued on as if nothing had happened. Maybe that’s a generational thing too?
Anyone who needs to steal pr0n from someone else’s computer isn’t much of a geek.
brucemlloyd – There wasn’t a video camera recording anything. The computer was set up so that everything that appeared on the screen was recorded as one big video file. Look ma, no camera.
This is what I’m more worried about than terrorism. Geeks who breach privacy are more dangerous to society than Islamic fundatmentalist.
Getting to know someone is a PRIVILEGE. Hacking into someone’s files is a crime, not to mention unethical and WRONG.
I work with clients data everyday. I absolutely do not peek into any of their files or documents. I hold privacy to be SACRED. Even sometimes when I’m transferring files during a backup I happen to see a thumbnail that might catch my interest I never, ever open it. Those geeks that break that TRUST are low lifes as far as I am concerned. Even my X’s computer, I don’t look through her files or internet tracks or whatnot. I respect whatever is her’s. One time I happen to come across of an old video tape of her screwing another guy. A private sex tape of hers. Shit! I had made a mistake because I was looking for something else. I asked God for forgiveness for having trespassed and put it away and never mentioned it to her.
WITHOUT TRUST THERE IS NO CIVILIZATION.
Imprison those who breach society’s confidence in privacy whether they are geeks, U.S. presidents or CCTV.
Man, I’ve never imagined that such desperate people exist. Stealing porn! Wow, this is low. Download your own for God’s sake!
Looking at the 17 year olds they hire to work on the Geek Squad and this really shouldn’t be a shock.
That is why you should store all your porn on an external drive.
Pr0n was pretty exciting about 40 years ago when I first saw some. But it gets pretty boring after a while.
I’m in the I.T./Engineering field, so I normally don’t take my machine anywhere for repair – hardware or software, I fix it myself. I’m fortunate/lucky because that is the field I happen to be in. If my computer were to go anywhere for any reason, I would make sure that anything contained on it would be ‘acceptable loss’ in my books…in other words, if I don’t want someone potentially seeing ‘it’ (porn, software, music, whatever it may be) it won’t be there. Period. Otherwise….well, I agree with #7, they shouldn’t be poking about anyway.
We do need to have a certain amount of trust though – I mean, when my car needs repairs, I take it to a garage, because that just isn’t my strong field. I can change an alternator or starter perhaps, but thats it. I need to trust that my mechanic isn’t going to feed me a line and screw me over. What can you do? Just the best you can…pick your people carefully, and even if you’re not interested or competent in a certain area, try to do some basic research for yourself if you can.
I’ve got to agree with #11 as well…stealing porn? How desperate is that? Fire up your p2p or google something….come on.
#10- I bet your great fun at parties..
I feel like a doctor in this regard. By now, who hasnt seen it all. Nothing in porn shocks me anymore. Its all ho-hum and part of the job. And like someone said above, if he has to steal porn that way, he’s not much of a geek. I would be more worried about what was in the Quickbooks file or cookies that could get me into their secure websites. Having said that, I could see a potential for blackmail, so end user beware.
I used to work at a store (early-mid 90’s) where the staff gleaned lots of software from hard drives. Games were the primary interest, but also apps and utilities. Porn was found from time to time, but this was just barely pre-internet.
Also, I’ve seen used computers for sale at thrift shops (as in the owner donated it to the business), and they contain lots of personal data (which I tend to delete, Mr. Nice Guy that I am). I found 2 computers at a place that “recovered” used equipment from defunct businesses. Both machines contained huge databases and spreadsheets of mortgage data, including all the information of any client they’ve ever seen: names, addresses, social security numbers, income levels, kids’ names and ages, the works…
Most users are stupid. They’re average people, with less-than-average computer knowledge. They trust their PCs with their most personal, sensitive data — yet, have no idea how to protect the data or scrub it clean when they get rid of it. Users are stupid, and choose to not learn more about their PCs, so it’s the end-user’s fault.
Oh yeah, and I don’t trust the Geek Squad at all. I know too much about their business practices, and think BBco WAY-over-prices all their GS-branded parts. Again, users that buy cables at BB are getting ripped off, and are too stupid to know — their fault, again.
I hope they got some goatse.
People who are hating the geeks because of the screwups that work in the so-called “geek squad” (ie a group of clean-shaven losers with A+ certs)
are like
People who have a hatred (or extreme wariness) of all muslims because of the radical actions of a minority…
BURN
Sorry, but any alleged computer whiz who can’t do better than work for that fucked outfit Best Buy has got to be pretty lame.
I can understand about the pr0n, though – BB doesn’t pay their people enough for them to afford both a Usenet provider and AOL…
Y r boys soooooooo interested in naked girls on the computer or on the telly (that’s if u c them on there)??? No offense 2 u boys but seriously, what is so interesting ’bout naked ladies and porn?
Um…cus were guys maybe?
But on topic…stealing porn is really lame. It’s about two keystrokes away on the Internet.