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Sky News exposes dodgy laptop repair shops

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    Sky News exposes dodgy laptop repair shops

    Sky News exposes dodgy laptop repair shops
    http://www.neowin.net/news/main/09/0...epair-shops-uk

    Sky News in the UK have exposed several laptop repair shops including some big names like Micro Anvika and PC World.

    In the investigation researchers unplugged a RAM stick from a laptop to see if the shops would simply diagnose the fault or charge for extra work and components. Only one shop was genuinely honest, Pix 4 in Shepherds Bush. The rest, including Micro Anvika and PC World charged huge amounts for work that was not required, including replacing the laptop motherboard. Sky News found that the most serious offender was Revival Computers in Hammersmith, West London. Revival Computers snooped around the researches documents including pictures of the researcher in a bikini. The cowboys didn't stop there though, they copied the data onto a portable USB drive and opened a txt file with fake Hotmail, Facebook and NatWest banking login details. One technician at the store attempted to get access to the NatWest site but failed simply because the details were fake.

    The sting was setup using surveillance software on the laptop that recorded the technicians every move and filmed them using the laptops on board camera. An investigator from Trading Standards said he was "shocked" by the findings. Richard Webb, an e-commerce investigator for Trading Standards said: "I'm really quite shocked, both in the range of potential problems this has revealed - people overcharging, mis-describing the faults - but also people attempting to steal personal details."

    Revival Computers in Hammersmith refused to comment on film to Sky but later denied all knowledge of the alleged abuses. Questions will surely be asked following this report but perhaps IT technicians should be regulated in the same way that Lawyers, Teachers and other professionals are?

    Full Sky News article: http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-...Personal_Files
    Where are we going? And what’s with this hand basket?

    #2
    Revival Computers snooped around the researches documents including pictures of the researcher in a bikini.
    They would love to get their hands on Atw's laptop

    All they need to do is pay for the 'repair' with a credit card and they are well fraked.

    edit: Isn't this how they got Glitter? Some dodgy repair shop (PCWorld) snooping around his computer.
    How did this happen? Who's to blame? Well certainly there are those more responsible than others, and they will be held accountable, but again truth be told, if you're looking for the guilty, you need only look into a mirror.

    Follow me on Twitter - LinkedIn Profile - The HAB blog - New Blog: Mad Cameron
    Xeno points: +5 - Asperger rating: 36 - Paranoid Schizophrenic rating: 44%

    "We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to high office" - Aesop

    Comment


      #3
      Surely nobody leaves any kind of personal details on the lappy if it goes for repair. Did you learn nothing from Gary Glitter?
      I am not qualified to give the above advice!

      The original point and click interface by
      Smith and Wesson.

      Step back, have a think and adjust my own own attitude from time to time

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by voodooflux View Post
        Sky News exposes dodgy laptop repair shops
        http://www.neowin.net/news/main/09/0...epair-shops-uk

        Sky News in the UK have exposed several laptop repair shops including some big names like Micro Anvika and PC World.

        In the investigation researchers unplugged a RAM stick from a laptop to see if the shops would simply diagnose the fault or charge for extra work and components. Only one shop was genuinely honest, Pix 4 in Shepherds Bush. The rest, including Micro Anvika and PC World charged huge amounts for work that was not required, including replacing the laptop motherboard. Sky News found that the most serious offender was Revival Computers in Hammersmith, West London. Revival Computers snooped around the researches documents including pictures of the researcher in a bikini. The cowboys didn't stop there though, they copied the data onto a portable USB drive and opened a txt file with fake Hotmail, Facebook and NatWest banking login details. One technician at the store attempted to get access to the NatWest site but failed simply because the details were fake.

        The sting was setup using surveillance software on the laptop that recorded the technicians every move and filmed them using the laptops on board camera. An investigator from Trading Standards said he was "shocked" by the findings. Richard Webb, an e-commerce investigator for Trading Standards said: "I'm really quite shocked, both in the range of potential problems this has revealed - people overcharging, mis-describing the faults - but also people attempting to steal personal details."

        Revival Computers in Hammersmith refused to comment on film to Sky but later denied all knowledge of the alleged abuses. Questions will surely be asked following this report but perhaps IT technicians should be regulated in the same way that Lawyers, Teachers and other professionals are?

        Full Sky News article: http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-...Personal_Files
        Looks like I'm off to see Pix 4 about a laptop I need fixing. Thanks for the post voodoo.
        If your company is the best place to work in, for a mere £500 p/d, you can advertise here.

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by voodooflux View Post
          The sting was setup using surveillance software on the laptop that recorded the technicians every move and filmed them using the laptops on board camera.
          Any idea what software they used? Got to get me some of that

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by The Lone Gunman View Post
            Surely nobody leaves any kind of personal details on the lappy if it goes for repair. Did you learn nothing from Gary Glitter?
            I think the point is, your typical user when faced with a laptop that won't boot has no option but to leave personal info on it.
            Rule Number 1 - Assuming that you have a valid contract in place always try to get your poo onto your timesheet, provided that the timesheet is valid for your current contract and covers the period of time that you are billing for.

            I preferred version 1!

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by The Lone Gunman View Post
              Surely nobody leaves any kind of personal details on the lappy if it goes for repair. Did you learn nothing from Gary Glitter?
              Presumably if the laptop goes kaput, many users will not be able to clean it up first?

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by EddieNambulous View Post
                Any idea what software they used? Got to get me some of that

                Hopefully they don't have it on the PC I am using just now

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by EddieNambulous View Post
                  Any idea what software they used? Got to get me some of that
                  I think the key capture software has been around for a long time, new part is the camera is on when the laptop appears off.
                  Fiscal nomad it's legal.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by alreadypacked View Post
                    I think the key capture software has been around for a long time, new part is the camera is on when the laptop appears off.
                    Not only that but it must be dumping images or a video stream to the hard drive. Can't imagine that any decent techie wouldn't notice the hard drive whirring away for some unknown reason.

                    Must be running as a Windows service, I guess. Personally, I always like to check the processes in Task Manager from time to time on any third party machine I use for anything unusual...so that service would need to be well-disguised too.

                    Comment

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