Comments on: Scams That Computer Technicians Should Watch Out For http://www.technibble.com/scams-that-computer-technicians-should-watch-out-for/ A Resource for Computer Repair Technicians & to get PC tech support help. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:51:23 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Hannagan's Computers http://www.technibble.com/scams-that-computer-technicians-should-watch-out-for/comment-page-1/#comment-10338 Hannagan's Computers Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:52:53 +0000 http://www.technibble.com/?p=2730#comment-10338 I sold a new pc once and a customer calls me a month later saying the pc wont boot. I then thought that the hard drive had issues so i put a new hd in and reloaded the os. A few months later he calls me and says it wont boot again. So I go and look at it and sure enough it wont boot. I then became suspicious and took the pc back to my shop. Only this time I realized the hard drive i replaced wasnt the same one I replaced the bad one with. So I called the customer with this info and he said your pc you sold me is a piece of ++++. I told him I would be glad to give him a check back for the pc in full and he can take his busiess elsewere. Now keep in mind this guy had 3 other pc's in his house. I then got to his house with the check and said before i give you your money back I wanna see the serial numbers on the hd's in the other pc's. Long story short he said im sorry and took his pc back and havent heard a word since. I sold a new pc once and a customer calls me a month later saying the pc wont boot. I then thought that the hard drive had issues so i put a new hd in and reloaded the os. A few months later he calls me and says it wont boot again. So I go and look at it and sure enough it wont boot. I then became suspicious and took the pc back to my shop. Only this time I realized the hard drive i replaced wasnt the same one I replaced the bad one with. So I called the customer with this info and he said your pc you sold me is a piece of ++++. I told him I would be glad to give him a check back for the pc in full and he can take his busiess elsewere. Now keep in mind this guy had 3 other pc’s in his house. I then got to his house with the check and said before i give you your money back I wanna see the serial numbers on the hd’s in the other pc’s. Long story short he said im sorry and took his pc back and havent heard a word since.

]]> By: The Doctor http://www.technibble.com/scams-that-computer-technicians-should-watch-out-for/comment-page-1/#comment-10265 The Doctor Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:17:54 +0000 http://www.technibble.com/?p=2730#comment-10265 <em>@The Desolate One:</em> & this is <b>exactly</b> why I don't provide in-home tech support. With my service, I do the work, then system image to USB drive or NAS (depending on how many rigs I'm working on). I then cp the img back to the client rig w/ a very noticeable desktop icon marked "Backup To Burn." Of course, before the client takes ownership, I have them sit before their PC then show them it boots fr cold-state. I have them play with it to ensure it's working as expected. <b>Only then</b> do I tell them about the image & if they don't burn it ASAP, it'll cost just as much if they have future trouble. Hell, in my area, the big-box stores charge 3x more for onsite service than I to book a courier for pickup. Cheers, -- The Doctor @The Desolate One:

& this is exactly why I don’t provide in-home tech support. With my service, I do the work, then system image to USB drive or NAS (depending on how many rigs I’m working on). I then cp the img back to the client rig w/ a very noticeable desktop icon marked “Backup To Burn.”

Of course, before the client takes ownership, I have them sit before their PC then show them it boots fr cold-state. I have them play with it to ensure it’s working as expected. Only then do I tell them about the image & if they don’t burn it ASAP, it’ll cost just as much if they have future trouble.

Hell, in my area, the big-box stores charge 3x more for onsite service than I to book a courier for pickup.

Cheers,
– The Doctor

]]> By: The Desolate One http://www.technibble.com/scams-that-computer-technicians-should-watch-out-for/comment-page-1/#comment-9502 The Desolate One Sat, 29 Aug 2009 15:39:16 +0000 http://www.technibble.com/?p=2730#comment-9502 I'm sure ALL of you know this one. This one is by far the most common of ALL scams, because it is very general in nature. Say you remove viruses from a person's computer. Everything is fine and you don't hear from them for a month. Then a month later they contact you telling you of a DIFFERENT problem that has absolutely NOTHING to do with viruses. You take a look at their computer, tell them what the NEW problem is, then they look you dead in your face and say, "You're not going to charge me to fix it, RIGHT???" And you're looking back at them like they're a mental patient. Then they say, "Well, it wasn't doing this BEFORE you worked on it, so it must be something you did when you fixed it". I'll bet 50 bux that there's not a tech on this web site that has not dealt with that kind of scam at LEAST once. Those customers are by far the most dangerous, because they will try to trap you in an endless loop of fixing their computers for free, FOREVER. When you get a customer like THAT, you gotta get rid of them QUICK. the.desolate_one@yahoo.com I’m sure ALL of you know this one. This one is by far the most common of ALL scams, because it is very general in nature. Say you remove viruses from a person’s computer. Everything is fine and you don’t hear from them for a month. Then a month later they contact you telling you of a DIFFERENT problem that has absolutely NOTHING to do with viruses. You take a look at their computer, tell them what the NEW problem is, then they look you dead in your face and say, “You’re not going to charge me to fix it, RIGHT???” And you’re looking back at them like they’re a mental patient. Then they say, “Well, it wasn’t doing this BEFORE you worked on it, so it must be something you did when you fixed it”. I’ll bet 50 bux that there’s not a tech on this web site that has not dealt with that kind of scam at LEAST once. Those customers are by far the most dangerous, because they will try to trap you in an endless loop of fixing their computers for free, FOREVER. When you get a customer like THAT, you gotta get rid of them QUICK.

the.desolate_one@yahoo.com

]]> By: Bazz http://www.technibble.com/scams-that-computer-technicians-should-watch-out-for/comment-page-1/#comment-9486 Bazz Thu, 27 Aug 2009 21:24:25 +0000 http://www.technibble.com/?p=2730#comment-9486 Not sure if I'm repeating this. Had a guy come in looking to purchase a good number of computers, not sure the amount, about 12 I think. This is extremely unusual as we based in a small town. Anyway, did the quotes and he gave the go ahead. We kindly mentioned that as our suppliers and couriers are COD we would need an upfront deposit. Immediately the attitude changed and the body language turned ugly and we lost that deal. Then a few days later we heard one of our competitors in town, a little further down the road had lost about the same amount of computers to a client. Not sure it was the same guy, just such a coincidence and it makes you even more aware for the future. Not sure if I’m repeating this.

Had a guy come in looking to purchase a good number of computers, not sure the amount, about 12 I think. This is extremely unusual as we based in a small town. Anyway, did the quotes and he gave the go ahead. We kindly mentioned that as our suppliers and couriers are COD we would need an upfront deposit. Immediately the attitude changed and the body language turned ugly and we lost that deal.

Then a few days later we heard one of our competitors in town, a little further down the road had lost about the same amount of computers to a client.

Not sure it was the same guy, just such a coincidence and it makes you even more aware for the future.

]]> By: Ian http://www.technibble.com/scams-that-computer-technicians-should-watch-out-for/comment-page-1/#comment-9234 Ian Tue, 11 Aug 2009 01:53:06 +0000 http://www.technibble.com/?p=2730#comment-9234 The closest I ever got was a PC which was entirely virus ridden. The viruses were so bad that I didn't assume anything else was causing the random freezing. I told them it would have to be formated and reinstalled (this was in the days when there wasn't software like Combofix). I started backing up the data and got a load of read errors on the hard disk. I then did a check and of course the drive comes back with a load of bad sectors. I phone and inform that they will also need a new hard drive and they gave me a load of abuse saying the HD worked perfectly before etc. I now cover myself in these situations by saying I will remove the viruses and it iwll be £xx providing I don't have any hardware problems. The closest I ever got was a PC which was entirely virus ridden. The viruses were so bad that I didn’t assume anything else was causing the random freezing.

I told them it would have to be formated and reinstalled (this was in the days when there wasn’t software like Combofix). I started backing up the data and got a load of read errors on the hard disk.

I then did a check and of course the drive comes back with a load of bad sectors. I phone and inform that they will also need a new hard drive and they gave me a load of abuse saying the HD worked perfectly before etc.

I now cover myself in these situations by saying I will remove the viruses and it iwll be £xx providing I don’t have any hardware problems.

]]> By: Randy http://www.technibble.com/scams-that-computer-technicians-should-watch-out-for/comment-page-1/#comment-8588 Randy Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:22:49 +0000 http://www.technibble.com/?p=2730#comment-8588 Today, I received TWO e-mails with the old "I have 11 PCs for you to install software" scam. Of course, I recognized that it was a scam but I couldn't figure out their angle until I read HERE about the overpayment scam. Now I know! Thanks, guys. Today, I received TWO e-mails with the old “I have 11 PCs for you to install software” scam. Of course, I recognized that it was a scam but I couldn’t figure out their angle until I read HERE about the overpayment scam. Now I know! Thanks, guys.

]]> By: Tim http://www.technibble.com/scams-that-computer-technicians-should-watch-out-for/comment-page-1/#comment-7867 Tim Wed, 03 Jun 2009 03:15:46 +0000 http://www.technibble.com/?p=2730#comment-7867 Great article...and thanks for all the stories. My favorite is still the addict who forgot he called multiple repair techs to fix his computer. Here's to the brotherhood of PC techs...Cheers! Let's be careful out there. Great article…and thanks for all the stories. My favorite is still the addict who forgot he called multiple repair techs to fix his computer. Here’s to the brotherhood of PC techs…Cheers! Let’s be careful out there.

]]> By: Chad http://www.technibble.com/scams-that-computer-technicians-should-watch-out-for/comment-page-1/#comment-7780 Chad Wed, 27 May 2009 04:11:47 +0000 http://www.technibble.com/?p=2730#comment-7780 sorry that was really a little OT but I really needed to vent. :) sorry that was really a little OT but I really needed to vent. :)

]]> By: Chad http://www.technibble.com/scams-that-computer-technicians-should-watch-out-for/comment-page-1/#comment-7779 Chad Wed, 27 May 2009 04:11:11 +0000 http://www.technibble.com/?p=2730#comment-7779 Well lets see, there are the classic broke asses that have you order parts, and when they arrive, they can't afford to pay... love them... I now require 50% of parts cost upfront, and not it on their estimate. I just had a fun one today, an old lady had me build a computer for her and, then a week later she calls saying it a PoS, it has an error message poping up, and it won't burn cds. (I know you've all had one like this LOL) I say that I am really sorry she feels that way and I will be out tomorrow to check the machine out. I get there and she has NO clue how to burn cds, I spend a hour teaching her (for free, I'm a softy) and the error message was because her screen was a dual input screen and she was turning it on after starting the computer, and it was defaulting to the wrong input. I really should have charged her, after she bad mouthed me and my computer, but I just let it go. Well lets see, there are the classic broke asses that have you order parts, and when they arrive, they can’t afford to pay… love them… I now require 50% of parts cost upfront, and not it on their estimate. I just had a fun one today, an old lady had me build a computer for her and, then a week later she calls saying it a PoS, it has an error message poping up, and it won’t burn cds. (I know you’ve all had one like this LOL) I say that I am really sorry she feels that way and I will be out tomorrow to check the machine out. I get there and she has NO clue how to burn cds, I spend a hour teaching her (for free, I’m a softy) and the error message was because her screen was a dual input screen and she was turning it on after starting the computer, and it was defaulting to the wrong input. I really should have charged her, after she bad mouthed me and my computer, but I just let it go.

]]> By: Austin http://www.technibble.com/scams-that-computer-technicians-should-watch-out-for/comment-page-1/#comment-7715 Austin Sun, 24 May 2009 11:30:26 +0000 http://www.technibble.com/?p=2730#comment-7715 This isnt a scam that happened to us but it did make me think and it is something for you to think of if you do on-site work:- I had a call from a guy who said he wanted his computer repaired and I arranged to call in 2 days time. When I arrived he let me in and HE said "where is the computer?". I had a puzzled look on my face and said Im here to fix it. the guy said - "You took it yesterday"!! I explained that I hadnt and he had made the appointment with me for today and here I am. He then got angry and said I was trying to scam him and had "knicked" his computer. I told him he was wrong and asked who else did he call - he said only me!! I left and said ok I will check with my other technicain and ring you back! I went to my van and called the police to explain. I left it with them. About a week later the police rang and said the guy who had taken it had fixed it and returned. Apparently the customer was an addict and didnt recall calling out the other firm. ALSO on several occasion we have had people phone and ask "Is the computer ready?" when we ask for their details we have no idea who they are. They are convinced it was us who picked up their pc. This isnt a scam that happened to us but it did make me think and it is something for you to think of if you do on-site work:-

I had a call from a guy who said he wanted his computer repaired and I arranged to call in 2 days time. When I arrived he let me in and HE said “where is the computer?”. I had a puzzled look on my face and said Im here to fix it. the guy said – “You took it yesterday”!! I explained that I hadnt and he had made the appointment with me for today and here I am.

He then got angry and said I was trying to scam him and had “knicked” his computer. I told him he was wrong and asked who else did he call – he said only me!! I left and said ok I will check with my other technicain and ring you back! I went to my van and called the police to explain. I left it with them. About a week later the police rang and said the guy who had taken it had fixed it and returned. Apparently the customer was an addict and didnt recall calling out the other firm.

ALSO on several occasion we have had people phone and ask “Is the computer ready?” when we ask for their details we have no idea who they are. They are convinced it was us who picked up their pc.

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