geek squad competence

The geek squad claims to have found programs I'm now being accused of installing on my boyfriend's computers- Win Investigators and Spector. I didn't do this. They also were able to determine that I never did a RAM upgrade that I claimed I had. They said the RAM was apparently missing. None of this is true, but now I no longer have access to these computers to clear my name. I'm not sure how I'd prove my innocence anyway, but I'm willing to do anything at this point. Do the programs the geek squad uses pick up false positives in malware? Would the geek squad steal the RAM and try to set me up? I don't know why a $50 stick of RAM would be such a hot item, but I can assure you the RAM upgrade was done, it was such a pain in the butt removing this delicate keyboard, I'll never forget it. Please help!!:cry

 

Can you elaborate a bit? If anyone had access to the computer(s) they could have taken the RAM, and the computer owner is usually why it has malware...

What was the totall amount of RAM in the computer after you upgraded it, and what OS?

E

 

I'm not sure I really understand any of this..... are you (or were you) a GeekSquad employee? That's the only way any of this makes any sense would be if you're a current or former employee of their's and they're saying that you 'stole' some memory and illegally installed their proprietery software on an unauthorized PC. I know they have an 'MRI' disc which is bootable bit of software similar to a BartsPE disc, but the GeekSquad version is only good for like 60 days and it then expires, becoming worthless. They did this just so that no-one would 'pirate' the disc (like it's worth a :crap anyway). But as far as the memory goes, anything could have happened. If you installed it, and you know you installed it, and you recorded it as installed, then I would think the burden of proof would be on the GeekSquad as you are presumably innocent until proven guilty. What's the specific's here: did you install the RAM and now the customer is claiming that he was billed and there's no RAM all of a sudden? If so, how much time passed between you installing the RAM and his complaint? If it was a legit complaint, I'd think that it would be under 24 hours. If it's anything more than 2 days, I'd find it highly suspect and it sounds like sour grapes and the customer is trying to get free RAM (or something greater) at the expense of your job and reputation. The Geek Squad has a really bad reputation (in my town anyway) for handing over huge bills with almost nothing to show for it, and lots of people around here are really quite POed at the good ol' GS. So maybe this RAM person thinks they can get away with something based on the bad rep that the GS has.... anyway- like Fred said above, without more specific info, it's really hard to theorize on all of this.

 

Since when did Geek Squad become computer police?

 

I think her boyfriend took his computer to GeekSquad and they found spying programs on it. Also the RAM was not what he told them it should be.

He reported this back to his girlfriend the OP who is the person who upgraded his RAM for him. I guess there was a quarrel between them.

I am staying OUT of this ONE!

 

I wouldn't trust the Geek Squad to do anything on my computer. But like Fred and dlb said, we need more info.

 

QFT. I'm sure there are some Geek Squad employees that know what they're doing/talking about, but certainly not all of them do.

 

You're right, I'm sure a lot of them know what they're doing and I shouldn't generalize like that.

 

OK, I have lots to clear up apparently. There isn't exactly a quarrel going on, so don't worry about any drama or anything. I am very troubled by several related issues. I initially posted my problem in malware removal, but had more to add to it. I am not geek squad employee, nor do I know anyone who is. I have not had great luck with the geek squad in the past, but typically am able to solve my own problems and do not require their assistance.

I'll start at the beginning... my boyfriend purchased a IBM Z60m some time ago. I used it primarily as he is computer illiterate to say the least. It runs XP pro and had a gig of ram. I recently added another gig, but the computer wasn't recognizing it. I spent a ton of time on the phone with IBM/lenovo and received conflicting information- one said that laptop was maxed out at a gig, the other said it was maxed at two. I didn't really care, as we were buying a newT61p and giving this one to my bf's sister. They had some issues with it and ended up having the geek squad over to their home. The tech told them it only contained a gig of ram, and that whoever had upgraded the ram screwed them. I did it as a friendly gesture, I wasn't paid, I certainly didn't screw them. I was very honest about what was up with it and how it wasn't being recognized. They were told by this tech that Win Investigators had been installed on this laptop as well as their desktop- which they believe happened when they transferred files. They are certain it came from our laptop though.

When my boyfriend heard this, he was horrified and immediately thought I must have been spying on him. This is silly since he hardly knows how to turn it on- that's no exaggeration either. He brought his new laptop over to be scanned as well- which only he and I have had access to, as far as I know anyway. The tech found Spector and told him that someone with physical access to his laptop was responsible and that it would also be installed on the computer of the responsible party so they could view his every move and steal his personal information. He suggested it was a spouse. So, I'm the one being blamed. I don't know much about either of these programs and have found little help online. I plan to accompany him to Best Buy to speak to his geek, but wonder if there is any way to prove this wasn't me- I can assure you it wasn't. I'm not looking for an alibi, just any information that could help me. I don't know if there is any way to tell when it was installed, what version, etc? Isn't the program licensed to one person? I am just desperate.

I have used this computer primarily- I don't think he has even spent an hour on it total. He has to ask how to do everything. He has never done a google search as far as I've seen. He isn't interested and finds it easier for me to just do it. The reason I no longer have access to his computer is because he just spent $1000 removing something he thinks I could have placed on it.

A month or so has passed since I installed the RAM- my bf's sister & husband have had the computer and claim its been having some issues. I didn't have issues when we had it. We aren't looking for free ram, that isn't the issue. Everyone now thinks I lied about installing the RAM (why, I have no idea). I didn't realize until I added the RAM what a pain it was. I wasn't aware of needing to remove the keyboard until I started the project and had a difficult time getting it off and on again. There are lots of delicate clips and I was afraid of breaking it. I planned to put another gig in my computer the same night, but didn't have the drive anymore when I realized it was the same process for my laptop. We ordered the RAM for his laptop as well as mine at the same time. It feels to me like the GS is trying to take advantage of people who know little about computers- or else something even more sinister is at play. I don't care to solve the conspiracy, I just want the necessary information that may link these issues with someone else. I don't want an alibi, only the truth. Since I use the computer more than anyone else, I feel that I'm the one who has been invaded. My boyfriend believes I've invaded him- thanks to what the tech told him. I have had access to every file in the computer whenever I wanted- I have nothing to gain by spying on him. None of you people know me, I'd have nothing to lose by admitting it either. I didn't do this. It blows my mind how gossip travels, even through a forum. People mentioning quarrels, an OP, etc. Please just ask if anything else needs clarification or if you require more information. Thanks so much for everyone's help!

 

Well, you killed my theory of 4GB of RAM on a 32bit OS! If you can access the computer, in Windows Explorer, you can right click on a program's folder and see when it was created, should give you a timeline of when it was installed.

Sorry I can't help much. OP stands for Original Poster, nothing dramatic in that! Good luck.

E

 

A few things here;

1. First off, OP = Opening Post(er). So OP is you.

2. If your boyfriend truly believes all this, then you have a bigger problem with him than with the GeekSquad tech. No offense, but if he won't believe you and trust you when you say you are not spying on him, you may want to seriously consider whether you ever want to help him with anything computer-related again. Especially since he seems to have no objections to paying a stranger large amounts of money to do it.

3. Unless your boyfriend's sister or husband has physically removed the memory you installed, it's easy for you to disprove that accusation. Just open the laptop and point to the memory that should still be there.

4. Whatever malware was on the laptop could have gotten there in a thousand different ways. We have a whole forum about it here, and for good reason. Malware is like air pollution--if you go outside, you will inhale nasty stuff. It's a computer owner's responsibility to ensure that their system is protected, using proper applications. We have a whole thread about them in our Malware forum.

It sounds to me, and correct me if I am wrong here, as if your boyfriend is in way over his head with anything computer related, and is more than happy to accept whatever explanation that clears him and gives him a convenient scapegoat, not to mention makes him look like less of an idiot for paying $1,000 to have the laptop "repaired". The fact that he is so willing to pin this on you does not speak well of him, and I think that is why some posters in this thread assumed that there is a quarrel between you and your boyfriend. Because if your relationship truly was a good one, then wouldn't he give you the benefit of doubt?

 

Thanks for your clarification on the OP- I was thinking "other person" and considering the comment involved a supposed quarrel, I took it the wrong way.

The GS removed the offending programs (if they indeed existed), would there still be a folder to check? If so, we will try this. I was told the only sign Spector was on the computer was the GS scan- no evidence of it showed up anywhere else. I'm not familiar with this type of application so not sure where to go from here.

 

Totally agreed re: the relationship analysis, we are no longer together. I don't think I'd be very happy to find the program on my computer either, but certainly I would provide the benefit of the doubt. But, it is beside the point, I want to clear my own good name regardless of the relationship. I don't want everyone we know afraid of surveillance by me. I help a ton of friends and family with their computers- this is a personal insult and I'm so hurt and offended.

I guess what I am looking for is someone familiar with Spector specifically. I don't really care about the other- the lack of information about it makes it seem sketchy anyway, but the tech told everyone that Spector can only be installed by someone in physical control of the computer. There is no other way. This is the reason I'm suspected of this- he isn't capable. He knows less than nothing about computers. I want to know for my own peace of mind who could have been responsible, when it was installed, etc.

 

This is what Spector's manufacturers are saying about the program:
"When installed in Stealth Mode, Spector does not show up as an icon, does not appear in the Windows system tray, does not appear in Windows programs, does not show up in the Windows task list, cannot be uninstalled without the Spector password which YOU specify, and Spector does not slow down the operation of the computer it is recording."

Taken from their FAQ here: http://www.spectorsoft.com/products/Spector_Windows/faq.html

The above quote is on item 10 on the list. Naturally, I'm now curious to know how the GeekSquad agents uninstalled it. Either Spector is nowhere near as effective as it claims, or it is still there.

According to the product features list, you would have had to check the Spector logs from the computer it was installed on... not the most effective spy program, in my mind. What use would it have been to you, if you can't check the logs remotely?

 

"It feels to me like the GS is trying to take advantage of people who know little about computers- or else something even more sinister is at play."

Wouldn't be the first time. They tried to do that with my mom. Little did they know, I'm a computer tech in training.

Really, like Mimsy, I think your main issue is with your boyfriend. From what I've read, I honestly can't think of a reason for you to have lied in the first place, but really, it's beside the point. If he's going to trust a stranger, qualified or not, over you, than you have other things you need to work out, IMO.

Edit: accidentally clicked reply before I was finished... hang on.

Well, now your questions are already answered, I was too slow to reply. A lot has happened in this thread since I clicked the reply button.... I would like to comment on one thing though... $1,000? One... THOUSAND... dollars? You do realize, that you could by a GOOD computer for that much? My entire system, monitor, speakers, mouse, keyboard, and better than average computer cost just $200 or so over that.

 

Or was never there in the first place. Also, I find it very unprofessional of the GeekSquad to suggest that someone was: a) spying on somebody (it's none of their business) and; b) trying to 'rip off someone'. They should have just mentioned the presence of Spector (if it was even there) and inform the customer of this and what it does, nothing more. As to the RAM; again, they should have just informed the customer as to what is actually installed in the PC and what the max capacity for RAM in the PC is. Their opinion of someone's motives or honesty is not part of the job description. And if the boyfriend (and the boyfriend's family) started jumping to conclusions about spying and 'getting screwed' (which is impossible if they didn't pay for the RAM in question) then I say 'good riddance!'. Also, it's no wonder the PC is now having issues; in the hands of the clueless, PC's tend to get issues very quickly.

This is a proven fact. I'm a fully A+ certified techie and I have heard more horror stories about total nonsense spouting from the Geek Squad. A friend of a friend even ran a tape recorder once when he had the Geek Squad over to work on his grandparents PC, and some of the crap that came out if this guy's mouth was amazing. The main issue was a blown power supply (yes, it was an EMachine) and the guy was going on about 'incompatible RAM' and 'conflicting networks' being the cause of the problem. Eventually the power supply was replaced after 3 hours of 'diagnostics' (but the tape ran out after about 40 minutes). They presented the tape to the local BestBuy (this was in the Sacramento area) and got a refund and an apology, but this took weeks and shouldn't have happened in the first place.

I'm out.

[dlb]
:major

 

If you screwed them with the memory thing, then I don't think there is a word in the English language to describe what the Geek Squad did when they billed him $1,000. Not a single word... That's even if you really did screw them somehow, which I know isn't really exactly even possible, but, pretending you did.

 

Could not agree more.

Nicolefrench, while I fully understand and can relate to anger at being accused of the things you mentioned, this may be a situation where you might just want to cut your losses, write the accusers off as obviously too uninformed to know what they are talking about, leave them lost and helpless in the hands of unprofessional GS employees without scruples, and just move on.

I simply can't have a very high opinion of anyone willing to pay more than a laptop is worth, in order to make it functional again (if indeed he did pay $1,000). It indicates a deplorable lack of common sense.

 

Actually, there is, but if I posted it here, I'd get severe PMs from all the mods about it. It's not a very nice word.

 

lol...


"as we were buying a newT61p and giving this one to my bf's sister. They had some issues with it and ended up having the geek squad over to their home."

Sounds to me like the whoever you gave it to may be responsible for any programs that simply appeared. But more than likely, these programs(or at least, the main one in question) never really existed in the first place. Anyway, I'm probably getting into it more than I should, and that's exactly one of the faults that Geeks Squad made, so I'll stop there. I probably should have stuck completely with the technical aspect of the situation(as little as I have to offer, it's something) from the beginning, I apoligize.

 

Need to clarify again- the GS removed Win Investigators from the Z60m and the home desktop that it spread to in addition to removing Spector from his laptop. The total was $1000. It does appear that Spector's removal isn't simple according to spywareguide.com

I have no idea if that is a reputable source, but it claims Spector Pro's removal is difficult- so if it was ever there, it may still be. There is also a trojan called spector- I wonder if they could be confusing the two? Or just jumping to conclusions. Perhaps after finding Win Investigators (no idea what it is really, but it does soundbad) his sister was looking to find such programs on my bf's laptop. I don't know. The relationship aside, this is ridiculous!!

I'm glad to hear that not everyone accepts a GS tech's word as the gospel. I'm not sure if the uniform gives them instant credibility or what, but I know way more than every tech I have spoken with there. Which isn't to say I know more than the GS, just the ones I dealt with. I know that malware masquerades as many other things- and this is a difficult situation to say the least. I guess I just wanted to confirm for my own peace of mind that just because the GS claimed I did this, that wasn't necessarily the case.

I thank everyone for the help provided- if anyone has more to add, feel free; but I do feel better about it all.

 

Save yourself the money, 1K? :eek Stick around here, this is one of the best 'Geek Squads' around, actually I shouldn't even say that as many here would take offense at my statement and call me rude, still this is Major Geeks! Someone is taking you for a ride. Good luck.

 

Do you see the bill ,that your EX-boyfriend pay?
I also think that this is a BIG scam.Like augiedoggie say:Someone is taking you for a ride.

Anyway,MG is the bigest community of Geeks,IT's,Hackers,with diploma or without,Directors,Managers,Hairstylers,Bionic mans,Aliens(domestic or whatever)who want to help you in pursuit the greatest happiness of all(LOVE between MAN and MACHINE):drool

 

Be very careful with this link.

I recently found 'noadware.exe' had placed itself uninvited on a pc. I'm still not sure where it came from other than that it must have been the internet.

My security scans reported this as a trojan.

 

Had to throw in my 2 cents. I just don't trust geek squad. I am leary of other computer repair shops. They really take advantage of people. The local computer shop guy just sold a really scratched used junk 19 inch monitor to a lady and hit her for 100.00 bucks.

Computer repair guys are like auto mechanics, some good, some bad. Always best to tell them you want a "estimate only no repairs" then take it someone place else for another estimate.

With computers, I have sadly seen them destroy many relationships. I say dump the computer, make the relationship work. On a personal note, why is he so parinoid about you putting a virus on the computer?? They are so easy to get from the net. Myself, nothing to hide, nothing to worry.

 

I don't work on PC's but I was trained as a heating and refigeration tech by a company with questionable ethics. What we were trained to do is if we got there and found something simple (nothing wrong) you would make something up to get a high bill and therefore make more money. This type of thing happens all the time, you wouldn't believe how many TV's I pulled from the trash in the day and fixed by replacing the cord. I would bet my bottom dollar some tech told them it needed a picture tube and it would cost $500, the people buy a new tv instead, throw the old one out and I get it. The tech only got the service fee but took a chance at making $500 over replacing a $10 cord. This kind of thing is going to happen in all fields. This is becoming a Corporate/Capitalist World buddy and truth/honesty is not part of the money making scheme. The truthful and honest find it hard going to make a living at it at all.

 

Sad but true. At least I can sleep at night with a clear conscience.

 

My security software blocked that link all together.

 

The baker St line took me directly to a site advertising the following product. I am not familiar with this product, in particular what its operating files are called.

Nor was I with 'noadware.exe' till I had to deal with it (not actually a difficult one).

So I don't know if it is like Spybot and spybotS&D.

So I'm offering the subject for discussion

 

That also goes for alot of other service type jobs as well. Its nice to know there are others out there that find it hard to take advanage of the meek.