# Beware of computer repair shops



## David777 (Nov 26, 2022)

A reflection of the corrupt unethical world we now live in today.

Thinking about taking your computer to the repair shop? Be very afraid

https://arstechnica.com/information...lt-in-snooping-of-sensitive-data-study-finds/

_...recovered logs from laptops after receiving overnight repairs from 12 commercial shops. The logs showed that technicians from six of the locations had accessed personal data and that two of those shops also copied data onto a personal device. Devices belonging to females were more likely to be snooped on, and that snooping tended to seek more sensitive data, including both sexually revealing and non-****** pictures, documents, and financial information._


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## Tish (Nov 27, 2022)

That is really scary and horrible.


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## JustDave (Nov 27, 2022)

I can't say I'm surprised.


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## Mike (Nov 27, 2022)

The Samsung repair centres, we had one here, were in the
past, accused of copying pictures from phones, when the
owners asked for help.

I went in when I was using a Galaxy and asked how to change
the keyboard to Spanish, "let me plug it in to the system and
see what I can do", I looked at him and asked if I looked so silly,
that I couldn't press the keys that he was going to tell me, he
got all embarrassed and told me to hold the space bar down
and slide it up the screen to select another language, easy.

He wouldn't say why he needed to plug it in!

Mike.


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## timoc (Nov 27, 2022)

I wouldn't let anyone inside my PC. 
I got into the habit of backing up the operating system onto another hard drive, and all programs and files onto another hard drive, then if my PC goes haywire, I just swap hard drives.


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## ManjaroKDE (Nov 27, 2022)

It doesn't matter how careful you are, if you have accessed the web in any way your information is there.  It's like using a credit/debit card the information is there and once used you are on the gird.  It's all about money and information is a valuable and marketable commodity.

Every time you fill out a survey, get a rewards loyalty card, credit/debit card, power up your smartphone someone is there monitoring you.  Even your printer has stored information on it's HD.  In this day and age of Drones, CCTV's, The Cloud, Bluetooth,,,etc, no one is invisible!  *Big brother is always watching.*


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## caroln (Nov 27, 2022)

@timoc, that's what I do also.  I have everything backed up on a flash drive and if needed I can wipe my computer clean and reinstall everything.

The article was good at pointing out the dangers of computer repair shops but not very helpful at how to protect yourself from them.


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## StarSong (Nov 27, 2022)

David777 said:


> A reflection of the corrupt unethical world we now live in today.
> 
> Thinking about taking your computer to the repair shop? Be very afraid
> 
> ...


Thanks for the tip, David.


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## John cycling (Nov 27, 2022)

caroln said:


> The article was good at pointing out the dangers of computer repair shops but not very helpful at how to protect yourself from them.


Staying far away from them is the best way.  Plus get rid of Windows and use Linux Mint.


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## caroln (Nov 27, 2022)

John cycling said:


> Staying far away from them is the best way.  Plus get rid of Windows and use Linux Mint.


Learning a new operating system just doesn't seem appealing now.  Maybe 20 years ago I might be up for it!


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## StarSong (Nov 27, 2022)

caroln said:


> Learning a new operating system just doesn't seem appealing now.  Maybe 20 years ago I might be up for it!


Ditto for me.


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## JustDave (Nov 27, 2022)

caroln said:


> Learning a new operating system just doesn't seem appealing now.  Maybe 20 years ago I might be up for it!


Learning every latest addition to Windows is bad enough.


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## JustBonee (Nov 27, 2022)

caroln said:


> Learning a new operating system just doesn't seem appealing now.  Maybe 20 years ago I might be up for it!



I used to enjoy the challenge ... now it gives me a headache!    
 And I probably soon will   have to think about it again.


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## Nathan (Nov 27, 2022)

> Beware of computer repair shops



I can't say from personal experience, but I think that the Apple techs at the Apple Store's Genius Bar are 'probably' competent, and accountable.

Best Buy's Geek Squad....I would not trust them to be either competent or accountable, but that's just me, I do my own_ tech support_ anyway.


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## Robert59 (Nov 27, 2022)

I don't trust Best Buy any more because my aunt got ripped off when they reinstalled her operating system. She's was in her 70's when they did it and doesn't know anything about computer's. She was charged 200.00


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## Chet (Nov 27, 2022)

There's no sensitive info on any PC I've ever had. That said, if I can't get my PC to work properly, it's time to junk it and start anew, which you will do anyway when it's no longer supported.


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## ManjaroKDE (Nov 27, 2022)

>>>>Delete


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## David777 (Nov 27, 2022)

caroln said:


> @timoc...The article was good at pointing out the dangers of computer repair shops but not very helpful at how to protect yourself from them.


Doesn't really need an explanation.  Obviously, one ought remove sensitive information if possible before giving it to a repair shop.  Unfortunately that won't help if the issue is not booting up or bricked.  In that case, encrypting sensitive files in normal use by habit will help though that can be annoying having to decrypt/encrypt each time. 

This is a basic open source app I use on my smartphone, laptop, and desktop that allows using the same key.  Especially useful on desktops/laptops if one knows how to use the command prompt, cmd.exe instead of usual GUI's that might have unintended complications.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dewdrop623.androidcrypt&hl=en_US&gl=US


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## hollydolly (Nov 27, 2022)

It's funny because I've never really paid attention before of the phone and computer repair shops, until a couple of days ago in a large town in the next county, I noticed suddenly a huge increase in these types of shops.. one after the other almost next door to each other, and like stores that seem to sell nothing and are a front for another business, it occurred to me as I passed these repair stores  how easy it would be for them to steal people's info from them... I hadn't thought of it until then, simply because I've never had to use one.. and secondly because there now seems to be such a huge array of them..


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## Devi (Nov 27, 2022)

If I have a _truly_ big problem (which I normally don't have), I call the maker of our computers, Dell. They'll help over the phone. You can also buy prepaid help. That way I don't need to go anywhere.

Otherwise, I've pretty much learned what I need to do to fix anything on our computers. And we don't seem to have the kinds of problems with Windows that some people have.


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## Been There (Nov 27, 2022)

I took my laptop to a friend that still works at Quantico. He had it fixed in minutes. It just needed a new network board that had to be soldered. He asked me if I wanted him to “juice” my computer. I had no idea what he was talking about, but I pretended I did and told him he probably shouldn’t. Last year, he came to my house for dinner I made. While there, he added 2 hubs. I still don’t know what they are for.


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## FastTrax (Nov 27, 2022)

Chet said:


> There's no sensitive info on any PC I've ever had. That said, if I can't get my PC to work properly, it's time to junk it and start anew, which you will do anyway when it's no longer supported.



What Chet said. Also as of late the Nigerian-419 gangs have been scouring the African E-Commerce a/k/a E-Waste dump sites for hard drives. Sometimes they'll pay the kids some cash for boxes of the drives. Saves time and risk of their original money grab scams.


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## JustDave (Nov 28, 2022)

Been There said:


> Last year, he came to my house for dinner I made. While there, he added 2 hubs. I still don’t know what they are for.


I've been there.  It's really awkward to have friends adding stuff to your computer, especially when you don't know what they are.  It's like they think their additions are really important.  Maybe they are.  Who knows?  But they're still useless to you.  But if you want to impress people at parties, you can tell them that you have extra hubs on your computer.  Hopefully, no one will bother to ask you why.


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## Been There (Nov 28, 2022)

JustDave said:


> I've been there.  It's really awkward to have friends adding stuff to your computer, especially when you don't know what they are.  It's like they think their additions are really important.  Maybe they are.  Who knows?  But they're still useless to you.  But if you want to impress people at parties, you can tell them that you have extra hubs on your computer.  Hopefully, no one will bother to ask you why.


They plug into a receptacle and then he programmed them using the laptop. I think they are some type of extender, but don't have an antenna on them and whatever they are, it didn't seem to make a difference. My desktop is wired direct to a T2 line, which again, I am not sure what that is. When the installer put it in, he asked my permission to do so because Comcast was experimenting with using this type of connection. He told me that I would only have it for 6 months, but he never came back to remove it. Do I still have it? I don't know.


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## Ruthanne (Nov 28, 2022)

I bought a refurbished computer with Windows 10 when it first came out at a computer store and repair place several years ago.  I trust the man who I bought it from as far as being competent in repairing computers but now that it's been brought up I would be afraid to have ANYONE fix a computer of mine in the future.  He is also a minister though.  Realistically though there's nothing to gain from knowing any of my information.


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## Aneeda72 (Nov 28, 2022)

Robert59 said:


> I don't trust Best Buy any more because my aunt got ripped off when they reinstalled her operating system. She's was in her 70's when they did it and doesn't know anything about computer's. She was charged 200.00


As far as I know the 200.00 is a standard charge and includes repairs on up to 3 devices, protection coverage, etc for a year.  I have always used Best Buy geek squad and had no issues.  But then there is nothing sensitive on my computer.  Just genealogy on one and a game on the other.


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## oldpop (Nov 28, 2022)

David777 said:


> A reflection of the corrupt unethical world we now live in today.
> 
> Thinking about taking your computer to the repair shop? Be very afraid
> 
> ...


Never?


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## Victoria (Nov 28, 2022)

ManjaroKDE said:


> It doesn't matter how careful you are, if you have accessed the web in any way your information is there.  It's like using a credit/debit card the information is there and once used you are on the gird.  It's all about money and information is a valuable and marketable commodity.
> 
> Every time you fill out a survey, get a rewards loyalty card, credit/debit card, power up your smartphone someone is there monitoring you.  Even your printer has stored information on it's HD.  In this day and age of Drones, CCTV's, The Cloud, Bluetooth,,,etc, no one is invisible!  *Big brother is always watching.*


Yup, and even if you're careful, you will be on the grid by way of family and friends if they have your phone number and address in their phone as a contact or a picture of you in their phone. If someone hacks their phone, now they have your info too. No one is off the grid because everyone has family and friends who have cell phones and computers. No one can hide.


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## Victor (Dec 24, 2022)

And beware of customer help call ceenters. They know little and can waste your time and even harm your computer or phone or TV. I don't trust them anymore. It may be ignorance or possibly malice


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## deaver (Dec 24, 2022)

i am not a repair shop.I have fixed home computers that had software problems, installed/upgraded various misc internal boards. since win xp you cannot swap hard drives. I have never taken any one else personal info or photos nor installed malicious software. but i work cheap,,, snacks and pop...i dont do this for money, its more like a hobby


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## Victoria (Dec 25, 2022)

Victor said:


> And beware of customer help call ceenters. They know little and can waste your time and even harm your computer or phone or TV. I don't trust them anymore. It may be ignorance or possibly malice


Some of them ask to gain remote control of your screen when they don't need to. That's letting them into your computer.


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## Jean-Paul (Dec 25, 2022)

Bonjour à tous  I have built and maintained Windows PCS since 1986, Windows 3.

As PCS are less and less used, and most users ( younger generation) have migrated to exclusive use of mobiles and some tablets, the market for old style computer and repair shops is declining.

A few tips..

1. Daily or weekly  backup everything to the cloud storage and external USC SSD drive. find and use antivirus and Anti-Malware software. free version is enough.

2. retire the old or ailing  PC if it's over a few years old (before Windows 10) and just get a modern new one,  then load your software and files off the backup.

3. Had great results with Lenovo ThinkPad Carbon X1 laptop and HP ELITEDESK 800 G3,G5 desktop.

4. Consider  a new modern high resolution large external monitor if the laptops screen is hard to read . We use 27" Samsung curved and 38"LG.

5. If your computer skills or experience is limited, find a friend, neighbors or relatives] whose may advise you better than a computer guy.

6. Avoid service in any chain stored eg Best Buy,Target.

Just the ramblings of an old retired EE

Jon


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## Robert59 (Jan 3, 2023)

I will not get another Dell computer because after just four years of having it and burned and lost all my files. I will just buy a brand new one from Walmart.


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## Trish (Jan 3, 2023)

Victoria said:


> Some of them ask to gain remote control of your screen when they don't need to. That's letting them into your computer.


A few years ago, I was having an issue with my home computer and someone I worked with suggested that a friend of theirs, apparently a computer wiz, could fix the issue remotely if I allowed temporary access.  It caused a bit of an atmosphere when I politely declined.  In fact, I fixed the issue myself.  I was surprised at how many people I worked with who thought it was perfectly safe to allow someone access to your PC.


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