Be Alert: Computer repairers - copying your files and passwords

[Bournecrazy]

I found this online earlier and it never occured to me that this would happen, never crossed my mind. - i have 2 laptops being fixed currently.

Taken from MSN Blogs:

''I love my laptop. Is there anything on it I wouldn't want a stranger to see? I can think of a couple of things but nothing earth-shattering. And then I had to think again when I saw the results of a Sky News investigation into laptop repair companies. Really shocking.


Undercover reporters took laptops for repair and planted a camera inside so that the activities of the technicians could be monitored. The laptop had a loose memory chip so the first test was whether the firms would spot that or try to inflate their bills with fictional problems. Guess what? Most of them did the latter. But the worst thing was that most of the technicians had a good old snoop through private files and photos just because they could.

The worst was Laptop Revival in Hammersmith, West London. It found the loose chip straight away but then claimed the motherboard was faulty and could be repaired for £100. The repairer had browsed through a folder marked ‘Private’ and flicked through the fictitious owner’s holiday photos, including snaps of her in a bikini.

A second repairer then searched the hard-drive until he found log-in details for the owner's Facebook and Hotmail accounts and copied them (along with his favourites from the bikini photos) to a memory stick. It gets better. He then attempted to log on to the laptop owner's online bank but fails as the 'passwords' were deliberately fake. Despite the shocking evidence, the firm denied the claims. I thought it was well worth naming them on here.
PC World did not snoop but presented a bill for £230 (payable in advance) to replace a motherboard that did not need replacing. Evnova in London also tried this and Digitech in London had a good look through all the content before trying to hide their tracks. Gold star goes to Pix 4 in Shepherds Bush where technicians quickly discovered the loose chip, popped it back into place and said there would be no charge.

Tony Neate of getsafeonline said: “If you suffer this kind of snooping then alert police.”
Don't forget, if you are buying a new computer or a repairer tells you the hard drive needs replacing, make sure you get hold of the old hard drive and destroy it completely so that no one can get information from it. There are several different ways to do this but most people opt for a good stress-relieving session with a hammer and some nails. Please get expert advice first though as some components may contain harmful chemicals and we don't want any nasty accidents so safety is key. ''

[Teresa T]

Very scary. Thank you for the article. My laptop is getting old. If it goes out, I'll buy a new one vs. repair. Especially after hearing this!

[Contrary Housewife]

The police will do nothing if you find some repair person has been in your files.

[Charles C]

They get in my files, they spend time being bored. However if I can't fix something, just wait for my kids to give me a new one for the next birthday or chirstmas.

I have three sons that are very savy in computers, so I just ask them what I should do .

Guess computers and high tech stuff like digital camera are my downfall, everything else, I fix my self. In fact I garden for extra money. But if push comes to shove, I just go out and work for what I need (Ouch)

One thing I'd like to do is learn how to use the digital camer I got 3 years ago, really would like to post some pictures on line, but haven't taken the time to learn so for.

[Saydee]

This is something I never thought about before...thanks.