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47717768 (banned)
join:2003-12-08
Birmingham, AL

47717768 (banned)

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[video] GeekSquad Got Caught Scamming

I know it is well known problem with so called GeekSquad, but it is still funny how they rip people off.

»www.youtube.com/watch?v= ··· 4UnkgZQI
BlitzenZeus
Burnt Out Cynic
Premium Member
join:2000-01-13

BlitzenZeus

Premium Member

Had to laugh at the ide cable, but yes they do not have a good reputation. If somebody must buy a computer from Worst Buy I make sure to tell them to not get a system "optimized" by Geek Squad, as in already opened, and modified before given to them. I would be fine with Best Buy completely going out of business, and the only time I've ever bought anything from them recently was a mouse where nobody else very close had it in stock, even then their retail price was higher than the suggested retail price on the manufacturers website so they had to modify the price to being it down to the actual retail price. That store in total is nothing more than a rip off.

Camelot One
MVM
join:2001-11-21
Bloomington, IN

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I think every TV station in every major city has run this type of story, and always with the "we just disconnected the IDE cable" method. (which very, VERY rarely just fall off by themselves)

You would think sooner or later even the most corrupt techs would see a disconnected IDE cable and instantly assume they are on camera.

Xioden
Premium Member
join:2008-06-10
Monticello, NY

Xioden

Premium Member

said by Camelot One:

You would think sooner or later even the most corrupt techs would see a disconnected IDE cable and instantly assume they are on camera.

But being the greed corrupt techs they are, they see a disconnected IDE cable and see a sucker and the $$$.

Camelot One
MVM
join:2001-11-21
Bloomington, IN

Camelot One

MVM

If it was a common problem like malware, I could see that. But in 20+ years of working on computers, I have never seen an IDE cable fall off on it's own. It is a problem that only exists for reporters.

workablob
join:2004-06-09
Houston, TX

workablob

Member

said by Camelot One:

If it was a common problem like malware, I could see that. But in 20+ years of working on computers, I have never seen an IDE cable fall off on it's own. It is a problem that only exists for reporters.

I've seen it.

Usually it's me who forgot to plug it in.

But, I have seen many times a hard drive that won't boot because the cable was loose or not plugged in all the way.

Dave

cdru
Go Colts
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join:2003-05-14
Fort Wayne, IN

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said by Camelot One:

You would think sooner or later even the most corrupt techs would see a disconnected IDE cable and instantly assume they are on camera.

I can't imagine that GeekSquad has a low churn rate. The stores around me don't have employees that look like GeekSquad is their long term career choice. Even if a store did get caught I can't imagine that 1/2 the staff would be same if they tried another investigation 6 months later.
47717768 (banned)
join:2003-12-08
Birmingham, AL

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to workablob
said by workablob:

said by Camelot One:

If it was a common problem like malware, I could see that. But in 20+ years of working on computers, I have never seen an IDE cable fall off on it's own. It is a problem that only exists for reporters.

I've seen it.

Usually it's me who forgot to plug it in.

But, I have seen many times a hard drive that won't boot because the cable was loose or not plugged in all the way.

Dave

True. I have an old emachines, and it could not detected a hard drive. I am sure i have forgotten to plug in IDE cable or i have not installed the hard drive.
Chubbysumo
join:2009-12-01
Duluth, MN
Ubee E31U2V1
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GeekSquad is closing in most states now. The one that *was* up at our local best buy is now being replaced with something else, and the overall store staff was cut by half. Big box retailers are suffering because they have an old, outdated model of sales, and still charge way too much for exactly the same product.

For example, a Motorola SB 6121 on amazon(without the prime discount and free shipping) is $81.99.

Best buy wants $100 for the same thing, and I can bet you it didnt cost them $20 in labor and shipping to get it to the store.
With their consistent overpricing of everything, and their terrible customer service, its not surprising that they are going down the crapper. I would be highly surprised if they survive more than 10 years now, because they are too specialized. You can get everything they offer from walmart or online for cheaper. I hardly ever go there myself now, because im an amazon prime member, and with free 2 day shipping, or next day shipping only $14, its still cheaper for me to get it online 99% of the time. Also, BBY will not pricematch online competitors, whereas Wal-mart and target stores can choose to(the two local walmarts here do pricematch, but as a company they dont, BBY has a strict policy of no pricematch unless its a newsprint ad, not an online ad, and not a printed online ad). The wal-marts around here, I just show them the online price from my amazon prime, and they match(or in some generous cases beat) it. BBY has not, and will never do that. Death to BBY i say.

Locutus65
Why bother?
Premium Member
join:2001-05-24
Houston, TX

1 recommendation

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I've always said Geek Squad isn't qualified to install batteries in a flashlight.

Pirate515
Premium Member
join:2001-01-22
Brooklyn, NY

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said by BlitzenZeus:

I would be fine with Best Buy completely going out of business...

Same here. I think a few months back there was a post on here about their financial woes. The post referenced an article written by some financial analyst who said that if BB continues the way it is, they will run out of cash within the next 3 years or so. The fact that most of the items in their stores are overpriced is not helping the matter. Most of the stuff that they sell can be purchased online for much much less. I'm lucky enough to have MicroCenter not too far away from me, so if I need some computer hardware ASAP and waiting for NewEgg, Tiger or Amazon is not an option, I can get it there. The prices are on par with the above 3 and the staff is far more helpful then BB.

I guess the fact that Moron Squad got caught scamming is not helping their cause either.

Well, BB CEO has recently "resigned" and was replaced by some other guy. Hopefully whoever is in charge is starting to realize that things need to change, and fast, or else they'll be going the way of the dodo.
47717768 (banned)
join:2003-12-08
Birmingham, AL

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said by Locutus65:

I've always said Geek Squad isn't qualified to install batteries in a flashlight.

Very true. I bet those geeks do not have a degree or certification.

Locutus65
Why bother?
Premium Member
join:2001-05-24
Houston, TX

Locutus65

Premium Member

said by 47717768:

Very true. I bet those geeks do not have a degree or certification.

Degrees and certs mean nothing. Until I moved to Houston I never had any certs or degrees yet I had a very successful computer business.

I moved to Houston and started job hunting (too expensive to open my business here) and everyone wants at least A+ so I got my A+ and Net+. Big deal. Anyone who can memorize can get certs but it still doesn't mean they know what they are doing.

Camelot One
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said by 47717768:

Very true. I bet those geeks do not have a degree or certification.

Several years ago I had a roommate with a BA in Theater Arts, but absolutely no computer training at all. (or any work experience for that matter) I had to install a wifi card for him, because he couldn't even figure out how to open his PC case.

He applied for a sales job at Best Buy over the holidays, and they put him in the Geek Squad. I guess his acting training was all they needed.

DarkLogix
Texan and Proud
Premium Member
join:2008-10-23
Baytown, TX

DarkLogix

Premium Member

said by Camelot One:

said by 47717768:

Very true. I bet those geeks do not have a degree or certification.

Several years ago I had a roommate with a BA in Theater Arts, but absolutely no computer training at all. (or any work experience for that matter) I had to install a wifi card for him, because he couldn't even figure out how to open his PC case.

He applied for a sales job at Best Buy over the holidays, and they put him in the Geek Squad. I guess his acting training was all they needed.

LOL, LOL

Things like that remind me how dumb the average person must be.
47717768 (banned)
join:2003-12-08
Birmingham, AL

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LOL. One thing there are good at is selling you overpriced systems.
47717768

47717768 (banned)

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They are also good at flaking around www.youtube.com/watch?v=bT54b6lpvdk

»www.youtube.com/watch?v= ··· r_kKjzV4

Pirate515
Premium Member
join:2001-01-22
Brooklyn, NY

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said by Locutus65:

Degrees and certs mean nothing. Anyone who can memorize can get certs but it still doesn't mean they know what they are doing.

I agree 100%. At one point, IT testing system was so stupid that you could read some brain dumps, go take a test, and were pretty much guaranteed to pass. Not sure if this is still the case today, but I though that testing providers got wiser. While brain dumps can still help pass today, but you actually have to give thought to each question that you go through and not only know which choice is correct, but also why.

Going back to the original problem, most Geek Squad "techs" are either high school or college kids who think that just because they know how to press a few buttons, they are big time computer geniuses. Not only that, but some of them are lazy, have an attitude and don't care about customers at all, which is why they brush customers off, scam and/or overcharge them, and in some cases even make problems worse than they were to begin with, and on customer's dime I might add. While I haven't had the "pleasure" of dealing with Geek Squad, me and my buddies were told that "this is not Chinatown" by one of their sales reps in a rude and obnoxious manner when we were trying to knock a few bucks off a TV that we wanted to get for one of our friends as a gift. After this kind of treatment, we immediately went elsewhere.

Not so say that all of them are like that as there are a few out there who take their job seriously and genuinely want to help, but majority of them are IMO. I think there are a few reasons as to why most Geek Squad employees behave the way they do:

•Whoever does hiring for Geek Squad (or for BB in general for that matter) do very little if anything to vet the candidates, which is why they end up with what I described above. I bet there's no technical interview when applying for this job.
•Geek Squad management is not very bright themselves, so no surprise as to who ends up working for them.
•Geek Squad is underpaid and/or their employees are probably treated like sh*t on top of that, so "you get what you pay for" principle applies here. With low pay and cr@ppy working conditions, this is probably the best they can get.

In contrast, the mom-and-pop computer repair shops that the reporters in the video went to are probably ran either by owners themselves or their families/friends. Since they are trying to build up or keep a good track record, no wonder why they were very professional and straight to the point with reporters and did not even charge them. With that kind of service, when viewers of that video have a real computer problem, they are very likely to go there.

KeepOnRockin
Music Lover Forever
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join:2002-11-08
Beaverton, OR

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I actually shop at the Best Buy locations mentioned in this report (on rare occasion), however I work on my own computer.

It's like used car salesmen and car mechanics. You have to be aware of what tricks will be pulled to make sure you are not sold something you don't need or something for an unreasonable price.

Unfortunately, with computers; a lot of people don't know. They'll just believe what is told to them and pay it.

RR Conductor
Ridin' the rails
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Redwood Valley, CA
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said by Locutus65:

said by 47717768:

Very true. I bet those geeks do not have a degree or certification.

Degrees and certs mean nothing.

That's not true, and is kinda insulting to the many who do go to school in an attempt to better themselves.

Locutus65
Why bother?
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join:2001-05-24
Houston, TX

Locutus65

Premium Member

said by RR Conductor:

That's not true, and is kinda insulting to the many who do go to school in an attempt to better themselves.

Okay, for a newbie who knows nothing about computers getting a degree or cert might help. But no amount of degrees or certs can come close to hands on experience.
I work and have worked with many 'technicians' who have degrees and/or certs and they still can't tell a hard drive from a memory stick.

Pirate515
Premium Member
join:2001-01-22
Brooklyn, NY

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said by KeepOnRockin:

It's like used car salesmen and car mechanics. You have to be aware of what tricks will be pulled to make sure you are not sold something you don't need or something for an unreasonable price.

Unfortunately, with computers; a lot of people don't know. They'll just believe what is told to them and pay it.

Nice parallel, and that's exactly what it is. Any kind of repair businesses, be it cars, computers or something else are based on the fact that there is a ton of people out there who don't know or cannot fix things on their own, and hence need someone else to do it for them.

Obviously, there are people out there who know their way around cars, some of them have their own garages, only buy parts and do their own labor, saving a ton on repairs. Similarly, when it comes to computers, I don't think that the majority of people on this site need to use Geek Squad or anything like it.

It also boils down to honesty of the people who are you are dealing with, and both good and bad apples exist both among car mechanics and computer repair guys. For example, a Toyota dealer once tried to charge me $150 to replace a filter that costs $20 at their own parts store and takes 2 minutes to swap out. On the other hand, I once asked a mechanic at one of mom-and-pop shops, who showed me where the filter is and how to replace it. Similarly, when the reporters in the video above took their computer to a local repair shop, he found a problem pretty quickly and re-attached that IDE cable free of charge. At the same time, Geek Squad kept making stuff up as they went along trying to get them to pay for something they did not need.

Lurch77
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join:2001-11-22
Green Bay, WI

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They have done the same thing in my industry to catch dirty HVAC technicians. Local TV channels or whoever will schedule service for a failed cooling system. They will unplug the compressor and see what the tech does. They've caught some techs trying to sell them a whole new system over it.