FBI Used Best Buy's Geek Squad To Increase Secret Public Surveillance

a reply to: MacK80


I never said it was wrong to report something illegal on a computer.


When did I say that? I have reported more people for illegal computer activity than you would believe.

ETA: And a huge chunk of them were for crimes against children.
Please stop making assumptions.
You don't even know what I do.

ETA: And I think you missed my point in my post above:
www.abovetopsecret.com...

a reply to: BlueAjah


The deflection from it being "policy" and "geek squad' to "individuals looking for extra bucks" is grasping at straws, individuals already steal identities without any affiliations at all. Are you compensated extra for reporting illegal activity? That would be bizarre. The computer logs when things are altered, you could prove the Best Buy employee added it. This is still ONE PERSON who COULD HAVE DONE THIS AT HOME, and not geek squad.

You consistently miss the greatest point of all,

IF EVER CAUGHT it would be MASSIVELY bad for geek squad to do any of the things you're suggesting. If I just suggest you shoot someone, obviously there are repercussions to that happening. I can do this to any computer, what the hell is wrong with Geek Squad if INDIVIDUALS are doing this without even working at Geek Squad?

It's reactionary NSA propaganda nonsense, that it's somehow bad Geek Squad reports illegal data in computers. This is more than just Child Porn, even though that's the main contributor, it's terrorist attacks, drug trade, everything. I see nothing wrong with using these services, I don't myself personally either, but I'm not going to value the idea the people doing their job shouldn't be.

If you're concerned for your own files that's one thing, but if you don't own a soldering gun and a specific screwdriver for your motherboard, that isn't always your fault. If you're worried your data isn't secure, handing your PC to geeksquad, your data isn't secure enough to be connected to the internet in general.

a reply to: MacK80

The point is that cookies, without us even knowing about, were thrust into our machines and our records without us even knowing about it. There is no defense for unauthorized cookies. Yep, it took longer for computers to connect to ours, but that is no different than a phone having to ring when you call somebody rather than their phone instantly turning on when the incoming signal hits it.

You are awfully protective of the computer networks and a bit too inconsiderate of the privacy issue that has developed from the unauthorized insertion of cookies into our lives. And as anybody know, even you, they were just the beginning. Or have you been asleep since the mid-1980s when the secret programs started being revealed?

End.

a reply to: Aliensun

The fault of cookies was/is bad; the relevance of it's use is not misguided however.

If everyone stopped using cookies, half the internet would cease to function until it was reprimanded.

It sure is easy to complain about necessary integral parts of systems. It's like complaining your car requires gas.

My problem with someone going through the files on my computer is that there is no reason for them to be doing it on my time.

And if i am paying them to work on my computer they are working for me not the FBI.

I keep important files on thumb drives.

but i do have around 100 CC# and SS#s on my computer but they are all fake numbers in case some virus hit my computer and starts sending them to a hacking site.

most SS# are XXX XX XXXX and hacker look for numbers set up like that.
same with CC#s that are xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx with a 3 xxx or 4 xxxx with them.

a reply to: MacK80

You don't seem to understand that a warrant should be required to go snooping into someone's computer. The CIA should not be paying the Geek Squad to work around warrant requirements. That is un-American.

They certainly should not be paying the Geek Squad to do this.

Someone should not have the right to go hunting through your computer files just because you need hardware repair done.

originally posted by: BlueAjah
a reply to: MacK80

You don't seem to understand that a warrant should be required to go snooping into someone's computer. The CIA should not be paying the Geek Squad to work around warrant requirements. That is un-American.

They certainly should not be paying the Geek Squad to do this.

Someone should not have the right to go hunting through your computer files just because you need hardware repair done.

Your snooping analogy endlessly contrasts partisanship. Do I have to reference why this is in place again? It's most commonly come across solving the same virus that caused the issue with the device.

If you can prove they 'snooped' and it wasn't dead bodies in the living room, you have a case. If your files are specifically password protected and in unrelated location you have a case. If your Tax Returns are in the same folder as your 'cheese pizza' or bomb instructions and finance files, you're #ed. I don't understand why you can't see they they aren't 'looking first' and are finding the data while fixing the issues.

If the issue is something with their internet, and you see cookies or internet history related to child porn, RED FLAG DUH. To what degree do you consider 'snooping'? "You snooped my internet history bro" No. That's just part of fixing it. It's a can of worms. You shouldn't hand over sensitive data.

a reply to: ANNED

Good job.
It's a good extra precaution to keep your personal files on a different computer than you use for casual browsing, or on external storage.

a reply to: MacK80

What makes you think they only look at files when a computer is brought in for a virus?
What if it is just some stuck keys on the keyboard, or adding some memory, or some other hardware issue?
What prevents them from looking through files in that case?
What stops them from looking at files in an unrelated location from the problem?

Action 9 investigates Best Buy electronics repair and ID theft hazard

An Orange County woman claims a Best Buy computer repair turned into an identity theft nightmare, and she only survived it thanks to the honesty of a total stranger.

Action 9's Todd Ulrich investigates how her personal information disappeared from the store and what risks many customers might face when getting computers and smartphones repaired.

Sura Alani needed her laptop fixed and turned to the geek squad at a local Best Buy. She picked up her repaired computer and never thought about it again until 10 weeks later when a total stranger called her.

“I mean, it was very, very, scary," she said.

Alani said the man knew her name, cellphone number and much more. Turns out he had gone to the same Best Buy and bought a flash drive that had been discounted as an open box item.

Alani said she couldn’t believe everything he had found.

“All my photos, all my documents, and everything that had been on my laptop," she said.

That included a copy of her passport, Social Security number and bank accounts.

Alani found out a tech had backed up her laptop data onto that drive so nothing could be lost during the repair. But then somebody messed up and the flash drive was not erased but sold.

What happens to all of those flash drives that they use to back up data?
hmmm.

a reply to: BlueAjah

You can't reason with delusion I guess. I already explained individuals do things. Gl with your Bestbuy boycott. You're still just as likely someone in Australia steal your data.

The-Reason-Geek-Squad-Sends-Information-To-The-FBI-Is-Because-They-Acquire-Illegal-Data-Merely-In-The-Process-Of-Fixing-Specific-Issues-That-The-Same- Illegal-Data-Often-Causes.

How far do you want to split hairs to defend people with illegal data that are caught?

Unless you're actually- Seriously -upset about the 'fixing time taking longer because your computer is scanned' for the FBI.

Because you know that happened. It's like I said before, yeah I could just tell you to shoot someone, and that's a rather upsetting idea. The amount of logic gaps to even just BestBuy being at fault is blatantly absurd. I bet you don't let people use your car either

originally posted by: MacK80
a reply to: BlueAjah
...

IF EVER CAUGHT it would be MASSIVELY bad for geek squad to do any of the things you're suggesting.
...

Customer sues Best Buy, alleges Geek Squad worker stole, published nude pics

A 27-year-old Best Buy customer — and current employee — is suing the electronics retailer, alleging that its employees stole nude photographs of her from her computer she brought in for repair and distributed them online.

Nicole March, a student at the University of Alabama pursuing her master's degreein sculpture, stored revealing photographs of herself for use as reference material in her coursework.

In 2011, March brought her computer in to Best Buy Geek Squad tech repair service for hard drive recovery. According to the lawsuit, nearly two years after the work was completed, she received a text message from a Geek Squad employee who said he had copies of her nudes and that "they were circulating."

March's lawyer told NBC News the worker texted that he "felt bad" and named two other employees involved in taking the photos and redistributing them, including uploading 54 of her pictures online.
...

Geek Squad Lawsuit Opens Up With Employee Confession

Minneapolis (MN) - As a high-profile lawsuit against Best Buy’s Geek Squad technical support service gets ready for court, a new employee confession has come through detailing one of the company’s more questionable policies.

The lawsuit, filed in Hennepin County, Minnesota, claims that when a computer comes into a Geek Squad center, the employees comb through personal files and sometimes copy lewd or other content over to their own personal flash drive.

According to Minneapolis newspaper The Star Tribune, the lawsuit was filed quickly after an anonymous employee sent a letter to online consumer advocate site The Consumerist. In the letter, the employee wrote, "If you have any interesting pictures of yourself or others on your computer, then they — will — be — found."
...
Several other people claiming to be Geek Squad employees have quietly admitted to doing the same kind of thing.

a reply to: BlueAjah

Ah yes, the bold part "As instructed by Best Buy",

almost missed it.

Should we talk about Cops vs "Law enforcement"?

I say we get rid of Cops. 1 or 2 have done wrong.

Geek Squad are not all upstanding law-abiding citizens.

Best Buy, `Geek Squad' sued over videotaping

A woman and her mother sued Best Buy and its "Geek Squad" computer repair team Wednesday, claiming they were legally responsible for dispatching a technician who allegedly videotaped the daughter taking a shower.

The suit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court on behalf of Sarah Vasquez, 22, and her mother, Natalie Fornaciari, 46, both from city of Industry, alleges that Geek Squad technician Hao Kuo Chi, 26, placed his cellphone in Vasquez's bathroom during a computer service call March 4 and recorded her showering.

originally posted by: BlueAjah
a reply to: bknapple32

From the article:

One agency communication about Geek Squad supervisor Justin Meade noted, "Agent assignments have been reviewed and are appropriate for operation of this source," that the paid informant "continues to provide valuable information on [child pornography] matters" and has "value due to his unique or potential access to FBI priority targets or intelligence responsive to FBI national and/or local collection."

So... some guy at Best Buy is getting "paid" to find stuff on a computer.
What prevents this guy from putting the files there himself, in order to get "paid"?

Why am I the only one staring you?
second line.

10 Examples of Best Buy’s Geek Squad Violating Customer Trust

a reply to: BlueAjah

Your baseless bashing of specifically bestbuy puts me to sleep.

Have you never heard of circuit city?

Do you understand how many shops are guilty of this that aren't Best Buy?
zzzz......z.z.

originally posted by: BlueAjah

originally posted by: MacK80
...

The most common use for cookies today is authentication, adding another layer of security for most applications they're used.

Actually, the most common use for cookies today is to track your activity on-line. This is used for things such as statistics of web-site activity, marketing, search activity, etc.

Again, why am I the only one staring you?
Does no one care that big bro is REALLY watching you?

originally posted by: MacK80
a reply to: BlueAjah

Your baseless bashing of specifically bestbuy puts me to sleep.

Have you never heard of circuit city?

Do you understand how many shops are guilty of this that aren't Best Buy?
zzzz......z.z.

circuit city?
Haven't they been closed for about a decade?

originally posted by: Violater1

originally posted by: MacK80
a reply to: BlueAjah

Your baseless bashing of specifically bestbuy puts me to sleep.

Have you never heard of circuit city?

Do you understand how many shops are guilty of this that aren't Best Buy?
zzzz......z.z.

circuit city?
Haven't they been closed for about a decade?

Should tell you how non-recent this issue is.

The relevance is MSM wants to talk about this now.

Edit: The one near my house is a "Micro Center" now.