by Dave Moore, CISSP
01/09/2022
A client sent me the following in the hope it might help someone avoid the same trouble they had endured; I think it will. What follows is their story.
“At the suggestion of computer repair and security expert Dave Moore, I am sharing my story of a computer scam and its resolution.
I use my computer for email, bill paying, online banking, shopping, and monitoring my credit card account. Sometime last fall I was online with my bank when a “customer satisfaction survey” popped up. Having no reason to think it was not legitimate, I clicked on it.
It was immediately obvious that it was a scam as they offered “prizes” for which I only had to pay shipping. I exited and called my bank to find out if they were really running a survey and they were not, so I knew I had been had. “Surveys” like this began popping up more and more on different websites so I knew I had to have professional help.
I went to the local YP phone book and found a well-designed ad with a local 405 area code phone number for a company called “Geeks On Site.” I called and they assured me they could fix my computer remotely if I would give them access to it. They, of course, wanted my credit card number. The guy spoke with a bit of an accent, but not much. During our following conversation I asked him where he was physically located and he said Coral Gables, Florida. That was my first red flag. I have since learned that they are in fact based in South America and have a Better Business rating of “F” but I had not researched these things before calling.
After about two hours of their “technician” working on my computer they called to tell me it was fixed. The charge was $149. I was then told I also needed a subscription to an antivirus which cost an additional $80 per year. Both these charges were put on my credit card.
The next day I went back into my computer to change the access code so they could not get back into it at will. I discovered they had blocked my ability to do this. At that point I unplugged my computer and called Dave Moore, whom I knew of from his library classes on computer security.
He agreed to work on my computer and I took it to him. He fixed it for me, put in a good free antivirus and told me that the condition it was in when I took it to him was not safe to operate. I thanked him very much and as he was carrying it to my car he suggested that I dispute the charges to my credit card.
I did that and they immediately took them off and told me the company, Geeks On Site, would have 90 days to counter my dispute, at which time I could write a letter stating my case and Visa would decide. The 90 days have now passed and they never replied to the dispute so the charges are permanently off my account.
In addition to fixing my computer, Dave saved me about $230 in charges for bogus services. I had never thought that such a bogus company would take out ads in local paper phone books. They are in the local Norman YP book, the Greater Oklahoma City YP book and the Norman “yellowbook.” Check it out.
I realize now that I should have researched the company before calling. To anyone in my situation I would suggest that, if their computer is not usable, go the library and use one there. There is also a computer resource person there who teaches classes and answers questions. Apparently, it is no longer safe just to go to the phone book and call a “local” company. What will they think of next?
I wanted to share this experience with you to show my appreciation for Dave’s help and perhaps to warn others not to be scammed like I was. Thanks in advance for any use you may be able to make of this story.”
I (Dave Moore) have also confirmed what the writer says about Geeks On Site and the complaints lodged against them at the BBB website. You can see what I saw by doing a Google search for “Geeks on Site BBB Florida.” The Internet is rife with complaints about their work (or, lack thereof).
They are not to be confused with a different company named “Geeks On Site,” based in Maryland, a computer service company who says they do not do any business outside of their immediate area, or perform any remote services of any kind. Sadly, it seems their company name has been hijacked by ne’er-do-wells making a bad name for themselves.
The “problem” Geeks On Site is indeed listed in my copy of the local July 2021 version of “The Real Yellow Pages” for our area, and, it seems, every YP book for every major city in the United States, according to yellowpages.com. Semper Vigilans!
Dave Moore, CISSP, has been fixing computers in Oklahoma since 1984. Founder of the non-profit Internet Safety Group Ltd., he also teaches Internet safety community training workshops. He can be reached at 405-919-9901 or www.internetsafetygroup.org