Oh, and to the person who said that you can't "steal" porn which wasn't paid for... even if you were right, it's still against the law to raid hard drives for data without authorization. And it's pretty clear that these users aren't intending for Skeet Squad agents to grab their stash.

I remember a chapter on whistle blowing from marketing class and what comes from it...

I'll ask my Geek Squad friends when I'm in there next weekend about it. That's the store I work in every weekend.

But, ya know what? I didn't do anything. I didn't take. I didn't even look. The "My Documents" window wasn't open 5 seconds before I had to ask myself what I was doing. I mean, whatever was there, it was so easy. I could've taken it all. And, I thought I would've. As it turns out, I didn't. It just wasn't right.

I backed up the drivers, popped in an XP disc, and formatted that sucker. Go me. ;)

Also, I wonder if the Best Buy folks are familiar with the tort of malicious prosecution?

best buy sucketh.....as usual..........

it's like 10,000 spoons when all ya need is a knife

a true geek patriot

Took the words out of my mouth, Dude.

So, the moral of this story is that any Best Buy employee who discovers any wrongdoing by any member of the company should just keep their mouth shut.

Good luck ever finding out, say, which of your cashiers is ripping off the register, Best Buy. An honest employee would be insane to tell you what a DIShonest employee is up to.

I think that if Best Buy where to actually go forward with such an action, the only response should be a public call to boycott all Best Buy locations and spread this story as far as possible. They want damage control, they need to be shown what happens when they attempt to shut up people up rather then address the problem. In this case fix Geek Squad so its not a sales arm but what its supposed to be - fixing computers and helping customers.

On another note, by allowing service companies such as Geek Squad, Firedog, CompUSA, Jack Mihoff & Assoc., or whoever to work on your computer, you sign a waiver saying there isn't anything on there you don't want people finding. Videos can't do much where signatures can.

Is that the new Geek Squad mission statement?

It's sad because from the tone of your comment, it seems that you believe the statement above absolves GS techs who steal files. With that single sentence, you may have summed up why people should find alternatives to Geek Squad.

Its not like what everyone makes it out to be. At the geek squad that I work at noone even looks at pictures on peoples computers, we do so much other stuff that we couldn't even have the time if we wanted to! As for them interrogating employees for speaking out? I doubt it is as what it seems. Best Buy is bigger on preventing retaliation law suits than stealing porn off of a clients computer. When a unit is checked in liability for the data is forfeited anyways.

This just, again, makes me wonder what they would do if they were going through their nice stash of stolen pron, and boom, it's all gay. The man on man stuff.

Ugh, why steal it in the first place?

I'm so glad I quit.

I thought my friends that work at the Geek Squad were better than this. When I mentioned the coverage consumerist has been giving this they said "Yeah, wo do it all the time."

Sad part is, these guys want to work for me if I ever get to the point I can afford rent on a shop (I work out of the house) and can afford employees. I'm sorry, I catch them doing this crap they're GONE.

Sure its pr0n. But A: I don't want my employees browsing porn on the clock and B: it's just wrong to begin with.

They say "Its just porn" but if they're willing to steal porn, what else are they willing to steal?

Are these people idiots? Are they familiar with the concept of giving a story legs? Why would they want to extend this story in a way that makes them look so ugly? Who does their PR? Circuit City? Wal-Mart?

Robert, if you read Consumerist, be the hero: nip this in the bud.

Hey Best Buy. I don't buy from you anyway, but if you ever want me to think about it again, grow up, accept some responsibility, apologize, and stop blaming anyone other than yourself.

Will this be an example of the Streisand effect?

This is right up there with State Farm suing that family after "finding" (based on crooked evidence) that their claim was fraudulent.

Only stupider, because they're doing it precisely when the publicity spotlight is the brightest.

So it's possible the incorrect assumption was made in the above scenario-- and I think that's where Occam's Razor points. They're taking quite a PR bargain if they attempt to pursue a lawsuit based on the concept that the downloading doesn't occur-- it would be a losing battle to pick on the little guy and would likely explode right back in their face.

What a bunch of morons.

Seriously, this is so widespread in the industry that it's practically criminal trying to suggest that it doesn't happen. Honestly if I was on the receiving end of any sort of cease and desist or legal threat, I'd literally boobytrap a laptop and send it in to a dozen BB locations, a full half of them would probably scope my well placed porn...

Then I'd walk into court, -destroy- them, claim legal fees, claim duress, claim a wage for every hour I spent creating my defense, and claim back every cent of the repair costs for the 12 service arrangements on the laptop.

Then I'd have a friend videotape the judgement, complete with me doing a little bit of gratiutous pelvic thrusting against a Best Buy sign...

Then I'd post 'that' on YouTube, and watch the huge PR nightmare unfold, complete with gnashing teeth and horrible screaming noises from BB's legal department while they flay their management alive for the most rediculous decision in the history of legal battles.

But, hey, I'm vindictive like that.

Wow,

so now why are they charging customers for a data back up I mean.. Just say "Oh when we are done stealing your stuff of your computer, we will just make a 2nd copy for you".

Shoulnd't they be making better use of their times than to copy other peopels stuff.

So much for ever spending another dollar at Best Buy. Good thing is was just porno, and not the "autocomplete" data from whatever browser.