Jasko's TV

Review: Our computer was brought to the store for service to remove a particular pop-up deemed a virus - the owner said he would be able to remove viruses after his diagnostic check of which we paid $100.00 and said it would be another $435.00 to complete this job. He said we had no more viruses when we took it home but the virus pop-ups we brought it there for originally still remained. when we checked at home. I proceeded to call him to tell him that the problem still remained and he still kept saying he fixed it and put a lot of hours in - we trusted this business since it is a local one. I requested a partial refund since he did not fix what we brought it there for. I told him to keep the initial $100.00 diagnostic fee but I would like a refund of the $435.00 additional money we paid for the repairs that did not happen because now we would have to take it somewhere else to get it fixed and got nothing for our $535.00. He does not except credit cards or check - ONLY CASH of which we paid. We probably should not have paid the balance until we were able to see if the problem was corrected but we couldn't take it home until we paid and he did not have cable internet connection at his shop for us to see it while we were there. So to take it home we had to make payment. We went here trusting this person to fix our computer and walked away $535.00 less and no results. I trusted this business being he was a local business.Desired Settlement: We think this business has the responsibility of giving us a refund since they did not fix what we brought it there for. If he had said he couldn't remove the virus we had after we paid him for the diagnostic part all well and good but he said he could remove it and it would be another $435.00 CASH. I also gave him a copy from the internet on how to fix the problem. I am not a technical person so I didn't understand how to do it myself that was why we brought it to him.

Business

Response:

[redacted] the customer, came to my shop to have me examine his Dell computer. He said that his computer might have a virus and wanted me to save his information which included documents, pictures, video, and music. I told him that it would cost $100.00 for me to examine the computer to determine what the problem was. He agreed, left the computer with me, and paid me the $100.00. I then proceeded to examine the computer. When I turned the computer on, I noticed that it automatically scanned as though it was doing a Norton scan and there was a message that Norton was expired and payments was being demanded for renewal. I then did a full scan of the computer using Microsoft Security Essentials which scan showed the virus to be the Norton message for renewal. About two week after he paid me the $100.00, I telephoned Mr. [redacted] and told him that I could fix his problem for an additional $435.00. I told him that I could remove his virus and save all his information onto two flash drives (32 Gigs each one). He agreed and said that I could do the work. I also advised him that he had to install virus protection in the computer and that he could use Microsoft Security Essentials or any other program. About one day later, Mr. [redacted] came to my shop and brought me one flash drive. I tested it and it was bad. I then told him to come back with two flash drives (32 Gigs each). He then came back the next day with the two drives. I then proceeded to fix his computer as he requested and as I said I would. I did a scan again with Microsoft Security Essentials which again showed the Norton message virus. I proceeded to remove the virus using Microsoft Securities Essentials and to back up all the information on the two flash drives. About one week later, I telephone Mr. [redacted] to advise him that his computer had been fixed. About one day later, Mr. [redacted] and his wife came to my shop to pick up the computer and to pay me the balance of $435.00. I connected the computer to the internet. I did another computer scan using Microsoft Securities Essentials which took about 10 minutes. I did the scan in the presence and sight of the customer. The scan came back negative, meaning the computer had no viruses. Also, in the presence and vision of the customer, I went on to Google and connected to http://www.monroenjonline.com/ , http://www.cnn.com/ , and some other site that I do not recall. I showed the customers all the screens to prove to them that the computer worked properly with no virus. The customers were happy with what I did and what they saw regarding how the computer worked. I impressed upon the customers that they had to install virus protection, either Microsoft Security Essentials, Norton Antivirus, or whatever other program they wanted, or else they would not have any future protection from other viruses. They then paid me the balance of $435.00 and left with their repaired computer and the two flash drives that contained all their backed up information. At least three days later, I got a call from Mrs. [redacted]. She said that her computer had a virus. She told me that she was bringing the computer back and for me to take a look at it. About three days later, both customers brought the computer back. I examined it, doing a full scan with my Microsoft Securities Essentials . The scan showed the computer again had a virus and it was the same Norton expiration message type. But when the computer left my shop with them about three days earlier, the virus was not in the computer. In fact, I had done the Microsoft Securities Essentials full scan in the customers’ presence and sight and that scan came back negative. I told Mrs. [redacted] that the work that I had done had repaired their problem, but now they had created the same problem with a virus by not taking the proper precautions by having an anti-virus installed in the computer. They then took the computer and left. About two or three days later, Mrs. [redacted] called me and said that she wanted her $435.00 back. I told her that I had done my job properly and that what happened to her computer after it left my shop was not my fault, but rather their fault because they operated the computer on the internet without virus protection. At that point, our conversation ended. Given these circumstances, I do not believe that the

customer is entitled to any refund.

Consumer

Response:

When we brought our computer to J askos we knew we had a virus. It is called the “FLV Player virus”. It is a corrupt toolbar/application. It can modify your browser and DNS settings without your permission. Displays irritating popups, unwanted advertisements, hijacks web browsers, displays wrong websites when searching on Yahoo (which is what I use) and other search engines and makes your computer and especially web browser run slower. It can steal private user info and transmit the stolen data to a Hacker/Spammer on remote server. It can bring additional Viruses and malwares from remote. Once installed, it won’t go away from the infected computer just by uninstall process. It installs useless add-ons, ext. and toolbar application to the

browser. It displays a fake message making you think that you need to update your media player - it is a fake message. I fell for it - thought I had to update my media player. I gave Jasko a copy of one of the messages that it displays so that he could see what it looked like. I also gave him a copy of how to remove the malware that I printed from the internet. I could not do it myself for it is a complicated thing and that is why we brought it to this business.

In addressing the fact that we did not have an up-to-date anti-virus program I told him several times we have Norton anti-virus through our Comcast Cable company. It also updates daily. If he would have clicked on the Norton icon at the bottom of my screen he would have seen what

security I have. I have had this since Comcast made it

available to us free of charge and before that had McAfee. I have always had security on my computer but sometimes viruses get through. What he was referring to was most likely a anti-spy ware program that Dell put on my computer in 2009. It was a free trial program that once it ran out you could continue updating for a fee. I did not choose to do that since I had Norton. So the program called Super Anti-spy ware still runs when my computer is turned on but it is not updated. Norton updates constantly. As I said I distinctly told him what this was and that I had Norton. I have never gotten a message from Norton saying that it was expired and any payment was being demanded for renewal. I get it from Comcast Cable - I guess he didn’t understand me and if we were to

look into Norton on my computer he would see exactly what I had.

The flash drive that he told us was no good was perfectly fine. After I got my computer home I tried it and have been able to save files on it. There is nothing wrong with it.

He also said we had a “Black Widow” virus that he removed - I asked him what kind of virus was it he never answered me about that. I have yet to find anything on it as to what type of virus it is.

This Microsoft Securities Essentials scan that he performed may not have been an up-to-date software so therefore if this particular virus came out after his version it probably would not show up. All he had to do was look into some

websites for example one that I told him was Craigs List and I gave him a copy of an attachment that I received in an advertisement from a restaurant to see the fake message that was showing up about updating the media player.

It took him quite some time to get onto the internet because he does not have an internet connection in his shop - right there we should have known to walk away - how could you work on computers if you can’t even connect to the internet in the proper way. These two websites he spoke of may not be affected by this virus - it is not every website that you see this message on and I don’t ever go on CNN.com or the other one he mentioned. Since he was unable to look at the website I suggested we took his word saying the virus was gone and once we got the computer home and checked it it was still there. At this time it was after his hours on a Sat. and he did not reopen until Tuesday which is when I called. I asked for at least a partial refund since he did not correct the problem from the beginning - all he did for our $535 was put some files and photos on 2 flash drives - I don’t think it is worth $500 for a business to transfer files to a flash drive - he offered so I said OK that’s when we went to buy the 2 flash drives. I still don’t understand how he did not see that we have Norton protection - all he had to do was click on the Norton icon. He proceeded to hang up on me. Not very professional and I have never dealt With a business that acted in this manner.

I have spoken with several people pertaining to this matter and they have all told me I should have never brought my

computer there for repairs. They are known for not being very reputable from what I hear now. We just thought we would patronize a local business and TRUSTED this business also thinking it was better to go to a small business rather than a Best Buy or PC Richards. From what I hear they have technicians that know what they are doing. From what he told us it also seems that his wife doesn’t like when he spends money on buying new software. That’s why I say this Microsoft Essentials he is referring to may not have been up to date and that is Why it showed we had no viruses. He also mentioned he knows the XP version inside and out because that is what he has

on his computer - mine is Vista a newer version above XP and he said he wasn’t that familiar with it.

I feel like we were robbed of our hard earned money and therefore think that at least some of our money should be refunded since our computer is the same condition as when we brought it into his shop.

In the end I will never recommend this business to anyone I know - this is a small town and news travels fast - I don’t want another person getting stuck paying what we did and get nothing for it other than transferring a couple files to a flash drive. It is a significant amount of money for what we did not get.