Computer Repair Fraud

Written by AJSPM on November 25th, 2009

Computer repair fraud is on the rise in our technology driven society. When our computer stops working or if we feel that there is major problem on the monitor or on the hard disk, we immediately contact a computer repair person or someone who is an expert at diagnosing and repairing computer problems. There are a lot of repair companies which have sprung up in the recent past to fill in the gap between supply and demand and only few of them are competent.

A great example of a poor computer repair company can be found in most every corner of the Greater Cincinnati area.  Some companies to be weary of are:

JR Computer Outlet in Landen, Ohio

A-Hi Computers and Television in Norwood, Ohio

Few points to keep in mind to avoid computer repair fraud are:

• First, be sure to shop around for a reputable repair shop.
• Check with friends and neighbours and local businesses for recommendations of the repair shops they use for their repairs.
• Also check the names of reputed computer repair firms in your local search engine and check for the reviews and feedback.
• Once you have decided on the place of repair, you will need to find out what they charge just for checking your computer out. Before doing this do a research on the internet as to what are the ongoing rates for different computer problems, to get an idea on the prices, so that you can compare when the prices are quoted to you.
• You should also keep in mind that computer repair does not come cheap. Sometimes the repairs are more expensive than buying a new computer.
• You need to know most of the computer language as the computer repair person might ask you questions on the programs and the software’s. We should not give room for him to know that you are not a computer savvy, which might lead to you being taken advantage of.
• Remote assistance program for a very small fee that allows a one month check up on your pc’s to make sure it’s running at its best.
• Now a days there is also the “stealing of your personal” data from a computer. It is very important that you give your computer to a repair person or company who is trustworthy.
• Choosing the best computer repair services one of the ideal method to avoid fraud. L&C Sunshine Technology Computer Repair provides services at cost effective prices. The services are generally quick and they have set prices. So, if you are in Ohio, choosing L&C Sunshine Technology Computer Repair for repairs is one of the better options. Also We Recovery Data recovers data and files from hard drives, thumb drives, optical media, removable media and many other data storage devices. We Recover Data has a team of skilled specialists offering quick, emergency service to clients experiencing data loss due to hardware failure, software corruption, or natural disaster.

Since Computer repair fraud is everywhere your only defence is what you know. Knowledge is power. Like the auto repair industry, computer repair fraud is another example of how people can get ripped off if one is not careful. So you have to be careful in selecting your computer repair person or a computer repair company.

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Risk factors in Risk factors in IT consulting and services

Written by AJSPM on November 25th, 2009

IT consulting and Professional IT Services have become big businesses drawing in big bucks. With the sudden expansion in the industry and an unprecedented growth in demand, we have seen an explosion in the number of firms offering consulting and professional IT Services. With this humongous increase in the number of professional IT Service companies demand has witnessed exponential growth leading to a lot of incompetent companies that have managed to enter the business taking advantage of the shortage in supply. Thus there is always the risk of a customer hiring one of these incompetent companies. There have also been cases where an unscrupulous customer has taken advantage of unwary professional IT Service Company.

Thus in this industry of cut throat competition it is imperative that one understands the risk factors involved in IT Consulting and services.

These risks can be viewed from the following angles

Company point of view:

• The first and the foremost risk is one of non-payment by the customer. The easiest way to avoid this would be to do a proper credit worthiness check on the customer before entering in to an obligation.

• The company must also be aware of the periodic cycles of boom and recession that hits any industry. Studying economic records over a period of time can help overcome this risk.

• If a company has outsourced its business to a country like India it must keep tabs on the socio-economic and political situation in that country at all times.

• Pricing also is a major source of risk. Over pricing will drive the customers away to competitors and under pricing will affect base line profitability, thus pricing must be done with a lot of care.

• The company must also take in to account the prevalent economic laws like anti trust or anti competition laws in the country of operation. If the company does not do this there is a very real possibility of violation and heavy fines.

• A lot of IT consulting companies have gone bust due to corrupt management practices. A good internal control avoids this risk

Customer point of view

• As already stated there are a lot of companies offering IT consulting services the challenge for the customer is to choose the right one according to his needs. There is always the risk of choosing the wrong company. In order to avoid this risk the customer has to first understand the exact nature of his requirement and choose the most appropriate company offering the service. Example: For a small requirement there is no point in going to a big consulting company. There are a lot of small and medium sized professional IT service companies, which may suit the customers need better.

• It is imperative that the customer does a proper analysis of the consulting company he approaches. This will reduce the risk of incompetent and poor quality service. This could be done by talking to few of the already existing customers of the consulting company and compiling their feedback.

• The customer has to be sure that he is not over charged for the service provided this can be done by keeping tabs on the average consulting fees charged in the industry.

• In case the customer hires the consulting company for customized software development then quality after sales service is a very important aspect that the customer must insist on.

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How to find a computer repair person

Written by AJSPM on November 25th, 2009

When your computer breaks down and you don’t know what the problem is, it is better to get help from someone who knows about it. Trying to fix your computer yourself is often a difficult task. This could lead to more damage and expenditure when you decide to finally call a computer repair person. Finding the right computer repair person could be a fairly challenging job. However, if you are in Ohio, Ohio computer repair maybe the right person for you.

Always begin by looking for computer repairmen within ten miles of your home. Try to search in Google by typing your zip code. This may return many options depending upon where you live. The repair person has to work on your computer in your house because it has to work in its environment. The problem could be related to the actual network that the computer is on. So always try to get the person come over to you even if it costs a little more money.

If your computer is such that you cannot look online then look in the phone book and find numbers of computer repair person in the nearby area. Ask them for a price estimate and enquire about discounts available before you set up an appointment.

You can also check with the store you purchased your computer from. Even if they do not offer computer repair services then they will most probably be able to recommend someone.

Many computer users are turning towards online computer support to fix their PC problems because remote computer support is available everywhere. Getting your PC repaired online gives you a monetary benefit and what you require is an internet connection only. Another important benefit is that you get to know the internal working of your PC. Try to observe what the technician does on your computer. You can perform the same in case you face the same difficulty in future. Your online computer repair therefore acts as an online tutorial for you.

You can ask the remote computer repair technicians any queries pertaining to your computer. Online computer support companies usually hire software engineers with high experience so that their customers get everything done very professionally, especially due to the distance factor involved.

Remember to ask the company if they have any plans on installing software that will cost you extra money.  With the development, you get excellent software for free on the internet. A good professional computer repair company will know this. Do not let the company extort money from you unnecessarily.

A huge company with many advertisements need not necessarily be the best choice for you. Always inquire and find out about the credibility of their services. Do your research and you will find the right computer repair company for you.

A good computer service company like Companies like Northern Kentucky Data Recovery provides services at cost effective prices, apart from round the clock availability. The services usually have set prices. There are number of good computer support companies that provide good service or offer all kind of computer support services under an annual plan. Companies like Northern Kentucky Data Recovery and Ohio computer repair ensure that you get high quality services at a good price.

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How to fix computer Errors

Written by AJSPM on November 25th, 2009

A computer happens when an unexpected condition occurs. They are often displayed using dialog boxes. Some errors are easy to solve while others might require expert intervention.

Few of the common error messages are as follows:

“404″ / “Page Not Found” Error: Happens when a website can be found. Check whether the web address is correct without any spelling mistakes.

The Device is not ready: Happens when there is no floppy disk in the drive and when it tries to perform tasks involving the disk. To avoid this ensure that you insert the floppy disk in to the computer before performing any task using the disk.

Out of memory – Happens when the system has run out of memory or tries to load a large file in RAM. Closing some programs will help to fix this error

File not found – Happens when the file concerned may have been damaged deleted or moved. Sometimes a bug might also cause the error.

Access is denied: Occurs when another user has locked the usage of the file. In this case, one has to get the privilege to open that particular file.

Low Disk Space: Occurs when the hard drive is full. To fix this, close some programs and delete some unused and old files. One can also get a bigger hard drive

Bad command or file name: Is a syntax error message that occurs when a command is mistyped. To fix this recheck the command typed

Blue Screen of death:

The blue screen of death is most often caused when one of the pieces of software that controls a printer, scanner, modem, or other device has made a request that compromised the stability of the computer’s basic functions. The Blue screen of death is actually caused by a STOP Error and there are many different kinds stop errors, STOP 0×0000008E and STOP 0×0000007B are two of the more common Blue Screen of Death errors.

When a Blue Screen Computer Errors one has to check what has changed recently with the computer.  Check if a peripheral been installed. Check if the computer recently installed a driver update for an existing printer or other device Remove the new device if a new device that you have installed on the computer is causing the problem. Check if the problem continues.

“404″ / “Page Not Found” Error:

A 404 error means that the particular page you tried to reach on the Internet is not there. This means that you have typed the wrong correct address in the browser. Check if the URL that which is typed on the address link is the correct URL and then try reloading the page.

There are few other tips to overcome a simple computer error:

• Scan your computer with your anti-virus application and remove any threats it detects.  Some virus may cause error messages on your computer.
• If there is any error that you are unable to fix use your favourite Search engine and type the exact error that you are getting in the search box. You will find that a lot of websites offer online solutions and Online Exposure, which might solve your problem.

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How does a Trojan Horse Virus Work?

Written by AJSPM on November 25th, 2009

A Trojan horse is an email virus usually released by an email attachment. Once the email containing the Trojan virus is opened it will immediately sour your hard drive.

The difference between a regular virus and a Trojan horse is that a regular virus hides from you, while a Trojan horse is right in front of you, pretending to be something that it isn’t. A Trojan could be in a game that you have downloaded or any other useful application.

Generally a Trojan Virus works by hiding itself in a set of useful software applications. Once the particular software application is installed or executed, Trojan Virus starts affecting the computer system

Trojan viruses are designed to allow a hacker remote access to a target computer system. Once this virus has been installed in your computer the hacker can easily get hold of the system and can access it remotely. The hacker can perform the following functions by once a Trojan virus is installed in a computer.

• Installation of other malware and other software
• Viewing the user screen
• Uploading and downloading files.
• Deletion of files or modification of files
• Capturing the password or the credit card information
• There are different types of Trojan virus. Some of these include: remote access Trojans (RATs), backdoor Trojans (backdoors), IRC Trojans (IRCbots), and key logging Trojans

Ways in which a Trojan virus is been installed or distributed

• Websites containing executable content (i.e. a Trojan horse in the form of an ActiveX control)
• Email attachments
• Software downloads – a Trojan virus will be included as a part of the software application.
• A Trojan virus could be in any application exploits like messaging client, web browser, and other media players
• Another method used by hackers to spread their Trojan Horse viruses is through interactive software such as Yahoo and Skype
• Trojan also infects machines through sending copies of itself to the people in the address book of a user whose computer has already been infected by the virus.

Removal of Trojan Virus:

There are a lot of Antivirus softwares that are designed to detect and delete Trojan Horse Virus. It also prevents them from being installed. In situations where the security of the computer system is critical, it is advisable to simply erase all data from the hard disk. Reinstalling the operating system and all the required software will also help in preventing a viral infection.

Antivirus software is provided by L&C Sunshine Technology Virus Removal services at affordable rates. There is a 24/7 technical support service provided by L&C Sunshine Technology virus removal services. Their services will ensure that your systems are up and running impeccably. L&C Sunshine Technology Virus Removal Services provided by Omni Technical Support PC protection services can help fix your computer system very easily. L&C Sunshine Technology Virus Removal provides automated virus removal CDs free for Windows PCs. The instructions given on the CD are very easy and allow one to easily remove the virus from the computer system.

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