Geeks Mobile USA (computerrepairservicesusa.com and geeksmobileusa.com) operates a network of contractor technicians across the USA, finding their contacts from services like OnForce, or sometimes CraigsList.
At times this operation has utilized different names (besides Geeks Mobile USA) including "Systems Made Easy", "Boston Computer Professionals", Computer Repair Services USA" and "Computer Repair Boston". Geeks Mobile has recently operated under the business name "ALL IT" (web: http://www.allitsupported.com/).
The company’s name is a play on the name of the company "Geek Squad". Do not confuse Geeks Mobile USA with Geek Squad. If you visit the GeeksMobileUSA website, the company has the appearance of a significant enterprise. This is deceiving.
The proprietor of Geeks Mobile USA is a Mr. Ilya Elbert. Mr. Elbert has been known to write positive fake reviews for his own company on independent review websites. Reviews from real customers say that their credit cards and bank accounts have been charged without permission, and that they have been grossly unsatisfied with the work performed. Contractors complain that Mr. Elbert fails to pay for services rendered, but complain more about being used to gather information that would be later used fraudulently by Geeks Mobile USA.
Geeks Mobile USA is a fraudulent operation, but more importantly, the company is a metaphor for much of the NSO community. Geeks Mobile USA is an unpolished criminal enterprise, but the more dangerous criminal, is the criminal with polish, and some surprising companies currently meet that description.
Geeks Mobile USA has earned the Geeks Informed Smell Test rating of Very Stinky.
NSO companies like GeeksMobileUSA.com will accept a work order, and then find a technician from service networks like OnForce.com (also an NSO) or even CraigsList (CraigsList is comparable to the classified advertisements in the newspaper, except it is on-line). If you have hired Geeks Mobile USA for a job, the technician you met was probably unaware that they were involved in a scam. In fact, the most likely victim in this arrangement is the contractor, since they frequently will never be paid. In most cases, the NSO never meets the contractor, except over the telephone or Internet.
However, like many companies in the National Service Organization (NSO) market segment, Geeks Mobile USA is not completely illegitimate. Many customers have had a successful repair, if the contractor that was hired happened to be competent.
CraigsList has become an reluctant expert on operations like Geeks Mobile USA.com. CraigsList offers the following guideline: 
"DEAL LOCALLY WITH FOLKS YOU CAN MEET IN PERSON - follow this one simple rule and you will avoid 99% of the scam attempts."
It's good advice. Also, be careful of advertisements in the phone book or the Internet. Firms like Geeks Mobile USA will pretend that they are local, even maintaining local phone numbers in the larger cities.
Companies like Geeks Mobile USA will come and go. Mr. Elbert may change the name of his enterprise tomorrow. If you can get a reference from a friend, that is your best source for technical support. Until there is effective industry or governmental oversight of the National Service Industry, it will continue to be a very dangerous environment.
Corruption in business is not a new problem, but the Internet has certainly provided a new chapter. The anonymous nature of the Internet is not conducive to ethical behavior. Some of the more unscrupulous NSO operations provide false mailing addresses, making it more difficult for law enforcement.
Apathy is probably the most dangerous aspect of the current situation. Business corruption has become like the steroid problem in sports. It is such a part of the environment, that we have begun to accept it. Fraudulent operations are so common, that law enforcement rarely enforces existing law, except in the most brazen cases.
If we are to achieve a sustainable free market economy, business must behave ethically. The recent election of Barack Obama and his party's landslide victory was more than a victory for the Democrats. It was also a backlash against overly business-friendly policies. How many crimes have been committed due to this permissive environment?
The unethical behavior and infuriating instances of greed in the National Service Industry is creating a larger negative impact. The resulting lack of credibility will negatively affect business industry-wide. A higher standard for business ethics is required. But if baseball can take steps to combat steroids, then strong leadership can address the problems with the National Service Industry.
6 Discussion:
Well, I am not sure of how where you operate, but outsourcing work is not that common. I have been doing it for almost 4 years now. I do work for GeeksMobile and although they can and may have shady techs that does not mean that they all are. I am Dell certified, HP certified, have a Bachelors, MCP, A+, Net+ and and MCP. I am two away from my MCSA. Can I fix a computer for $50? Sure why not. I accept jobs from Craigslist too. Hell, I think I even found my guy who does my lawn from craigs too. Granted he does not step inside my house and I watch all of my tools when he is around. That is the bottom line. Don't pay until services are rendered. If your not happy, don't pay till you are satisfied. Where do you live? I'll fix you computer for $50 too lol.
Who ever wrote it doesn't know what he\she talking about. I am working as a tech for them and never had any problems.
We've had them out here for a simple task of hooking up our wireless printer. The first tech was here for 7 hours and completely destroyed our hard drive. The second tech was here for 6 hours and wasn't able to retrieve all of our data. When he left the printer did work but the next day stopped working. They will not fix the problem. We tried to stop payment on the check but it went through electronically so nothing could be done. BEWARE OF THIS COMPANY!
I worked for this guys for almost a year. They ask their techs to guarantee their work, meaning they have to do a follow up repair for free for 30 days after service completed. That is ridiculous since they take the lion part of the deal and the tech has to guarantee of his own small part that the user will not mess up his machine again with new viruses and who knows what. I think you should be aware of that if you think of working for these guys.
This is one of the worst companies I have ever had the displease of dealing with. They run their business model on intimidation and flagrant abuse.
They're so bad it really saddens me and shows how corrupt the business world is in general that they are allowed to even exist without prosecution. Even very corrupt companies mask their criminal activities very slyly and have a basic understanding of the "you catch more flies with honey" principal. Ilya's little company commits flagrant acts of abuse against its customers and resources. They went as far as to drag their lawyers into this because I wouldn't pay for mean-spirited service and nonexistent work done. Oh and look Ilya Elbert up on Myspace and Facebook, he looks like the biggest effing a-hole that ever lived. Spread the word! This company is bad news and should be halted ASAP.
This is the worst company! I am in the middle of dealing with fighting them over payment right now. I had a technician come out to try and fix my computer. He tried putting in two CD's and was unsuccesful. His advise, take my laptop back to Sony. There was no diagnosis and he even broke one of the screws in the back of the laptop trying to take it a part to get to the hard drive. IDIOT!
Then the technician had the nerve to show me an invoice for payment needed of $99! I told him I was not going to pay a dime. He agreed that I should not have to pay as he did nothing, and that Geeks Mobile has screwed people and him in the past. My issue with paying the $99 was not with the fact that my laptop was not repaired, it was that when I set the appointment up the person on the phone did not tell me that there was a minimum charge of $99 whether or not my problem was fixed. I asked specifically how much it would cost to fix my hard drive and recover my data. She said it would probably be $150 to restore the hard drive, and if they can recover the data it would be $200 (NEVER said that there is a minimum $99 fee for the technician going out). PLUS, the technician, who was an idiot, didn't even show me the invoice paperwork until the very end. So at no time prior to the end of the technician doing nothing did they even attempt to tell me about a minimum fee.
I would have no problem paying $99 if I was told before I made the appointment that there is a minimum fee no matter what. If I knew I would have just taken my laptop to BestBuy with the Geeks Squad where they only charge $60 to do nothing.
So right now I am getting letters from a collections company trying to collect the money. Threatening to go to litigation. Any advice of how to fight these guys?
Post a Comment