Like the auto repair industry, computer repair fraud is another example of how people can get ripped off if they aren't careful when considering servicing their computer. The unfortunate truth about repair fraud of any kind is that it exists and despite the overwhelming legal implications of getting caught there is always someone who will take advantage of an unsuspecting victim.

Knowledge is the best defense:

The first line of protecting yourself from computer fraud is trying to determine if you really need to service your computer. Does it power on? If it does what happens? Quite frequently simple problems are the easiest targets, and a quick search online at a local library, Internet Caf, or a friend's house can avoid a labor charge just to replace a cord or something else that is simple.

Another way to avoid being a victim is learning more about computers. Yes, it may not be something you are comfortable with, since many are not as computer savvy as others, but it could be a very important tool. With computers dominating the market there are thousands of "how to" and "how it works", geared specifically for the novice users, so it makes sense to take some time to get to know your friendly or not-so-friendly little box.

Computer utilities:

Next we have software. OK, what does that mean? Your computer runs on an operating system like Windows, and when something goes wrong there are a multitude of software applications to fix or repair a non-hardware related problem. So if the computer still turns on, but gives you some weird error there very well could still be a glimmer of hope.

Viruses, spyware, malware, and other nasty bugs can easily reduce your system to something as useful as a pet rock. If you don't have a good anti-virus program than it might be a good idea to consider one, especially if you are not a computer guru. Personally as a computer technical support analyst I still recommend getting anti-virus and firewall utilities, not to mention a good maintenance program to fix broken links, registry problems and other computer maladies.

If you're on a limited budget than fear not there are plenty of free downloadable applications either share ware or trial versions. Another simple step to keeping your computer healthy is keep the area around it clean and about once ever couple of months run the preinstalled utilities like disc cleanup and defragmenter. Another good recommendation to avoid being victim to repair fraud is check

Almost all on-line computer repair companies are legitimate. With that said there are still a few things to watch out for when selecting an online computer repair company.

When you come across a company be sure and check the prices up front. Some companies charge by the hour while others charge by the service. While the hour may seem like a better way to go most of the time it is not. Knowing the total price upfront and the max you will have to pay will let you know whether or not your computer is worth fixing. If the repair takes 5 hours and you end up paying $300 dollars you may feel ripped off.

Another aspect to look at is what guarantee they offer. You should always go for a company that has a “no fix no fee” policy. Some online computer repair companies out there will charge you a minimum fee no matter if they fix the issue or not. This of course may sound insane but it’s not all that uncommon. The next item to check out is was comes with their guarantee. Many computer issues may seem resolved only to show up the next day. When this happens you want the issue taken care of without having to jump through hoops. Try and choose a company that has a 30 day gurantee or more. That way if the issue comes back on you, they will resolve it without you having to pay more. This is another reason why paying a flat fix fee is better then by the hour.

Many companies also have an unlimited support option. In a nutshell you pay a one time fee and get unlimited support for a whole year. The average cost for this type of service is around $300 dollars. If you are someone who is really computer illiterate and run into issues all the time then this is a great service. It’s not for everyone but that’s one reason why getting the repair cost up front can be helpful. If your computer has a virus and needs a computer tune-up that alone will cost close to $200 hundred dollars. For an extra hundred you can be covered for a full year. Be sure and ask what their unlimited support covers. Some will cover all issues computer related and others will not.

Standing in the Customer Service line at Best Buy, I was patiently waiting to exchange one of my daughter's Play Station 2 video games when, out of boredom, I glanced toward the Geek Squad counter. Now I'm sure you have seen the clip-on-tie, white sock-wearing Geek Squad "agents" dressed like characters from Revenge of the Nerds the mental giants who have stacks of laptops, keyboards, printers, and drills yes, I really saw a drill piled high behind them and a Geekmobile Volkswagen Beetle parked outside waiting to whisk them away to the nearest network system crash or Grandma's PC. I had seen that area of the store perhaps fifty times before, yet this time, I noticed something different, and I must admit I was rather taken aback.

A huge black and white photograph of eight or nine young men and women dressed in black and white striking various poses seductively stared back at me from above the Geek Squad counter. I definitely did a double take before realizing the photo depicted the Geek Squad in a "taking over the world" type of scenario. This was one hot photo.

Further research on my part indicates something even more remarkable. The photo was nothing in comparison to what the Geek Squad is becoming because it is beyond H-O-T! Apparently the geeks have arrived, and not just at another Best Buy countertop near you.

In Hillview, Kentucky, just outside of Louisville, Best Buy's Geek Squad technology services unit recently debuted the official worldwide headquarters for "Geek Squad City." Sitting amidst 4 acres of warehouse, 2.5 miles of conveyor belts, and $7 million dollars in stocked parts, this state of the art, 165,000 square-foot computer repair facility employs more than 500 Personal Tech Caddies who make up the elite Computer Support Task Force. And the best part is they are ready, willing, and able to fix your laptop in 3 days or less, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Guaranteed.

This one-of-a-kind facility celebrated opening day at Geek Squad City with more bells and whistles than Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. The Grand Opening showcased the new facilities, complete with rides, a tour through the factory, helicopters, convoys of Geek Squad Beetles, live music from the All American Rejects, and Fabio (yes, that Fabio).

This event gives us only a small glimpse of the huge transformation the Geek Squad is taking on. They intend to address in a whole new way the customer disappointment issues which have plagued the computer repair industry

You can either use online or offline tools. Let's see offline first. The computer store is already probably near you, even so you cannot find it. You need first to get a map, the tourist section in your town is able to give this information/map to you. The second thing you are going to need is a yellow page that shows where all the computer repair shops are. They will show you the street then they will show you a lot more information. You just need to read it and then all you need to do is to combine the information you got there with the information you have in the map. It's a piece of cake after that.

Now let's see how you can use the internet to find the same information. The first thing you need is to open Google Maps or Google earth. I would open both just in case. Now go to Google search and type computer repair shop followed by the town you want it to be. The Google engine will give you the most accurate results based on your keywords and maybe your location too. Then Google will give you the address of it and then all you need to do is to copy and paste that information and then use Google earth or maps to locate the shop precisely.

You might have to use the map you got before to see exactly where it is. Sometimes online maps are not good enough.

Microsoft also has maps and they have better quality, but when it's time to find a street, the map just doesn't know how to locate it, you can see that most of the times it will take you to the wrong place and you will always go back to Google Maps just like I did. Forget about Microsoft for now. Microsoft also likes to complicate things and will ask you to install a lot of addicional software in your compuetr that will only make things worse. Microsoft is worth nothing in this computer field.

Finally you can use Google Earth to find and then to save all the information you want. What are the main differences between Google Earth and Google Maps? First of all, Google Earth is a desktop application, which means it's many times faster than the maps that runs in an online browser and is always wainting for the server that with all those lags make you wait minutes instead of seconds like offline applications do, then the Earth has many more features and possibilities, it lets you save your information much easier than Maps does plus you can export all that information if you want to unsinstall and then to install it again.

And that's how to do it.