Dell Wants To Educate Customers About Spyware

from the now-write-on-this-webpage-100-times:-I-will-not-use-IE dept

Dell really wants to change its image concerning spyware, apparently. Last year, the company got slammed for internal memos telling tech support not to help customers who were having problems with spyware. They were instructed to not even point them to spyware removal sources, for some weird fear that some of the software they included on their machines might be disabled by spyware removal tools, and they didn't want to get into trouble with their partners. By April, the company admitted that spyware calls were a large percentage of their customer support calls, and now they're trying to be a bit more proactive about things by trying to teach customers about spyware. They also plan to offer anti-spyware software on their machines, but it remains to be seen if this is just the type of anti-spyware software that points out spyware or that actually stops it.
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  • identicon
    thecaptain, 20 Jul 2004 @ 4:33pm

    can't trust businesses...

    but it remains to be seen if this is just the type of anti-spyware software that points out spyware or that actually stops it.

    OR if its the type of spyware that conveniently "fails" to find spyware installed by Dell's "special business partners"

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Rajesh, 20 Jul 2004 @ 6:09pm

      Re: can't trust businesses...

      Last month my new dell's hard drive failed. When I called in for support I got transferred to 5 different people, each one parroting that my problem was most probably related to a "spyware" or virus issue (meanwhile, the hardware problem description wouldn't suggest that all). The last person finally figured out that the hard drive needed replacement. In any case it was clear that Dell support braintrust had hammered in the first line of defense was going to be blame any problem on spyware.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Nonesuch, 20 Jul 2004 @ 9:39pm

    Dell endorses

    Dell provides a link on their web site to the PestPatrol online scan.
    Unfortunately, PestPatrol is known for giving false postives. For example, the online scan detects files belonging to Spybot Search&Destroy as being infected with CWS.GoogleMS.3
    This is a known problem in PestPatrol and PestPatrol, Inc. has been contacted several times about this issue but has never responded.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 21 Jul 2004 @ 12:31pm

    No Subject Given

    Dell installs spyware themselves.
    When my parents purchased a new Dell, the first thing I ran was AdAware ... guess what it found ?
    Alexis.


    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    J Deisem, 20 Oct 2004 @ 1:36pm

    re: spyware problems with Dell products

    I'm disabled and I started having problems my printer did all the troubleshooting for it and the computer started with all kinds of problems. Contacted Dell on 10/17 was told spyware had got into my computer they would restore my entire computer. They told THEY would walk me thru it do nothing they never called me back, I've tried 5 or more times to get thru to tech support, nothing, and customer care told me to call tech support. What kind of company is this? Maybe I should contact the American Disablity Act. Somebody might be interested. They didn't have any problems when I order the computer.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    J Deisem, 20 Oct 2004 @ 1:41pm

    re: spyware problems with Dell products

    I'm disabled and I started having problems my printer I did all the troubleshooting for it and the computer started with all kinds of problems. Contacted Dell on 10/17 was told spyware had got into my computer they would restore my entire computer. They told me THEY would walk me thru it do nothing. I was to call back on a certain extension and leave msg. I have 4times, they never called me back, I've tried 5 or more times to get thru to tech support, nothing, and customer care told me to call tech support. Tried to get answer thru their chat-no answers, just call tech support. One of them told he was a tech rep. but contact another one. What kind of company is this? Maybe I should contact the American Disablity Act. Somebody might be interested. They didn't have any problems when I order the computer.

    link to this | view in chronology ]


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