Is my dad being taken advantage of?

[Linds]

He has this computer guy, who once you get to know him, you see they're the type 'I'm right and everyone else is wrong' So here's the problem, my dad and his assistants computer got over 100 virus's on them. Now in the past there were issues with someone email account getting a bunch of SPAM mail that was a few months ago and as far as they were told the problem had been solved.

But now the computers are infected again. Today the guy told my dad two assistant they can no longer use the internet at work, cannot use anything yahoo and that google chrome browser is bad and should only use internet explorer.

I, my brother and mom feel that my dad is being taking advantage of. Now both my brother and I our pretty good with computer, but setting up a network in my dad building where he works and rents out offices where networking would be vital isn't where were very strong at. Some home networking we can handle. Now we both do know how computer get infected and I really don't think using google chrome is going to do that unless you open up an attachment you should have or wonder onto a infected website.. And while yahoo does have issues, I really don't see that being the problem. I use yahoo a lot and have no issues what so ever.

I really believe the problem is mostly coming from the SPAM mail in the program that my dad is using which is what it IT guy installed on his computer. Thunderbird. It's the most complex, unorganized thing I have ever seen. My dad literally goes through 100's of emails every day. There is a ton of SPAM mail and in order to delete something, it seems you have to do it one at a time, so if he goes a couple of days without going into his email, there going to be a lot and most of which looks like junk mail, than anything important or anything from his contacts.

Now the guy is a nice guy, but he charges my dad a lot of money, even for phone calls when my dad isn't the one who calls that will be added into the charge. And sometimes he wants to be paid before the work is even done. He used to help my mom too, but then she about had it with him and now uses my brother and I for all her computer related issues. She works from the home.

So does my family have a reason to be concerned for my dad?
IT guy setup the email account, my dad would have no idea how to set that up. Before he got thunderbird he did use Outlook, but IT guy told him he had to switch. And for antivirus, last I knew they were using the paid version of Avast, but good have switch, I've asked my dad last night which protection program he was using and he didn't know. I myself use the free version of Avast for person use and have no problems with the program.

We just really don't think it is right for this guy to call my dad at 8:30 a night, to basically tell him a bunch of BS based of what we were hearing from the conversation and then have that added to whatever other charges there will be. And he wont even consider listening to what people are saying. And it's gotten to the point where my dad will listen to every word this guy is telling him.

[Novazer0]

I would say yes. The guy does get to charge what he would like and he will even charge for the phone calls since it is his time, and he most like charges per hour.

I use Chrome and he found it is a very good browser. I have found personal that i have more problem with Mircosoft internet explorer then other browser i have used. I would say that most of the problem is from people just opening up attachments that give them the problems.

The best solution would be to educate the people with the e-mail about what to open and what to not open. If they are really get that much spam mail then it should like they email server they are using has no spam filter. They need to get a e-mail serer that has a good spam filter and that will cut down on the spam they get.

you might suggest they get an anti-virus program that scans incoming email on each of their machines.

We use outlook since it comes with the the Microsoft office we have. and Norton anitvirus to scan the e-mails. Why not ask why they are not using outlook instead of thunderbird. since they are both e-mail clients that go to a outside server to get the e-mails. I'm assuming that the it guy has not set up an e-mail server on site.

I hope this helps.

[Ed G]

It's hard to say what's going on.Almost all email programs will catch most of the spam so that should not be problem.So why is you Dad and coworkers computer getting infected.Simple really they don't know what they are doing.You are blaming the IT guy and he's just working on the computers.Someone needs to teach the people using the computers a little about staying secure.Computers get infected because users do dumb stuff.It doesn't really matter which antivirus someone is using if they do dumb stuff.IE is a good secure browser,but so is Chrome.It's not the browser or the antivirus it's the users.

[tallafternoon146]

seems to me he is using your dads lack of internet know how to cream money of him take control and remove him from the advisor to the problems your dad is having with his computer REMOVE HIM NOW