Helping people with computers... one answer at a time.
Allowing others to use your computer is risky, at best, but as this story shows, can lead to some serious and potentially expensive ramifications.
I have a computer in my place of business where I allowed many people to access and use my computer to send and receive emails, allowing some of them to apply for their own emails with Yahoo.
One day about nine months ago, I was visited by the two FBI Agents. When they came in my business one of them asked me if I was the owner; I replied yes, I owned the business. Then he asked if I had a computer, I said yes at the back of the building.
I know that what I am about to tell you, I had been wrong for letting others use my computer, however being new to computers, I had no idea of the dangers of that.
...
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There's much more to this question ... or rather this story.
I'm presenting it as a cautionary tale.
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The story continues:
My business is not too far from the high school, and I have a number of students that do business with me. When I was asked by a lot of them if they could use my computer to write friends emails, and play some games I replied, "well sure, go ahead."
Well the FBI Agents asked if they could look at my computer I said sure. I had no idea what they were looking for. They did get on my computer and found much to to my surprise a lot of some type of illegal porn, they called it child porn.
When they found that on my computer, they told me that they would have to pick up my computer and send it to forensics, for examination. They also said that my IP address was traced from a porn investigation from up north somewhere.
They mentioned that a person had been sending me child porn, and that I had been downloading it. I have NEVER done that!
They asked me if I were the only person using the computer I told them about the use of the computer by many others. Then they wanted me to give them names. I only remembered the first names of many of them, but some I did remember the full names which I gave them. Some of these people were adults and some just kids from the school.
It has now been about nine months since this all happened, and I have not heard from them. They still have my $1,700.00 computer, external hard drive, monitor, keyboard, speakers, and everything I had.
I did contact an attorney, he said that he didn't think I had anything to worry about, however he wanted $ 5,000.00 to sign me up as a client, Sir I don't have that kind of money.
Could you please help?
Unfortunately, I cannot.
I am not a lawyer, and I honestly believe that's exactly what you need. I have to admit that $5,000 seems pretty steep, so I'd certainly consider seeing if there aren't less expensive alternatives.
As I said, I wanted to present this story as a cautionary tale, a warning of sorts, for others who might allow themselves to fall into a similar situation.
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The problem here is actually very simple: you simply cannot allow people you don't know and trust to use your computer.
Ever.
I know that seems harsh, but as this story proves, it's the reality of the internet today.
Particularly in a business setting, you're opening up yourself to all kinds of problems when strangers use your computer.
I know it's tempting. Everything from "being nice" to perhaps allowing people to use your computer briefly to make you a PayPal payment seem like they'd be simple, harmless things.
And yet, they're not.
At one extreme you've allowed them access to your computer and everything on it, and as I've said before, if someone has physical access to your computer, they have access to anything and everything on your computer.
At the other extreme are stories like the one related here: you could be under suspicion or held liable for the actions of others while they used your machine.
Just don't.
You may not have anything to worry about, legally (though, again, I don't know as I'm no lawyer), but at a minimum, the cost and inconvenience could be extreme.
As internet cafe owners world-wide will tell you, if you must do it set up a dedicated machine for public use, and make sure that everyone is clear on the limits of liability when that machine is used.
Article C3906 - October 25, 2009 « »
Leo A. Notenboom has been playing with computers since he
was required to take a programming class in 1976. An 18 year career as a programmer at Microsoft soon followed.
After "retiring" in 2001, Leo started Ask Leo! in 2003 as a place for answers
to common computer and technical questions. More about Leo.
October 28, 2009 10:20 PM
I really don't know if I believe this man or not, it's not for me to judge. How many people actually fully believe this story? Yes, some kids play around, but as the owner of the PC involved, he is at least a little guilty, if nothing else, for criminally stupidity. I have one laptop that I allow company (that are trustworthy) to use on a GUEST account. After they leave, I use CCleaner to destroy the data (using the Guttman standard). Then I use Recuva to attempt to retrieve the files, then if I find any thing, it allows me to use the Guttman method to overwrite it. The Guttman method overwrites the data 35 times (the German standard). I even use CCleaner on a nightly basis to delete my own temp files, instead of the Windows temp file deleter. But back to the point. I hope this man didn't do wrong, but something tells me this man isn't 100% innocent. I just cant believe that anyone with any since at all would allow unlimited access to their PC (and a businessman at that!). His finances and everything is on this PC. I don't know about anyone else, but I wasn't born yesterday, and I don't believe any of Leo's readers are, either.
October 30, 2009 8:16 AM
Why would you pay an attorney $5,000. to regain a $1,700. computer? Don't waste your money. You'll get it back eventually, but it may have the value of a doorstop by the time they get around to it.
31-Oct-2009
October 30, 2009 11:01 PM
I agree we must take all with a grain of salt, but I know people who pay no attention to what their kids, or their friends do on their computers. Not only do they not monitor what is being done on the computer, they don't even know how to turn it on and off. I know one woman who lost her computer when the Feds came and got it and her daughter's boyfriend, the kids thought they could print out money, and it was not even a good copy. If you think your teen is not looking at pornography, sending nude photos or downloading illegal music, you better be checking those fancy phones, and their computers, you just might be in for an unpleasant surprise.
November 1, 2009 3:54 AM
Obviously it is a scam. Someone has stolen his expensive computer. What a mug!
February 3, 2012 10:53 AM
“Gee, officer ... that's not MY porn ... I've never seen that porn before, and I have no idea how it got there!!” Sounds crazy, but it happens.
I’m pretty open about letting others use my computer. I maintain multiple backups, and I am pretty quick at performing a complete reformat/rebuild, so I am more than capable of recovering from any malware or other damage that might be inflicted by someone else.
One day, while performing a routine check after my nine year old son and his friend had been playing games on my computer, I was surprised to find several porn sites in my IE history. I wouldn’t have been particularly upset if the boys had been looking at simple nude pictures, but these were very graphic sites. I easily cleaned up my computer, then had a calm discussion with my son. I learned that the two boys had apparently been doing the same thing at the neighbor’s house … for months. The neighbors were not sophisticated computer users (since this incident, that has changed), and they had no idea what the boys had been doing.
I checked out the neighbor’s computer, and found a shocking IE history, lots of inappropriate downloads, and malware (although I can’t be sure that the malware was a result of the boys’ activities). The conversation with the neighbors was difficult, ant things between us were very tense for a while, partly because each family wanted to believe the other family's child was the instigator, but we'll never really know.
I think both sets of parents were a bit suspicious of the other … not just suspicious that “the other boy” was the instigator, but also suspicious of the possibility that the other parents were somehow personally involved. So, as I was personally doing the cleanup of the neighbor’s machine, I searched for any indication that someone other than the kids was browsing or downloading porn. But, based on web history and file properties, I am pretty confident it was just the kids.
I believed the neighbors, and they believed me, probably because we each believed our own child. Fortunately, neither of us had to deal with the authorities. I’m actually glad that the kids chose to look at pictures (and videos) instead of “playing doctor” [shudder]. But it could have been really bad for either or both of us.