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Recently unsealed records reveal a much more extensive secret relationship than previously known between the FBI and Best Buy's Geek Squad, including evidence the agency trained company technicians on law-enforcement operational tactics, shared lists of targeted citizens and, to covertly increase surveillance of the public, encouraged searches of computers even when unrelated to a customer's request for repairs.
To sidestep the U.S. Constitution's prohibition against warrantless invasions of private property, federal prosecutors and FBI officials have argued that Geek Squad employees accidentally find and report, for example, potential child pornography on customers' computers without any prodding by the government. Assistant United States Attorney M. Anthony Brown last year labeled allegations of a hidden partnership as "wild speculation." But more than a dozen summaries of FBI memoranda filed inside Orange County's Ronald Reagan Federal Courthouse this month in USA v. Mark Rettenmaier contradict the official line.
One agency communication about Geek Squad supervisor Justin Meade noted, "Agent assignments have been reviewed and are appropriate for operation of this source," that the paid informant "continues to provide valuable information on [child pornography] matters" and has "value due to his unique or potential access to FBI priority targets or intelligence responsive to FBI national and/or local collection."
Other records show how Meade's job gave him "excellent and frequent" access for "several years" to computers belonging to unwitting Best Buy customers, though agents considered him "underutilized" and wanted him "tasked" to search devices "on a more consistent basis."
Step 1: Put child porn on target's computer
Step 2: Report target to FBI
Step 3: Collect $500 bounty
Profit!!!
Previously on SoylentNews: Cooperation Alleged Between Best Buy and the FBI
(Score: 4, Interesting) by Runaway1956 on Sunday March 12 2017, @06:00AM (2 children)
I've never lived close enough to a Best Buy to use their "services". But, I'll speak up for Anubi here. Way back in the day of DOS, the whole world of computers was new. Even a little later, with Win9x, and NT4 and 5, there were many of us who didn't understand much about computers. I heard about Geek Squad back in those days, and I thought it would be great to have a well-trained IT department available nearby.
The world has changed a hell of a lot since then. Anubi got educated, the hard way, and I got educated through hearsay. As I understand it, Geek Squad was actually pretty good in it's earliest days, then slowly deteriorated, then rapidly deteriorated.
This story helps to understand that rapid deterioration. The FBI was actively undermining the Geek Squad's mission, and refocusing them on the task of snitching to government.
But, I'll agree with you in part. In today's world, anyone who cannot and will not do the minimal research necessary to find a reputable computer repair shop pretty much deserves whatever happens to them.
(Score: 1) by Scruffy Beard 2 on Sunday March 12 2017, @06:16AM
My sister uses the geek squad because of the stupid extended warranty.
I can do a better job, but my turn-around time tends to be months.
(Score: 1) by toddestan on Tuesday March 14 2017, @12:38AM
Geek Squad used to be an independent local business in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota back in the mid to late 90's, and back then the Geek Squad generally knew their stuff and were pretty good. They were still a bit on the expensive side, but at least locally they had a pretty good reputation. It was in the very early 2000's that Best Buy bought them out and quickly turned them into another way of milking their customers for even more money. That's when they rapidly deteriorated into what they are today.