info retrieval info recovery.comdata recovery Classic Bait & Switch New York New York

The company's website/promotional materials advertise "free diagnostic" services - whatever that means to them, I don't know. Webster's defines "diagnosis" as "The identification of the nature of an illness or other problem by examination of the symptoms," and I never got anything remotely close from them.

What I DID get - a phone call with a rep to whom I described the problem in detail (usb-flash drive, 16GB - containing .jpgs that the computer stopped "recognizing.") He quoted me a price of $150 - $200. I followed that phone call up with an e-mail, confirming his quote, stating that I didn't want to go to the trouble of making the trip to their location to drop off the flash drive if the cost was going to be substantially more than that. He confirmed our conversation and did not deny the quoted estimate he gave me on the phone.

I dropped off the drive and was contacted the next day by another rep to whom my case had been turned over. This joker was trying to "up-sell" me on premium services. Since money was an issue for this job, which I told him, I said I'd stick with the free diagnosis, which, according to the promo materials,. would take 2-3 weeks.

The next day, he sent me an e-mail offering me a "rebated price" (odd choice of words notwithstanding) - of $425, and in light of this "bargain" the turnaround time had been extended to 8-12 weeks. ???!!!

This is a blatant and transparent attempt to "shake down" the (presumed unknowing) consumer - analogous to taking your car in for a new oil filter and having the mechanic tell you that you need a new engine. Unfortunately, the data/tech industry, a veritable "golden goose" -  has attracted scores of scamming bottom feeders like this outfit. BEWARE AND DO YOUR RESEARCH.