Incredible Connection sold me a laptop with someones files on it

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DUDE!@##$%%

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so I bought a "new" laptop from incredible connection, after the employee retrieved one out of storage/backroom w/e it's called and I took it home. Upon first boot up I got the windows setup wizard, as in the OS was not already installed and after about 10 minutes of messing around it I noticed that the C:\ was on 230GB, even though the computer has a single 640GB hard drive, I opened the storage manager and found a 343GB, I mounted this partition and found some disturbing files.

It seems to be some kind of dump of data from somone's pc/external hard drive with very personal information such as wedding/engagement photo's, music and work documents for a high ranking company, I didn't open it so I cant comment on the actual nature of the information inside these documents but there is definitely a lot of data that someone does not want floating around.

I searched MyBB and found the thread where a similar situation happened to someone else.
http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/archive/index.php/t-286837.html

Incredible Corruption - Centurion Mall

so basically, what's my next step from here? just return? or contact management?
 
Open the company files. Call them and show them what IC sold u. Let their lawyers sort it out with IC :)
 
Update: was looking through and found a CV so I have the guys name and surname should I contact him and let him know?
 
I bought a demo laptop from IC once (years ago). They did the cleanup thingy where you restore to a blank install... but the temp files from the user was still there. The one dude from IC had been browsing gay porn on it..... was really disturbing.
 
The dude might get in trouble with his previous company if you contact the company as he should have reported the HD stolen with company data.

I know 5 people that have had their desktops stolen with data the past 2 years.
If it is a stolen harddrive and you are going to IC directly they will cover it up. However if you upload one of the pics to imageshack or another image host then we can find the person. Then IC can get nailed for dealing in stolen goods or at least they might have a record who swapped it and then the police can get called to find the source.
 
Im not going to post anymore updates for the time being, a pic from the data looks incredibly similar to the guy who sold me the laptop :|
 
froot said:
Demo's are generally sold for less than a new item.
IC employees earn commission on sales.

Makes sense?
Click to expand...

well so far the names dont match up with the rep on the til slips so I guess its not him, but why go through all that effort and not delete your data, let alone put data like that onto a demo -_-
 
Boot it up with the recovery CD and restore it. 1 Hour lost.
 
The question is - what exactly do you want to achieve with all this. If I were you I will format the Hd and reinstall windows. On the other hand if you are a trouble maker go ahead and f_them up. You'll satisfy your desire and will feel better afterwards. But then again - a prick like that is the type my dad said I must stay away from.
 
biometrics said:
Boot it up with the recovery CD and restore it. 1 Hour lost.
Click to expand...

this is not really about the small time it would take me to ERASE the data, sorta more about why its there in the first place ;)
anyway, from the structure of the data I'm assuming the data was a dump from a recovery or repair that was brought in and they used a demo laptop to do it, then forgot to delete that data and sold it to me :wtf:



intel8080 said:
The question is - what exactly do you want to achieve with all this. If I were you I will format the Hd and reinstall windows. On the other hand if you are a trouble maker go ahead and f_them up. You'll satisfy your desire and will feel better afterwards. But then again - a prick like that is the type my dad said I must stay away from.
Click to expand...


I dont know if it was something i said but this is NOT my intention, I just want to know why it happened, report it as it should and get on with my life.

Unless you think customers personal data being sold to strangers is something that should just be ignored completely, I would love to see your reaction if it was your CV/work documents floating around :D
 
You paid for a new laptop... you should get a new laptop.

Who knows what history the one you have comes with.

It is not about making trouble... who would want an ice-cream already licked by someone else. Yukk... it is sold as new, for a new price and should be new... not some re-shrunk wrapped who-knows-what sold as new, what else may have been tested on the thing or swapped-out ??

I would take it back tomorrow morning... speak to the store manager and get another brand new one... it is your money. What is it worth to you ?
 
kilobits said:
You paid for a new laptop... you should get a new laptop.

Who knows what history the one you have comes with.

It is not about making trouble... who would want an ice-cream already licked by someone else. Yukk... it is sold as new, for a new price and should be new... not some re-shrunk wrapped who-knows-what sold as new, what else may have been tested on the thing or swapped-out ??

I would take it back tomorrow morning... speak to the store manager and get another brand new one... it is your money. What is it worth to you ?
Click to expand...

This is exactly what I'm going to do, I just dont actually have the time for a mess with some people who literally can manage to screw this up... can just imagine the ride I would be in for If i tried to take this any further...
 
kilobits said:
You paid for a new laptop... you should get a new laptop.

Who knows what history the one you have comes with.

It is not about making trouble... who would want an ice-cream already licked by someone else. Yukk... it is sold as new, for a new price and should be new... not some re-shrunk wrapped who-knows-what sold as new, what else may have been tested on the thing or swapped-out ??

I would take it back tomorrow morning... speak to the store manager and get another brand new one... it is your money. What is it worth to you ?
Click to expand...

+ 1

You thought you'd bought a new one, you clearly got a used one.

Unscrupulous and unethical in one transaction.
 
If I buy a new PC/laptop, I expect it to be a virgin.

Not having somebody else's clutter on it. That just isn't on.
 
intel8080 said:
The question is - what exactly do you want to achieve with all this. If I were you I will format the Hd and reinstall windows. On the other hand if you are a trouble maker go ahead and f_them up. You'll satisfy your desire and will feel better afterwards. But then again - a prick like that is the type my dad said I must stay away from.
Click to expand...

So you'd be happy paying for a new product and receiving used?

Sorry, who's the prick?

Oh, and do you want to buy a brand new iphone 3g? Never been used, honest guv'nor.
 
Well i have decided what im going to do, but I think i will phone the guy who's data this is, let him lead the fight against IC and I can be happy playing angry birds on the aeroplane. ;)
 
DUDE!@##$%% said:
This is exactly what I'm going to do, I just dont actually have the time for a mess with some people who literally can manage to screw this up... can just imagine the ride I would be in for If i tried to take this any further...
Click to expand...

If it was on special as a demo, I would run the restore CD and be done with it... but to pay full new price and receive used goods. Pfffft. No way.

I also question the ethics of using stock that you intend to sell as a back-up storage media for customers... then you neglect to erase their data AND you sell used stock as new !

Tsk Tsk. Just not done.
 
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