iYogi, scam? Relationship with Apple?

Hello All, I work for iYogi in its Active Response Team. We are an independent remote tech support company and not affiliated with Apple. With customers in the US, the UK, Australia and Canada we provide comprehensive tech support for computers, connected devicesand software applications. We recently launched services for users of Apple technologies; you can read more in our press release http://www.iyogi.com/aboutus/index.html#press_releases1 and also visit our website at http://apple.iyogi.com. If there is a specific query, please feel free to email me on iYogiCare<at>iyogi<dot>com, and we will get on it right-away.

Thanks.

I may receive some form of compensation, financial or otherwise, from my recommendation or link.

<Edited by Host>

Not speaking for nor defending iYogi, per se, but why would you expect any totally independent company to provide you with free service? They don't get compensated by Apple in any way, so it's perfectly reasonable and within their rights to charge you for any service they provide. If Apple will fix a problem for free, well, that's why you call Apple first. The same applies to any manufacturer in regards to an independent service provider. If you feel that any charge is excessive, just don't pay it and patronize some other business.

Regards.

But in this case $79 dollars for a 5 minute fix was exorbitant.

Is that good business practice?

Personally, I think it's too high and would find other options but that's up to the owner of the company. They can charge what they like and customers can decide to pay if they like. It's called the free market where the customers ultimately decide the value of a product or service.

Claiming or implying affiliation is one matter. Charging a fee is another, and perfectly reasonable. Many companies, including many authorized Apple service providers, charge a flat minimum fee for technical support. You and I may consider what iYogi charges to be exorbitant, but there's nothing unethical about them charging it as long as they tell you up front.

As to the ad, not having seen it, I can't comment. The only iYogi ad I have seen on Google makes no representation about being authorized by Apple or any other vendor, but there may be or have been other ads that did so imply an affiliation. The main iYogi web site most definitely disclaims any such affiliation.

Anyway, probably enough said on the matter. Regards.

Not enough said. Why when someone elderly calls Apple for help with setting up a new email (gmail) on a new (old/used) iMac in order to use compatibly with Safari, wanting out of Yahoo mail, is someone at Apple refering to iYogi?

So i just thought i would get on here and relay some information about this iyogi to other people. My little brothers iphone stopped working and so he called "apple" or so he thought and when they answered his call they did not say who they were or what they were there to do. Also they had him go to this website where he was supposed to download a remote for the computer so that they could have controll over our computer. Which at that point he came to me to have look at that, which i felt there was no need to do. He also asked them if he could back up his phone to the icould. They said that the only way to do that was through that remote download. They also asked my little brother personal information about my mother and even tried to ask for her social securtiy, and he was smart enough to tell them no. Seems sketchy to me. I hoped i could give you guys a little more information.

they asked me for my credit card information before stating the price. sadly im sure what they are doing is legal but it is definitely deceiving. i stupidly gave them my zipcode, email adress, name, house phone number and cellphone number. are they able to do anything with this? 😟

i couldnt log on to my mac cos of keyboard change and i panicked because i had experiences losing essays/ assignments on apple products, so search for 'apple customer service' and iyogi came up as the first link, but indicating as THE apple customer service. i called them up and they were friendly and being really helpful and offered remote help at first. i was still panicking and didn't doubt if they were the real apple technicians. i thought i was actually paying for the apple care plan but afterwards just realised this is a complete different company. i paid £110 for a year's subcription and felt this is extremely overpriced. chances are, i'm never gonna have to use this service again. i've used my mac for 5 years and no had a single problem. but i was pressured into believing that they are the apple people. they have NOT mentioned the name iyogi until the very last minute before i hang up after getting the help. VERY DECEPTING i'd have to say...

What a disgusting company.

They are NOT "very clear" about who they are, certainly not here in Australia. My mother just called them after Googling who knows what (instead of going to the Apple website directly) and thought she was talking to Apple. I called the number myself and they DID NOT say who they are.

My mother just paid $120 for them to show her how to turn her iPad off by holding down both buttons (because swipe wasn't working), and fortunately at least didn't give in to the pressure they were applying for her to sign up to some other scam offering for "clearing out old files monthly from her PC"... That's actually what made me look into who the **** she was talking to...

No doubt they are operating barely inside the law but it's disgusting and CLEARLY ripping off older people who are an easy target.

I called them with a problem changing my Apple ID. The person asked to remotely work in my account and I, stupidly, let him. He ended up switching me to Apple on the phone, but I did not notice him leaving my computer. A few days later $4,000 was taken from my bank account! I saw it while it was still pending (an electronic debit) and managed to stop this from happening! It was a new account and no one knew about it and it hadn't been used. I had opened it with money that I received from trading in my car. No one had the numbers for that account. I am convinced it had something to do withletting that guy having remote access to my account!!!! No other explanation.

Mark, I have had an experience with iYogi and will never call them again. They tried to convince me that I needed to pay them $200 to fix my issue. After hanging up with them, I was able to figure the problem out on my own and it ended up being a very simple fix. They made it seem as if my computer had been compromized and needed to have all kinds of software installed to ensure its security. Mind you, I have an Apple computer.

The tech was very rude and annoyingly arrogant. I can see how they would easily convince a non-savvy person to give them money to fix a simple problem.

He also told me that he worked as a representative of Google and other large-name companies. I know that's not true. If it is, Google needs to seriously consider who they hire to represent them.

I called apple care concerning an issue that occurred when I installed Maverick. My scanner stopped working.

The apple care agent said I should check with the scanner company for help. She then asked me if I wanted her to give me the support number. Blindly trusting apple because I have had flawless support for my years and totally count on apple care. I took the number without question. It was to IYogi... I let them take over my computer again based on the trust I have for apple care and there referral. I shut it down as soon as that started asking for money. Am I in trouble here? Does apple recommend IYogi? why would they give me that number if they are not in support of that company?

The conclusion,

I researched a number myself, got a fix in about 10 minutes.

IS MY MAC IN DANGER?