It is a common belief that big businesses care not so much for the consumer as as they do their wallets.  So why are we so surprised and angry when we read in the news reports and learn of any particular company caught red handed?  Perhaps it is because it’s the reality of it hitting us in the face, and a name to focus on.

Yesterday, in one of the Tech news sites I read daily, Maximum PC, I found posted this article about Sears.  Sears joins a list of names of companies practicing some questionable tactics and business ethics.  Sears was caught, apparently, installing spyware on consumer’s computers when they visit the Sears web-site and sign up to their “My SHC Community”.  So far today, that practice remains unchanged.

Some years ago, during Microsoft’s MSN internet access promotion, Best Buy was caught sending consumer credit card information to Microsoft who then began charging items to their customer’s credit cards.   This was unbenownst to the consumer and without their approval.  This would occur even when a consumer turned down a sales pitch from a Best Buy sales clerk.  There is an official Best Buy/Microsoft class action web-site.

Best Buy has also been recently caught faking Nintendo Wii shortages.  While this is great marketing (it worked!), this is a lie and an act of deception.  Best Buy’s computer technician teams, dubbed “The Geek Squad”, has also been caught in behaving questionably.  They have been caught in the act of voyeurism.

A couple years ago, Sony’s BMG music divison was caught embedding root kits on their music CDs of which would install onto your computer once access by the computer’s “AutoRun” function or manual access.  Sony was forced to release a list of their music CDs that had the root kit technology on them and render compensation for damages.

Unscrupulous businesses aren’t a new thing, but it becomes more real, tangible, when a company is named as one of them.  We as the consumer must also be on the defensive, and it’s a good idea to be on the offensive.  Do your research on a company before doing business with them, watch where you use your credit and debit cards, examine your receipts for charges, and watch your billing statements and accounts.