Fields Data Recovery / Rapid Data Recovery

Richie-from-the-Boro

Abu_Muhammad wrote: »

NOTE: I thought I'd be fair and contact them (via their so-called complaints procedure) prior to posting a review online so that they could have the opportunity to make amends, but they refused to accept that they had made any mistakes and/or apologise for their obvious incompetencies. It just sums up the lack of customer care of this company.

These are my complaints regarding them:-

- Timewasters even with express service; their express service (which they just applied without confirmation because I said I wanted the data "as soon as") increases the cost by at least 50% and, in my case, took as long as their so-called standard service, i.e. >3 days (took 1 week in total from them receiving it at Fields Data Recovery to us receiving the recovered data at our office)

- Way too expensive, even when you state you're a charity (which is for whom the data was being recovered); you'd expect them to be charitable given the margin of profits they're receiving

- Can't understand simple instructions and mix up files you're referring to so talking to your 'account manager' becomes a really painful experience as he isn't at all clued up technically and waffles on about data being very difficult to retrieve, bad sector, a lot of work to retrieve the data, and whatever else he can make up

- Whatever you do, do not specify the files you're after, otherwise they'll only look for these specific files and get that wrong too (so just better to specify you want *everything* back)

- Related to the above: had to do at least 4 iterations to get the files I needed; they could have just done it the first time round (delay was as a result of their incompetency and nothing else)

- Tend to come up with made-up excuses, e.g. a MySQL file being in a damaged sector when it actually wasn't even there, requiring SQL viewer to find out what the last modified date was on a (MySQL INNODB) file (especially when they achieved that in a previous iteration without the said application)!

- Can only provide a reliable list the first time around (on their portal which shows Last Change/Modified timestamps next to each file and the folder/file structure); their "linux" software doesn't work for subsequent iterations (what?!) which means you're provided with a list of text files without timestamps (for subsequent iterations) so it becomes impossible to determine if a certain file (which is in multiple locations) is the correct, updated version you're after

- They don't care one jot about customer service; all they're after is your money so don't give it to them until they've met your every demand and you're sure they've recovered the files you're after (I guess this is stating the obvious and applies equally to all data recovery companies)

- Once they get the money, their responses become a lot slower and/or stop completely (surprise, surprise) and it's you who has to call them (only to find they're not at their desk (conveniently) each time you call)

- They provide an FTP link to some of the data (so you can retrieve the most important data prior to them sending it physically) but, again, as I mentioned earlier, with specifying a list to them you know they're just going to get it wrong (which is exactly what happened in my case even though I spelled it out to them clearly along with the full path to each file and in which priority I wanted the data)

- Only went with these guys because they were recommended by a friend and - because I was desperate to get it sorted and wasn't thinking straight - I didn't read their reviews beforehand

- Try more reliable companies who have better reviews (look on other review websites and forums too to get an idea)

P.S. I joined just to save others from these guys.

- thanks for letting the group know - Abu Muhammad
- it helps hundreds who read these groups, but never post to avoid problems

For others reading this thread, they also operate as : Rapid Data, DataPhoenix, Rapid Recovery , Rapid Data Recovery, Fields Data Recovery, Clinic De Donnes, Salvataggio Dati and were exposed on a German TV program for their claims of 3 data recovery labs in Germany. IT-24 Services and Dattenrettung - watch the video !

- see 1
- see where they took 2 down
- see 3 - the 571 Complaints to Trading Standards

You decide who to trust your money and data to, particularly when this (4) can be the 'alleged' outcome ....................... """Fields Associates was involved in examining computers seized during Operation Ore, at the time the biggest ever police investigation into child pornography on the internet. In 2003, experts working for the company proved that in some cases, illegal material had been “forced” on to the computer hard drives of individuals. Experts for the company continue to assist both the courts and law enforcement agencies in matters relating to digital crime"""

tedzwedz

As the title above, I have three old Hard drives, need the data, im not a business so cost is key!

Based in London

grumpycrab

Do the drives still power up? If so try a caddy (IDE or SATA depending on connector). I've sent you a PM.

Browntoa

simon , some people MAY consider your inclusion of all your contact details etc as advertising , which is not allowed

Nut1976

Ladies and gentlemen, I will warn against those peopel: I state that everything I write is absolutely the truth.
We first contact:
-When we contact to ask questions about your problem you are called, as regards the Uk market (but also applies to other markets) from computer kids who know nothing except less than zero ... but the real surprise is that they call you from Thailand. Want proof?Ask to meet in person the person with whom you are speaking.Insist and say that no matter where you can find ... but you say that you want to meet. .... it is disparate responses and despair
-the diagnostic and is free, but absolutely off the prices that whoever calls claims to be able to say that you are going to pay.Lower prices per item, 'cause each disc that you sent, they will earn a cash Commission.
- Wales: location of their laboratories.The machines have them, but if they make them pay much
-Attention to accept the budget: winds in 2 phases: the first in which paid the rent of materials to attempt data recovery: If the data are NOT RECOVERED, you lose this sum: sum that can be safely on 300 and passes pounds
-Don't be fooled by trustpilot: Guest reviews: the negatives will be deleted (and there are many)
I write this as, due to a Raid 5 that decided to abandon myself, I was going to fall into the trap of these people: luckily my friend, knowing that there works for them before, contacting warned me.Since we're not experiencing economic beautiful moments, if we our money to people trying to FOOL the system by opening the labs in places where it can do with £ 3. .... then you fools, but no stupid.
We do not die this argument, please.
If someone wanted to have more information can contact me

Natasa

Hello! I lost 12 months worth of photographs and Im a photographer so you can imagine state of mind I’m in right now.. I gave my external HD to the local IT shop in Crouch End and after a few days they said they couldn’t recover the data but can send it to this amazing company that does not charge unless they recover the files.. After I asked for a name of the company (they were not rushing to tell me the name) they said it was Field Data so I found this thread.. I do not intend to proceed with this but would like if anyone can recommend someone that has decent reputation. I can see couple of people mentioned kroll on track. Are they any good? Price? Any other recommendations? I live in London.
I am dreading this and already spent £40 on diagnostics.. and can not afford £300-£500 mentioned above.. But would be good to know what is realistic price if anyone has done it.
Thank you for any advice!

tronator

Natasa wrote: »

Hello! I lost 12 months worth of photographs and Im a photographer...

TBH, if you're a professional photographer then you should take DAILY backups and maybe weekly off-site backups. And you're telling us you don't have any backups for the last 12 months?

I feel sorry for you, but this is grossly negligent...

joycegrenfell

I wanted to add to this discussion as Rapid Data advertising is turning up all over the place on Facebook at the moment - Rapid Data recovery are a terrible company. There are hundreds, possibly thousands of complaints about them online - sometimes they call themselves Fields Data Recovery. They write their own positive press or pay people to write the comments for them - many of the comments are inadvertently hilarious. Rapid Data say they can recover lost files for £100 or less and then they charge £800 or more. They've fleeced charities, pensioners and churches. They've even been known to wreck equipment before returning it.

Just at the wrong time my computer crashed and I thought I’d lost material for a radio series. I panicked, read a few of their self-posted reviews and stupidly fell for the scam. I sent off my computer – carefully packaged – and got a phone call two days later saying it was badly damaged. Rapid Data said they’d started work to recover the ‘lost’ files and it would now cost £900. I asked them to return the computer - they cut the bill to £800. A while later I got another call saying that it would cost £600 or they could return my computer but ‘they couldn’t guarantee that it would arrive safely’. I then checked online and found hundreds of complaints including many saying that equipment had been returned broken. I paid up. They eventually returned my computer, covered in scratches and absolutely filthy with no packing in a recycled box along with 20 CD’s containing useless coded files. Long and the short of it is I demanded my money back. It took six weeks of phone calls – sometimes going on hold for over an hour – when I did get through they made all kinds of dreadful excuses and quite a few threats. At one point they said they were data recovery but not computer experts – I even have that gem in writing from them. I said I was happy to go to court and they backed down completely although it took quite a few weeks and dozens of phone calls. They recovered absolutely nothing - though they said they were running 'a deep forensic test' which took four days. When I got my computer back from them I took it to a friend who recovered everything in ten minutes. I have never felt so stupid. Do not fall for it. Rapid Data are useless crooks with dozens of trading standards complaints against them. I hope the lot of them end up in prison.

Screw_Rapid_Data

Having read reviews of how expensive this place would be, I was weary of the £97 price quoted on the website. They've just told me it will cost £465, NOT including VAT, even though I clearly explained I could not afford to go above £100, and did not want anything done to the hard drive if the price were to rise above that.
When I called up and explained that I thought my heads had failed, and would need replacing, in very clear, specific terms, the person on the phone assured me that the price would still be in the region of £97, as rapid data "was large enough that it could afford to store a large selection of replacement parts, which could be used at a very low cost". I asked him a series of specific questions (what the average price was, what the maximum price was, etc.) but was essentially quoted the £97 figure over and over again. Satisfied enough, I personally delivered the drive to their address. I received an email within a few days notifying me who the person in charge of my case was, so I called them up to see how the recovery was going. She said it hadn't started yet. I explained my issue once again, and she told me it would cost £400+, and that the person who I had spoken to originally had essentially, and I very loosely paraphrase here, bull****ted me into trusting the b*****ds at rapid data with my precious hard drive. I promptly said I could not afford the price, and asked for the drive back. She told me it would be sent back shortly. After that, I received no further communication for 9 days. I've just called, and they've HAPPILY informed me that they have indeed gone ahead with work on the drive, and that it would cost me £465+ for a service I had asked not to receive. I frustratingly repeated that I COULD NOT AFFORD THEIR PRICE, and would like the drive back. They said it will be back with me in 21 days. God knows what they've done to it beyond the damaged state it was already in.
I hate being screwed with, and these people have done exactly that. As far as I can remember, they never explicitly lied, as they always seemed to add caveats to their responses, or simply brushed over specific questions I asked without any real reply. Their actual conduct, however, was very pleasant, which, if anything, makes me even angrier - the only word I can really use to describe them is two-faced. The only mitigating factor in this entire debacle is that I don't desperately need anything on the hard drive, and was only trying out the service in the hope that I might be able to receive a cheap, quick service. In summary, only use these people if you have a handy £500 spare. Otherwise, go to another service that will at least provide genuine information about their prices.

bod1467

What is it about newbie posters and walls of text? Is it a prerequisite for first posts here to be unreadable?