Sacramento Woman Claims Dell's Computer Tech Stole, Published Nude Photos

Aug. 10, 2010— -- Tara Fitzgerald says she called Dell tech support for help with a computer problem -- and wound up with some very personal photos of her all over the Internet.

"When you trust somebody with your computer, and you expect them to respect your privacy, and they don't, and they try to manipulate and control you, you feel like an idiot," Fitzgerald, 48, told ABC News. "So you don't want to talk to anybody because everybody's going to think you're an idiot."

All this began in January of 2009, when Fitzgerald, a Sacramento native who worked as a caterer, says she called Dell's toll-free support line for assistance in locating some private photos she took of herself to send to her boyfriend.

"I couldn't find them on my computer. And that made me nervous. So my boyfriend and I called Dell tech to help us find these pictures," she said.

Fitzgerald says she was connected to a support agent contractor named Riyaz Shaikh, 22, who told her he was based in Mumbai, India. She says that Shaikh told her that he could help her locate the nude pictures, but that she needed to grant him remote access into her computer.

"I trusted him. I trusted him because he was a Dell technician," Fitzgerald said. "And I don't like the cyber world. You're so vulnerable."

Fitzgerald says she watched as Shaikh located her photos in her personal e-mail which she had open on her computer. She says she thought her problems were over.

A few weeks later she says she received an anonymous e-mail telling her that her risque photos were posted on a Web page completely dedicated to her. Fitzgerald said her reaction was panic.

"I've been violated," Fitzgerald said. " My life's been violated."

Not knowing who else to turn to, Fitzgerald says she contacted Shaikh to help get the website taken down. She said she was told the only way he could work on her case was if she purchased a new Dell computer and overnighted it to him.

"I'm telling myself, my conscience is talking to me, saying, 'Tara, don't send this. What are you doing? Are you crazy?'" said Fitzgerald. "I sent it anyways. Because I really believed in this guy. I really had faith that he was protecting my dignity. And he did nothing of the sort."

So a day and $195 of computer and shipping cost later, Fitzgerald says she sent off the computer with the hope that her nightmare would end. As time went on, she says she continued communicating with Shaikh via the Dell hotline, e-mail and cell phone. She says she even gave Shaikh her Dell preferred account information because he claimed he needed additional equipment to fix her problem. Fitzgerald says during the course of their communications their conversations turned flirtatious.

In an e-mail Fitzgerald provided to ABC News, purportedly sent by Shaikh to her in January 2009, he writes, "I have said it before and I will say it again, words cannot express how you make me feel. I make this promise to you my dear, to love you the way that you love me."

"He's very charming. Very charming," said Fitzgerald. "He knew exactly what to say. And it warmed my heart. I fell for it. Totally."

It wasn't until Fitzgerald received her Dell account invoice a month later that she says she noticed an $800 purchase of a computer on her account and shipping fees for it to be delivered to a Tennessee address. Fitzgerald went to the police and, according to the complaint provided to ABC News, she accused Shaikh of allegedly sending the computer to his girlfriend, Kirstin Landers. Fitzgerald said she confronted Shakih about the matter.

According to Fitzgerald, Shaikh admitted to the purchase on her account and has yet to pay her back. Shaikh has not replied to e-mails from ABC News for comment.

ABC News confirmed Fitzgerald's claim that she filed a complaint with the Sacramento police. She says she lost her job, partly because of the stress of dealing with the computer disaster, and has supported herself lately as a newspaper carrier.

"A case like this is hard to prosecute because one of the alleged people involved lives out of the country," said police Sgt. Norm Leong. "You can do a report and charge, but it's not realistic to get an individual back to the country."

Fitzgerald says she has filed three separate reports with Dell to report the alleged inappropriate contact, data theft and credit fraud. She says she received an affidavit from Dell giving her the opportunity to disavow the allegedly-fraudulent charges on her Dell account with no acknowledgement that a Dell representative was responsible for the charges.

In an e-mail response to ABC News, Dell Communications Director Elizabeth Shine wrote, "Meeting our customers' needs and delivering quality customer service is our primary goal at Dell. Our service is based on a foundation of personal and professional integrity, and at Dell, we never compromise these standards. When Ms. Fitzgerald contacted Dell about this incident last year, we investigated the issue, which involved a technical representative at one of Dell's vendors. We contacted the vendor about the allegation, and can confirm that the representative no longer handles Dell calls. We've been in contact with Ms. Fitzgerald regarding this issue and continue to investigate her claims to best assist with a resolution."

ABC News' Ashley Bridges contributed to this report