The Final Word On Passwords, Part 6

(A customer brings in a Windows 8 computer to repair. It is full of adware and viruses. Additionally, the customer complains about to having to type a password every time she logs in, so I offer to do a factory reset and set her computer up with no passwords. A couple of days later, the customer comes back, very agitated.)

Me: “What happened?”

Customer: “You told me that you were removing all the passwords from my computer, and you lied to me.”

Me: “We did restore to factory default. Everything that was there is gone, and I was sure I set up your computer without a password.”

Customer: “Well, you didn’t remove all the passwords. I still have to put a password to get into [Website], and I don’t remember it.”

Me: “[Website] is online, and there is no way I can remove that password, ma’am.”

Customer: “But you said you would remove all the passwords!”

Me: “I am so sorry this happened to you; let’s see if we can recover your password. Can I have your email address?”

Customer: “Yes. It is [address].”

Me: “Let’s sign into it and resend your [Website] password there, so we can recover it.”

Customer: “But I don’t know my email password!”

Me: “Let me make you one, and a new [Website] account, and we will be sure to write this down for you.”

(The customer left happy, somehow. I was just glad she didn’t hit me!)

Related:
The Final Word On Passwords, Part 5
The Final Word On Passwords, Part 4
The Final Word On Passwords, Part 3
The Final Word On Passwords, Part 2
The Final Word On Passwords