Police Seize Assets of TestKiller.com
7/10/2002 -- On June 6 San Antonio police seized assets of TestKiller Ltd., the company that runs the practice exam Web site TestKiller.com.
According to a police report filed with the Bexar County, Texas District Court on June 20, the raid was prompted by Microsoft, who alleged that the site was selling Microsoft certification exam questions.
In his affidavit, seizing police officer Daniel Flaharty, a detective in the Special Crimes Unit of the San Antonio Police Department, wrote that he was contacted by a representative from the anti-piracy office of Microsoft. The unnamed representative alleged to Flaharty that TestKiller Ltd. was selling Microsoft "trade secrets" in the form of questions and answers to Microsoft exams.
According to the report, Flaharty began an investigation based on Microsoft's complaint, which led to the June 6 seizure of $408,566.84 in cash as well as several phones, printers, computer equipment, software and other items from at least one location.
No charges have been filed in this investigation. Calls made to the Bexar County district attorney's office to determine whether the investigation was ongoing were not returned as of press time.
Garry L. Neale, one of Testkiller Ltd.'s owners, politely declined CertCities.com's request for an interview, referring all questions to his attorney, who is out of the country this week.
A spokesperson for Microsoft confirmed that the company was aware of the investigation but said he could not comment on it due to the legal nature of the story.
The Testkiller.com Web site has been offline since early June.
Neale is the former owner of Troy Technologies (TroyTec.com), which in December settled a civil copyright and trademark infringement lawsuit brought by certification vendor CompTIA (see "CompTIA v. TroyTec Settled; Company Pulls CompTIA-Related Products from Site, Denies Wrongdoing").
CertCities.com will continue to follow this story and bring you further updates as they develop.  -B.N.
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There are 254  user Comments for “Police Seize Assets of TestKiller.com”
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Page 9 of 26
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| 7/12/02: Anonymous says: |
Comment for Just my 2 cents: Shut your pie hole. |
| 7/12/02: Phantom309 from Tucson says: |
One thing that I have always observed about the "hollier then thou" bunch, is that their like a bunch of whores who have gotten religion. Nearly all of these comments about how evil these dump sites are from those individuals who have their certs and if you listened to weinies, you'd never get certified. I personally don't give a fat babies butt about the NDA or what Microsoft or any other cert vendor thinks. And trust me, they don't care about what you think either. A cert is like a drivers permit; you get it, get behind the wheel and learn how to drive. Some of the material on the MS exasm is so far out in left field, your chances of having ever been exposed to it are slim to none and what kind of an idiot would walk into an exam without at least researching the types of questions he or she would be facing? All those who have said that never, ever have used a braindump or a study guide to pass an MS exam; I'd like to hook you up to a polygraph machine and have you try and convince me and the machine of your virtue. |
| 7/12/02: Anonymous says: |
Do you want to be an MCSE or an MCTM (Microsoft Certified Test Memorizer)? If you can't pass the test without cheating than you do not deserve the certification. |
| 7/12/02: Ignint MCP+ from USA says: |
Experience isn't always enuf to pass the tests. Sometimes employers need X number of certified people and buy "study guides" to hurry the process along... My best friend and I have been working with MS stuff since Altair BASIC was new and never even considered certs until Y2K, when my friend's boss told him get certified or get replaced... and handed him a photocopied "studyguide"... |
| 7/12/02: Twinone from Dallas says: |
I think that the test vendors are extracting a high price from the Average Tech. And they should revamp the program to include free test for all who attend the classes and lower cost for recertification or continuing certification. Your University Degree doesn't have a 3 yr shelf life and if you continue your education, what you have learned isn't considered worthless. What do you think? |
| 7/12/02: Anonymous Coward from SoCal says: |
I can scarcely believe these posts. For shame. Braindumps, cheatsheets, and freakin' screenshots are just WRONG. You MCT's endorsing this are on crack. Work with the products, try some of the more obscure features of those products, buy some exam prep books or software (not the actual tests, however) and pass. MCT's endorsing this couldn't pour sand out of a boot with the instructions written on the sole. Don't come near my servers if you are passing on braindumps. I will throw you out of my server room. |
| 7/12/02: dogfishjones says: |
There are many ways to skin a cat...especially one as big as Micro$oft...now get back to work ya self-righteous dimwits and stop wasting your company's money on a useless message board... |
| 7/12/02: MCSE, MCSD, MCDBA from Los Angeles says: |
Why the big deal over cheat sheets? It is all about money, that's why. No matter how you pass the tests, you still must be able to perform the work in your job to keep it. Yes, there are a lot of terrible MCSE's out there, but the majority are good and know their stuff. It is the same in any profession. In college, the professor gives you sample questions that match that on your finals, so why the big deal here - money! |
| 7/12/02: kj from Utah says: |
Thank you Tim!!! For all of you out there whining that you no longer have a means to learn... GET OVER IT! Now you might just make something of yourself. You might actually have to apply yourself and know what DNS and a Network really are. If you were one of the 10,000 that did use a brain dump to CHEAT, you better be scared. What makes you think this person who was just arrested didn't keep your information. And when Microsoft finds out who you CHEATTERS are, I hope they desert you for life! Take away, make a website with all your names on it and post it for all employers to find. If you are an IT employer... Do you really want a person touching or in charge of your network that doesn't know how to truly fix problems because they cheated on the test? It is not that hard to test their knowledge and find out what they really learned. If you are an instructor and just can't seem to teach without giving your students cheat sheets or the answers outright, Quit. There are still a few schools out there with amazing and gifted instructors who think it is not only ethically wrong, but also morally wrong to teach you how to cheat. I know that achieving greatness is just too hard for some of you. Well, then maybe you should find a new profession and leave the tough stuff to the true professionals. |
| 7/12/02: kj from Utah says: |
"What about the "Boot camps" where folks get their MCSE in 10-14 days?" If you were planning on a boot camp, my suggestion would be to do your homework long before you sign on the dotted line! Yes, most boot camps are using brain dumps. However, there are still a few out there that are not! They worked hard to rewrite the labs, find as much additional material as needed and they have GREAT instructors with morals and ethics. You can still find great places to learn and be taught the ins and outs and how to break and fix a Network. Including passing all the exams without cheating. Would you spend $8,000 on your child to go to school learn nothing but how to cheat? Why would you want to spend your money on anyone willing to risk your lively hood by giving you cheat sheets? Boys and girls, it is very easy, stop making excuses and blaming Microsoft, your lack of funds, or just immature behavior. CHEATING IS WRONG!!!! No matter how you try and justify it. |
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