PC rental store accused of using webcams, keyloggers on customers

A Wyoming couple is now accusing national rent-to-own chain Aaron's Inc. of spying on them at home using their rented computer's webcam without their knowledge. Aaron's also allegedly used a keylogger and took regular screenshots of the couple's activities on the machine, leading the couple to file a class-action lawsuit in the US District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

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Aaron's rent to own is at it again. This time, they are keylogging and using the built in cams to image their users. I did a search and found this 2008 post concerning their collections practices running amok.

On the not to distant heels of the controversy stirred up at Harriton High School last year, you would think that businesses would be wary of such practices.

However,

According to the lawsuit, the product was sold to Aaron's under the guise that it was undetectable by users, and Aaron's apparently conceals the fact that it has the ability to monitor customers' activity when marketing its services.

So, this is just down and dirty tactics, bordering on the obscene. The couple in question have young children and are currently worried that this has been used to spy on them and if there were any pics taken of them that would compromise their children.

I have advised people in the past that they should never ever rent a computer from one of these places. Aaron's isnt the only place you can rent them from, as there are a host of online rent2own computer sellers. Primarily, it is a money sink. You will never get the value back out of the cost you will pay in the end for this computer. Also, from my perspective (working in IT and Security), they are going to put some sort of logging and tracking software on the machine, as well as administrative lockouts to protect their property. Finally, as long as you are making payments, its not truly yours, so the data that you compile and develop on the machine is always at high risk of being compromised.
Add this potential for blatent child pornography and spying via the built in cam, and you have a recipe for disaster.

Stay away folks. And, after seeing their collection practices and the lengths they are willing to go around the customers back, I would say stay away period. They are a small, yet evil little machine. Do not feed the machine.

I keep saying this but people dont listen.

USE THE SEARCH

Thread already started about aarons

Well, apparently the search engine here is broken.
I did several searches (I always do) on the company name, report date, action and headline. Not a single one of them returned that story or I wouldnt have posted it, I would have replied.

Although, I appreciate the sarcasm. I wish I could be perfect like you.

Someone should also sue them for their obnoxious commercials!

I actually despise Aaron's and their cohorts. I will refurbish an Apple IIe to get to ATS than rent a glowing smart box from them!

Originally posted by wheresthetruth
Well, apparently the search engine here is broken.

Forgive me for assuming you didnt use the search function.
I simply typed in 'aarons', and it was the very first top result.