Post: Rent-to-Own PCs Watch Their Users Via Webcam?
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05-04-2011, 12:23 AM
#1
djamp789.
Can’t trickshot me!
Brian and Crystal Byrd sued Aaron's, Inc. Monday, alleging that the Dell Inspiron laptop they purchased from Aaron's contained remote monitoring software that, they say, could have captured credit card numbers or personal pictures of the Casper, Wyo., couple or their 5-year-old son.
The lawsuit names Aaron's, an Aaron's franchisee, and Designerware, which developed the PC Rental Agent software that the suit alleges is permanently installed on computers rented by Aaron's.
PC Rental Agent ("Protect your RTO Computersa") is a remote-monitoring agent that allows PC rental companies to monitor all the activity on a rented PC, including taking pictures using the webcam.
That isn't the only bad thing that happened to the Byrds in their dealings with the rent-to-own company. In the suit, the Byrds say they paid more than $1,200 in installments to buy the Inspiron, which our Kevin Fogarty says retails for about $400.
On a page seeking other plaintiffs for a potential class action, WebcamLawsuit.com, the Byrds' lawyers tell consumers, "The device they installed on many computers can remotely activate the webcam, allowing Aaron's, Inc. to take a picture of you and anyone near your computer, even your children."
PCs equipped with the remote monitoring software can "intercept private webcam images," the lawyers say, and capture screenshots and keystrokes as people send email, pay bills or look at their banking info--or porn--online.
Credit-pcworld.com
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05-07-2011, 12:39 AM
#4
Pillar2365
I use to give free rep :/
05-07-2011, 03:46 AM
#7
Pillar2365
I use to give free rep :/
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