I wonder if any other companies are doing this. This is really shocking:
Los Angeles • The nation’s second-largest chain of rent-to-own furniture and appliance stores has agreed to pay $28.4 million to settle a case in which it allegedly violated California’s consumer protection and privacy laws, state Attorney General Kamala Harris said Monday.
Aaron’s Inc. overcharged customers, omitted important contract disclosures and installed software that could track the keystrokes of people who rented computers and even activate webcams or microphones to record users, according to a complaint filed by Harris’ office.
Last year, Aaron’s settled a case with the Federal Trade Commission over spyware installed on computers.
Aaron’s has about 75 stores in California, as well as 23 in Utah cities from St. George to Logan. It rents couches, appliances, electronics and other household merchandise.
“Aaron’s concealed its illegal privacy and business practices from customers in a deceptive attempt to avoid California’s robust consumer protection laws and increase its profits,” Harris said.
Those practices included charging a 10 percent “service plus” fee and improper late fees, according to the complaint.
Aaron’s is a giant corporate chain with hundreds and hundreds of stores located in 48 states. These are corporate practices followed in every store. Tracking who your customers are and what they buy is an important element in keeping ahead of your competition. Charging “extra” fees is a practice begun by the banking industry 100 years ago. Well before corporate chains ever existed. The NSA spies on us citizens and corporations spy on us consumers. “Big Brother is constantly watching you” and trying to extract the last penny left in your pocket by hook or by crook. Capitalism, you gotta love it.
I seem to recall some expose a couple of years ago, maybe longer, about the time that the NSA wiretapping was being substantiated. It seems that there were several companies doing this. Also schools with the loaners they provide students. Snapping pics of little Billie Jean and Bobbie in their underwear doing homework or surfing the web.
How is this corporation not declared a crime organization and disbanded immediately? They shouldn’t even be allowed to liquidate. Just void the corporate charter as if they never existed and let every crappy piece of furniture go to the looters (who the fuck else would want that crap?). Let the creditors suck it, let their debtors enjoy a jubilee.